Specialist, Railway Infrastructure

Viarail; Montreal; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Telemedicine access

Health & wellness coverage

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Employee Resource Groups

Job summary

VIA Rail is seeking a Senior MOW Contract Manager in Canada. The role oversees performance-based maintenance-of-way contracts for mainline infrastructure, coordinating field and office activities and ensuring compliance with contractual requirements.

Responsibilities include budget oversight, invoicing review, and leading coordination across disciplines such as track, signals, bridges and culverts. Strong leadership, planning, and bilingual communication are essential.

Qualifications

• BAC in civil engineering or relevant field (asset).
• 10+ years of professional experience in the railway industry.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in project management.
• Knowledge of railway infrastructure theory and inspection.
• Knowledge of Transport Canada, AREMA and/or CN/CP standards.
• Training recognized by a North American railway (asset).
• PMP certification (asset).
• Experience with project management tools such as Microsoft SharePoint, EPM 2010, and Project Online.
• Experience working in a matrix management environment.
• Excellent written and verbal proficiency in English and French.
• Strong leadership skills and proactive mindset.

Responsibilities

• Manage VIA Rail's Maintenance-of-Way (MOW) contract for mainlines.
• Monitor quality, cost, deadlines and objectives for the MOW contract.
• Review and approve invoicing for the MOW contract.
• Provide technical support and resolve operation-related problems.
• Ensure deliverables meet scope, regulations and standards.
• Lead weekly operational calls and monthly working committees with the contractor.
• Track Work Order requests and budget priorities with discipline leads.
• Develop annual maintenance programs and monitor progress.
• Oversee safety initiatives and incident investigations.
• Ensure governance and procurement processes are followed.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication (bilingual)

Education

Civil engineering degree (asset)

Tools

Microsoft SharePoint

EPM 2010

Project Online

Job description

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Reference Number :1489

Status :Temporary - Full-time

Annual Salary / Hourly Rate : $89,722 - $112,152

Number of positions to be filled :1

Application Deadline :11/07/2026

Did you know that VIA Rail is carrying out ambitious projects to modernize its services and infrastructure? From our new ultramodern train fleet to ongoing improvement of our infrastructure, we’re building the future of transportation in Canada. Working for VIA Rail is being a part of a collective effort in sustainable mobility.

Why VIA Rail?

We’re proud to offer a workplace that reflects the diversity and inclusivity of Canadian society. At VIA Rail, you’ll enjoy:

• Hybrid Work Options (role-dependent)
• Unlimited Access to Telemedicine Services
• Health & Wellness Coverage
• Commitment to Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Participation in Social Initiatives & Employee Resource Groups

Employment Period, Schedule and Location

• Temporary full-time employment, 40/week
• Duration: at least 8 months contract, possibility of becoming permanent
• Job location: Montreal or Ottawa.

POSITION:

Under the supervision of the Director - Infrastructure, this person will be managing VIA Rail’s performance-based Maintenance-of-Way contract for the mainline corridors.

He or she will oversee the operation and daily activities of the maintenance-of-way contractor, ensure they meet contractual performance requirements, approve and track work orders as well as oversee their invoicing.

His or her involvement, both in the office and in the field, will be primarily related to the monitoring and improvement of railway infrastructure for specialties such as main tracks, signals, bridges and culverts, level crossings, summer and winter maintenance of the right-of-way, maintenance programs as well as preventive and corrective work on all railway systems.

His or her responsibility will be to ensure performance of the maintenance-of-way contract, deliverables are met and all activities are well coordinated between the various departments and projects.

His or her responsibility will also include the management of OPEX budgets. He or she must have strong project planning and coordination skills, as well as strong leadership, problem-solving and strategic decision-making abilities. Throughout the role’s responsibilities, he or she must demonstrate leadership, eloquence, charisma and professionalism.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

