Project Manager, Transit Integration

The Role

Delivers on the Region’s strategic vision of an integrated sustainable transportation system by implementing transit-supportive priorities from the Grand River Transit Business Plan, Region of Waterloo Strategic Plan, and Transform Waterloo Region Climate Action Plan. Acts as the Division’s champion, applying a transit integration lens to support the Region’s current and future transit ridership, revenue, and emissions targets.

Leads integrated transit-supportive projects to diversify ridership, generate revenue, and support sustainability, including administering and enhancing new and existing transit programs and activities that position the Region to meet current and future targets and strengthen local transit culture. Maintains relationships with staff from area municipalities and townships, property owners, internal partners, major employers, educational institutions, and others to develop and implement projects. Collaborates with corporate and divisional partners to ensure appropriate resources and subject matter experts are assigned to each project.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Supervises Principal Planners (Transit). 
• Manages short, medium, and long-term low energy transit-supportive integrated sustainable transportation projects and programs, which range in scope and value (up to $10M), working with teams and governance structures across Grand River Transit and the Region on project prioritization to accelerate the shift to transit and sustainable mobility in the community. 
• Provides strategic leadership, oversight, and coordination within the Division to support the Region’s current and future transit ridership, revenue, and emissions targets. This includes managing complex projects, collaborating and building consensus with internal and external partners, stakeholders, and the public. 
• Represents the Division in Climate and Energy Transition Governance Structure. Acts as the Division’s liaison with the Regional Growth, Development and Sustainability Services Division on corporate carbon budget, corporate climate transition strategy, and data requests. 
• Has responsibility for and oversight of project management duties for transit-supportive integrated sustainable transportation projects spanning the Division or acts as a contributor to project teams led by others (e.g., active transportation, multimodal integration, micromobility, employer and community-based transit partnership programs, zero emission vehicles).
• Engages and works with internal and external partners to ensure appropriate project standards are met and to develop and administer new or existing projects/programs (e.g., Legal, Procurement, ITS, Community Planning, Council advisory committees, stakeholder departments, area municipalities, Provincial and Federal representatives, employer and community stakeholders, consultants). Prepares funding applications and develops agreements with area municipalities, townships, property owners, vendors, post-secondary institutions, major employers, and other stakeholders, including negotiating agreements, property easements, and purchases. 
• Manages projects, including creating project scope, determining resource and budget requirements, developing project schedules and documentation (e.g., charters, committee terms of reference, goals and objectives, team work plans), in collaboration with stakeholders and steering committees. 

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Leads/chairs regular project team meetings ensuring all stakeholders are represented and involved. Details action items, owners, due dates; monitors work progress; identifies and resolves issues; and maintains project momentum. 
• Tracks and reports on project budgets, schedules, and approvals processes for active projects through the full life-cycle. Modifies schedules/work plans, as required. Prepares and delivers project reports for key stakeholders and management. 
• Analyzes interdependencies between projects, and evaluates and makes recommendations on strategic project options (e.g., changes in scope, resources, schedule). Identifies opportunities for engagement in other transit and corporate processes and programs to incorporate low energy active transportation priorities.
• Consults regularly with stakeholders on implementation or operations and maintenance issues including maintenance budgeting. Ensures projects are closed effectively and operations and maintenance activities handed off, unless the Section retains responsibility.
• Coordinates implementation with other staff and stakeholders, including Design & Construction. Works with communications and marketing staff on promotional campaigns and resources for projects.
• Manages end of project documentation, including design records, project hand-offs/notes, and debriefs. Prepares incomplete scope/actions into roadmap for future projects.
• Acts as a resource and provides expertise to divisional senior management in the delivery of transit-supportive integrated sustainable transportation projects. Delivers presentations to senior management, interdepartmental staff, as well as Council/Committees. Prepares Committee/Council reports, recommendations, and presentations as required.
• Researches transit-supportive integrated sustainable transportation projects, best practices, and product/service information in the industry to inform strategies and key performance indicators for the Division. 
• Researches and applies risk and vulnerability assessment frameworks to understand impacts to the organization in regard to new major transit programs/fare strategies and climate change, consulting with management and Regional Growth, Development and Sustainability Services staff for expertise.
• Supports applications for government funding for initiatives. Has contact with government staff regarding funding, programs, and legislation/regulations.
• Liaises with industry peers to obtain information. Has contact with the public, businesses, and other stakeholders, including at public consultation meetings.
• Administers contracts for transit-supportive sustainable transportation products/services. Negotiates with vendors, contractors, property owners, and other stakeholders to develop and support agreement/terms in compliance with corporate policies and to meet service level expectations. Has signing authority within limit. Participates in selecting contractors, vendors, and consultants with Procurement. 
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge and skills are normally acquired through a university degree in Business, Planning, Environmental Studies, Public Administration or related discipline, plus progressively responsible related experience managing complex multi-stakeholder projects. 
• Functional knowledge and understanding of transit-supportive sustainable transportation programs, principles, and practices. 
• Functional knowledge and understanding of planning and development practices, procedures, and systems to plan and coordinate projects within legislative frameworks. 
• Project management skills to manage multi-stakeholder projects. 
• Commitment to continuous improvement, sustainability, transit ridership and energy transition to accelerate the Division’s shift to low-energy mobility in the community.  
• Analytical, research, organization, and problem solving skills to plan and develop project schedules, scope, budget and timelines; coordinate with internal and external stakeholders; coordinate work of staff; and recommend changes to existing transit-supportive sustainable transportation programs. 
• Communication, leadership, facilitation, negotiation, and human relations skills to supervise, train, develop, motivate, and support staff to achieve goals; develop and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders; negotiate agreements; present reports and respond to inquiries; and participate as an effective team member.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, collective agreements, related legislation (e.g., the Municipal Act, provincial climate legislation), federal and provincial plans, regional and area municipal plans and policies, and relevant by-laws. 
• Ability to write detailed project plans, including project schedules, scope, timelines, budget, reports, correspondence, and project documentation and close out/hand off notes. 
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office. 
• Ability to adjust schedule to work evenings to accommodate meetings.
• Ability to adjust regular hours to complete project milestones.
• Ability to travel within Waterloo Region. 
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.