President and Chief Executive Officer, VIA Rail Canada Inc.

VIA Rail Canada operates Canada’s national passenger rail service on behalf of the Government of Canada. VIA Rail is a Crown corporation established in 1977. VIA Rail provides Canadians with a safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible passenger service, operating 480 train departures weekly on 12, 500 kilometers of track and connecting over 400 Canadian communities. The Corporation reports to Parliament through the Minister of Transport.

The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is accountable to the Corporation’s Board of Directors for the overall performance of the business enterprise. VIA Rail’s performance depends on the advancement of the Corporation’s mission statement throughout the organization. The President and CEO develops, in consultation with the Board and senior management, the corporate strategy and operating plans to achieve the mission, and oversees the general operations of the Corporation, including the development of its management, the allocation of its resources, and the establishment of appropriate internal controls. The President and CEO works with the Board to develop policy and to maintain oversight, and also acts as the Corporation’s chief spokesperson.

Further details about the organization and its activities can be found on VIA Rail Canada Inc. website.

Diversity and Official Languages

The Government of Canada will consider bilingual proficiency and diversity in assessing applicants. You are therefore encouraged to include in your online profile your ability to speak and understand your second official language. Preference may be given to applicants who are members of one or more of the following groups: women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of a visible minority group.

To be considered, please ensure that the information provided in your curriculum vitae and cover letter clearly demonstrate how you meet the following requirements:

Education and Experience

• A degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in a relevant field of study, or an acceptable combination of equivalent education, job-related training and/or experience;
  


• Significant experience as a CEO or senior executive in an organization of a similar size and complexity preferably in the transportation sector;
  


• Track record of delivering on financial and strategic objectives;
  


• Significant commercial background with a record of generating revenue and market share within a customer-focused organization;
  


• Demonstrated success in executing significant business and process transformation utilizing formal change management strategies;
  


• Experience overseeing and delivering large capital projects; such procurement experience could include Charter/lease negotiations and successful large scale procurements;
  


• Proven skills in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships in a complex multi-stakeholder environment;
  


• Experience in establishing and maintaining an effective working and reporting relationship with a board of directors would be considered an asset; and
  


• Successful engagement with senior political and public service officials would be considered an asset.
  

If you move on to the next stage of the selection process, the following criteria will be assessed:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the Corporation’s mandate, mission, strategic priorities, and business including regulatory environments;
  


• Knowledge of the role and responsibilities of the Chairperson, the Board of Directors and the President and CEO, including fundamental accountabilities to the Government of Canada as shareholder;
  


• Knowledge of the public policy environment facing a Crown corporation, and a general understanding of the legislative environment in which it operates, including the Financial Administration Act;
  


• Knowledge of human resources management in a unionized environment;
  


• Knowledge of operational and strategic corporate planning, monitoring, and evaluation of corporate performance;
  


• Knowledge of risk management, including effective systems to identify, monitor, mitigate and manage risks;
  


• Knowledge of effective governance principles, both at the board and organizational levels;
  


• Ability to foster a corporate culture that promotes safety, trust, respect, ethical practices and encourages individual integrity and social responsibility;
  


• Ability to understand organizational dynamics in order to identify opportunities and recognize challenges in order to drive organizational change;
  


• Ability to build an environment of collaboration, teamwork and service excellence; and
  


• Strong communications skills, both written and oral, and the ability to act as a spokesperson for the Corporation in dealing with the media, public institutions, governments and other organizations.
  

Language Requirements

Proficiency in both official languages would be preferred.

If you move on the the next stage of the selection process, we will contact your references to confirm that you meet the above selection criteria and that you possess the following Personal Attributes:

• Sound judgment;
  


• High ethical standards and integrity;
  


• Superior leadership and interpersonal skills;
  


• Tact and diplomacy; and
  


• Strategic thinker.
  

Eligibility Factors and Conditions of Employment

• Appointees must comply with the Ethical and Political Activity Guidelines for Public Office Holders throughout their appointment as a term and condition of employment. The guidelines are available on the Governor in Council Appointments website under Forms and reference material.

• All appointees are subject to the Conflicts of Interest Act. Public office holders appointed on a full-time basis must also submit to the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics within 60 days of appointment, a confidential report in which they disclose all of their assets, liabilities and outside activities. For more information, please visit the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's website.

• f you are appointed to this position, you must reside in, or be willing to relocate to, Montréal, Quebec or to a location within reasonable commuting distance.
  


• Appointees must uphold the highest standards of probity and are expected to demonstrate behaviours in the workplace that afford respect, equality and dignity, to everyone they interact with at work at all times. The Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector outlines the values and expected behaviours for public servants, including valuing diversity and creating workplaces free from harassment and discrimination. Governor in Council appointees are expected to uphold and respect these values and principles in a positive and active manner.
  

A link to this notice will be placed in the Canada Gazette to assist the Governor in Council in identifying qualified candidates for this positions. It is not, however, intended to be the sole means of recruitment. A roster of qualified candidates may be established and may be used for similar opportunities.

How to Apply

Review of applications will begin on September 7, 2018, via the Governor in Council Appointments website. Your cover letter should be addressed to the Deputy Director of Selection Processes, Senior Personnel Secretariat, Privy Council Office, and should be sent only through the online application.