Senior Specialist Environmental Field Operations

CN; Proctor (MN); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

CN in Minnesota seeks a senior environmental leader to manage day-to-day environmental operations across a regional territory. You will supervise Environmental Coordinators, provide SME guidance, and drive compliance, risk management, and incident response.

You will oversee hazardous and non-hazardous waste management, capital upgrades, and regulatory agency outreach, while guiding field crews and coordinating with other departments to optimize environmental performance and budgets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or equivalent in a related technical discipline.
• 3–5 years of experience in environmental field or related area.
• Experience with environmental compliance, incident management, and project management preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management of environmental programs and supervise coordinators.
• Ensure compliance, auditing, incident management, and reporting across the territory.
• Direct hazardous and non-hazardous waste management, and capital upgrades.
• Coordinate with regulatory agencies and stakeholders to support operations.

Skills

Project leadership

Regulatory compliance

Incident management

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree of Science in Engineering

Tools

SAP

Enablon

Railway operations knowledge

Job description

Job Summary

The incumbent is responsible for leading the day-to-day management of a territory including the supervision and direction of the Environmental Coordinators. The role provides direction to field-level employees and acts as the Subject Matter Expert (SME), providing technical expertise for Operational functions. The position influences across levels and functions and is accountable for the delivery of environmental risk management, compliance management, and incident management. Moreover, the incumbent directs the environmental industrial maintenance, capital upgrades, hazardous and non-hazardous waste management, and community and regulatory agency outreach functions.

Main Responsibilities

Compliance

• Facilitate environmental auditing processes and ensure effective implementation of all findings
• Handle corrective actions for non-compliance issues
• Provide corrective actions and solutions to address issues and advise the appropriate department
• Submit environmental documentation for approval as well as licence and permit applications for new or existing operations
• Participate in negotiations with agency personnel on matters of environmental compliance, permitting, implementation, and regulatory closure
• Lead or participate in root cause investigations for environmental incidents
• Oversee data integrity in compliance, finance, and all data management activities
• Provide technical support and expertise on environmental management best practices within CN yards and associated facilities
• Handle all compliance and maintenance monitoring in CN's compliance and document management tools

Environmental Emergency Management

• Complete or prepare incident action plans, financial reports, field notes, and provide oversight of contractors and consultants
• Fill or support the Incident Command System (ICS) Environmental Officer function at incident sites
• Handle small to medium spill without direct supervision
• Evaluate spill response needs and integrate into Emergency Response (ER) regional plan
• Organize and participate in exercises and training with CN and external stakeholders
• Participate in and operationalize outcomes of after-action reviews post incident and training exercises pre-incident
• Ensure delivery of follow-up actions found during incident debriefing

Environmental Risk Management and Footprint Reduction

• Identify environmental risk reduction opportunities and implement mitigation plans
• Handle sampling and monitoring of storm water and wastewater treatment plants and associated control and conveyance structures (e.g., grit chambers, lift stations, oil and water separators, skimmers, metres)
• Oversee the accurate and timely completion of necessary agency permits and reporting requirements
• Provide or coordinate required environmental awareness training to necessary employees within the assigned facilities to ensure that they recognize their own contribution to regulatory compliance and improved environmental performance
• Analyze and define repetitive compliance activities or tasks to identify and implement corrective measures
• Provide information and analysis to Regional Manager, Environment on the environmental performance metrics of assets and related procedures
• Serve as technical and local knowledge resource in inter and intra-departmental projects
• Provide field oversight as well as consultant and contractor management of field activities associated with capital upgrade projects
• Provide technical expertise and local knowledge for environmental site assessment and remediation projects, partnering with the Corporate Services Programs team, as well as contractors and consultants

Management of Human and Financial Resources

• Provide functional and administrative leadership to coordinators
• Identify cost reduction opportunities during projects and synergies between different projects
• Verify invoices with daily sheets of contractors and follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for approval
• Oversee team and budget management

Working Conditions

The role is performed in a combination of office and outdoor environment in various weather conditions with a regular workweek from Monday to Friday. The role is required to be on call 24/7 to respond to critical incidents. The role involves managing priorities and delivering work within established timelines, with support from the team to ensure sustainable and effective workload management. The role requires occasional travel (30%) within Canada and the United States (U.S.).

Experience

Environment

• Between 3 to 5 years of experience in a related environmental field
• Strong ability to lead projects through completion and implementation in a field heavy industry setting
• Candidates with an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered

Education/Certification/Designation

• Bachelor's Degree of Science in Engineering or equivalent in a related technical discipline or equivalent experience in emergency response, environmental compliance and project management
• Candidates with equivalent practical experience, education, or training will be considered

Competencies

• We Care About Each Other
• We Strive for Excellence
• We Succeed Together
• We Lead Responsibly
• Vision and strategic thinking
• Impactful and inclusive leadership
• Performance and value delivery
• Empowerment and talent development
• Strategic communication and influence
• Managerial courage and decisiveness
• Compliance
• Political acumen
• Delegation
• Process optimization

Technical Skills/Knowledge

• Knowledge of Systems, Applications and Products (SAP) and Microsoft Office
• Knowledge in Enablon*
• Knowledge of environmental regulations (e.g., waste, water, soil, sediment)
• Knowledge of railway operations*
• Any requirement marked with (*) will be considered an asset (not mandatory)