Ensure the management, planning, and rigorous oversight of MOW contract

• In charge of administering VIA Rails Maintenance-of-Way contract for mainlines;
• Responsible for monitoring activities in terms of quality, cost, deadlines and monitoring objectives;
• Manage, track, review and approve invoicing for the Maintenance-of-Way contract;
• Provide technical support and participate in the resolution of problems related to the operation;
• Ensure performance requirements of the MOW contract are in line with Scope of Work, Regulatory requirements and Standards;
• Ensure all contractual deliverables are provided by the MOW Contractor;
• Issue Contractual Non-Compliances (CNC) to the Contractor when needed;
• Lead Weekly Operational Call and Monthly working Committee with MOW Contractor;
• Track Work Order (WOF) requests: including review and approval of WOFs, tracking their execution and invoicing;
• Track OPEX budget and define priorities by working closely with each discipline lead (track, signals, bridges and culverts);
• Establish annual programs and monitor monthly progress for preventive and corrective maintenance for the infrastructures under his/her responsibility;
• Ensure the operational feasibility of works being planned makes recommendations;
• Involved in safety initiatives and perform investigations when incidents/accidents occurs;
• Manage incident reporting and review corrective actions proposed by the contractor;
• Ensure governance is followed in the process and decisions related to procurement and contractual arrangements;
• Ensure that there is sound communication within VIA’s Infrastructure team and ensure a uniform approach is applied in managing communication and coordination with the MOW Contractor;
• Continuous improvement: continuously looking for ways to optimize processes.

Technical expertise

• Participate in defining Standards and Work Methodologies to be applied;
• Work on improvement and clarifications needed within VIA Standard Documents;
• Review and update technical documents related to general engineering instructions, track inspections, maintenance and work;
• Participates in the development of tools for the prevention and prediction of wear and tear on infrastructure systems and makes recommendations;
• Participate in the resolution of problems relating to processes, procedures and standards.

Support Infrastructure Procurement Initiatives

• Work closely with VIA’s Procurement department when required;
• Build detailed Scope of Works based on the requirements established by each discipline lead;
• Coordinate responses to RFQ clarification questions;
• Participate in Bid Evaluations and Vendor Selection;
• Perform Contract Review.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR :

• BAC in civil engineering or any other relevant field. (an asset);
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in the railway industry;
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in project management;
• Knowledge of railway infrastructure theory and inspection;
• Knowledge of Transport Canada, AREMA and/or CN/CP standards;
• Training recognized by a North American railway (an asset);
• PMP certified (an asset);
• Practical knowledge in developing project management activities and project management tools and methods, such as Microsoft SharePoint, EPM 2010, and Project Online;
• Experience working in a matrix management environment;
• Excellent written and verbal proficiency in both official languages (English/French);
• Good leadership skills and proactive;
• Ability to work in a team environment and foster collaboration;
• Good negotiation skills and ability to influence others to sign agreements;
• Skilled in planning and organizing teamwork;
• Excellent communication skills; open to others’ perspectives;
• Be organized, autonomous, methodical and rigorous;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within the team and with service providers;
• Ability to work within tight timelines, work under pressure and manage parallel activities;
• Work experience in a matrix management context;
• Creativity and skill in solving complex problems;
• Be a boots-on-the-ground type person and enjoy working in the field;
• Commitment to continuous training: Willingness to keep up to date on the management of best practices and project management tools to maintain a high level of project management expertise;
• Basic financial knowledge for budget management;
• Excellent analytical skills and must exercise good judgment;
• Good verbal and written communication skills;
• Master the Microsoft Office suite;

Working conditions

• Must have a valid driver's license and a vehicle for occasional business use;
• Generally, the work schedule is from Monday to Friday, as follows:
  • 3-4 days / week at the office or various sites within the VIA infrastructure network ;
  • 1-2 day / week at home (with authorization).
• May be required to work outdoors in various weather conditions;
• Flexibility in work schedules to meet work deadline requirements;
• VIA infrastructure network is located from Halifax to Vancouver where the mainline corridor is mainly between Coteaux (Québec) to Windsor (Ontario).

At VIA Rail, we are proud to be an employment-equity employer and we strive to form teams that reflect the diversity of Canadian society. We aim to remove barriers to employment accessibility and aspire to provide an inclusive and equitable work environment where everyone is valued, regardless of their identity or differences, to enable them to reach their full potential.

To support our recruitment process, we may use artificial intelligence and automated tools that support, but never replace human judgment. All hiring decisions are made by our hiring managers, supported by experienced recruiters.

If you need assistance in making the recruitment process or the position you are applying for more accessible, please let us know. Alternate arrangements may be offered to individuals who request them at any stage of the recruitment process. All information received in relation to arrangements will be kept confidential.

Note that we will only contact those who are selected for an interview.

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