Rail Operations Manager: Safety, Training & On-Time Performance

VIA Rail Canada; Montreal; On-site; CAD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

VIA Rail Canada is seeking a Manager Train Operations to supervise transportation staff and assets, ensuring safe, reliable, and on-time rail operations within the territory. The role reports to the Regional Senior Manager, Transportation.

You will lead safety initiatives, oversee investigations, coordinate with host railways, labour orgs, and internal departments, and ensure compliance with CROR and company policies. Strong bilingual communication and travel willingness are essential.

Qualifications

• University or College accreditation in management or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Possess an intermediate level in written and verbal communications skills in both recognized official languages.
• Ten years' experience in railway operations and recognised knowledge of the CROR.
• Qualification as a locomotive engineer an asset and must be eligible for medical certification for safety critical positions.
• Working knowledge of collective agreements and experience in a unionized environment.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and SharePoint.
• Bilingual (French and English), both written and spoken.
• Willingness to travel frequently away from home.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with host railways, labour organizations, internal departments and regulatory bodies to ensure safe and timely services by VIA Rail to its customers.
• Manages Operational and Occupational safety for Transportation activities, identifying systemic issues and corrective actions to ensure a safe work environment.
• Responsible to ensure efficient use of staff and assets.
• Provides on the job training and qualifying of locomotive engineers and conducts compliance monitoring.
• Monitors on-time performance identifying systemic issues and solutions.
• Attends and conducts ad hoc investigations of derailments, accidents and other emergencies involving operations personnel or the performance or non-performance of duties where there has been a contravention of the CROR or organizational policies.
• Participate in meetings and in the production of reports on safety problems and incidents or accidents to ensure rapid accountability and immediate application of recommendations.
• Responsible to conduct investigations, disciplinary actions and final incident reports. Provide input and ensure locomotive engineer training and record keeping on specific training requirements, operational changes, operational rules and procedures and organizational policies and procedures in conjunction with the Transportation and Labour Relations groups.
• Issuing operating notices and preparing and issuing train operation and crew publications as required by VIA Rail collective agreements.

Skills

Bilingual communications

Written & verbal communications

Travel willingness

Safety compliance

Education

Management degree or equivalent education

Grade 12 or CÉGEP

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

SharePoint

Job description

VIA Rail Canada is seeking a Manager Train Operations to supervise transportation staff and assets, ensuring safe, reliable, and on-time rail operations within the territory. The role reports to the Regional Senior Manager, Transportation.

You will lead safety initiatives, oversee investigations, coordinate with host railways, labour orgs, and internal departments, and ensure compliance with CROR and company policies. Strong bilingual communication and travel willingness are essential.