Director, Electrification & Plant at Metrolinx, Toronto

AI Summary

The Director, Electrification & Plant at Metrolinx in Toronto leads the strategy, standards, and compliance framework for critical transit assets. This role is crucial for the electrification of Light Rail, Subways, Heavy Rail, and Zero Emission Bus fleets. Key duties involve ensuring safe, reliable, and sustainable operations through robust asset management. Candidates require an engineering degree or equivalent and demonstrated experience in transit systems engineering and project management.

About Metrolinx and the Role

Metrolinx is dedicated to connecting communities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe, operating GO Transit, UP Express, and the PRESTO fare payment system. The organisation is also significantly expanding rapid transit infrastructure, including GO Expansion and major subway system enhancements. This Director, Electrification & Plant role is an in-office position based at Metrolinx's 20 Bay location in Toronto, fostering a highly collaborative environment. Within the Engineering & Safety Division (ESD), this position is vital for ensuring the safe, reliable, and cost-effective service of our extensive transit system. The ESD acts as the Metrolinx engineering technical authority, managing over $20 billion in assets, projected to grow to $60 billion by 2030. The successful candidate will lead the Electrification & Plant (ELTP) Engineering team, providing Engineering Assurance Services related to electrification and plant interfaces for various transit fleets. They will also provide leadership to the ELTP Asset Management team, overseeing the emerging ELTP asset portfolio, including directly managed, supported, and third-party managed assets. A key focus will be building and expanding the ELTP Engineering team responsible for high voltage charging systems and hydrogen storage systems, crucial for the transition to electric and hydrogen bus fleets. This leadership role ensures the Engineering and Asset Management teams actively contribute to the electrification of Light Rail, Subways, and Heavy Rail transit fleets, alongside supporting new Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) charging networks for safe, reliable, and sustainable operations of the Metrolinx Bus Fleet. This is a critical business function for the future of Canadian transit.

Key Responsibilities and Qualifications

The Director, Electrification & Plant will own and be responsible for the development and acceptance of engineering, design, maintenance, condition, and asset management standards for their assigned asset class or system-wide function. They will assure compliance to these standards throughout the entire asset lifecycle, overseeing and directing reviews for proposed deviations and non-compliances. Collaboration with the system engineering assurance team, agency divisions, commercial and delivery teams, external stakeholders, and regulators is essential to ensure the safety, design, and integration of new and enhanced assets into the Metrolinx asset base. The role involves building strong collaborative relationships with senior organisational leadership and stakeholders to drive results and realise program outcomes. The Director will also lead and justify process improvements, recommending areas for whole lifecycle cost/benefits and overall optimisation of investment decision-making, ensuring whole life cycle cost/benefit analysis is applied early in the asset lifecycle. Candidates must possess a University Degree in Engineering, Architecture, or related rail sector experience, or an equivalent combination of education and training. Demonstrated experience in asset class/system-wide function program/project management, engineering, delivery, testing, commissioning, operations, and maintenance of railway transit systems is required. Certifications such as P.Eng. or C.E.T accreditation are beneficial, as are post-graduate degrees in engineering or business administration. The ideal candidate will be knowledgeable and proficient in project management principles, vendor management, transformational change management, and risk management. Furthermore, expertise in the specific asset class or system-wide functional engineering discipline is critical. Proficiency in planning, validation, acceptance testing, and transition to operations for rail or fleet infrastructure, along with knowledge of progressive validation for CAPEX and OPEX budget development, is highly valued. A deep understanding of standards development, management, and control, alongside the application of systems engineering processes for all asset class functions, is expected. The ability to implement and continually improve comprehensive asset reporting capabilities, including dashboards and KPI development, is also a key qualification for this management position. COR certification is mandatory, and knowledge of industry regulatory requirements is essential for this crucial transit role.