Director, 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 Board of Directors of VIA Rail is responsible for the governance and oversight of VIA Rail’s activities, business performance and strategic policy direction. It ensures internal controls are in place to manage risks and ensure the accuracy of the organization’s finances and reports.

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.

Education and Experience

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


• A professional accounting designation (CPA) would be considered an asset;
  


• Experience serving as a member of a board of directors for a complex commercial public or private sector organization or as a senior executive of a complex commercial public or private sector organization answerable to stakeholders in said sectors;
  


• Experience in dealing with senior representatives of government or the private sector;
  


• Experience in the transportation sector or business community (preferably rail); and
  


• Experience in one or more of the following areas: safety and security management; public relations; law; accounting; finance; information technology; communications; community relations; or stakeholder engagement.
  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of VIA Rail’s mandate, mission, strategic priorities, and business activities and the transportation industry, preferably related to the rail sector;
  


• Knowledge of the role and responsibilities of a board member, 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 and financial management, strategic corporate planning, monitoring, and evaluation of corporate performance;
  


• Knowledge of corporate governance including good governance principles and best practices;
  


• Knowledge of one or more of the following areas: accounting; finance; business administration; commerce or economics; railway engineering; law; marketing; communications; public relations; large public construction project acquisition; infrastructure procurement and project management; safety and security management; cybersecurity and large pension fund management and administration;
  


• Financial literacy;
  


• Ability to identify, analyse and define priorities and strategies;
  


• Ability to anticipate emerging issues;
  


• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with other board members and the board’s partners and stakeholders; and
  


• Superior communication skills, both oral and written, and the ability to manage communications with a variety of stakeholders.
  

Language Requirements

Proficiency in both official languages would be preferred.

• Sound judgment
  


• High ethical standards and integrity
  


• Superior interpersonal skills
  


• Tact and diplomacy
  


• 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 the 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.

• No officer or employee of Via Rail Inc. or any of its affiliates, other than the chief executive office, shall be a director of Via Rail Inc. (statutory).
  


• Directors must be available for four quarterly scheduled Board meetings plus additional meetings as required.
  


• 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

Candidates must apply online by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time 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.