Senior Project Manager

Did you know that VIA Rail is carrying out ambitious projects to modernize its services and infrastructure? From our new ultramodern train fleet to ongoing improvement of our infrastructure, we’re building the future of transportation in Canada. Working for VIA Rail is being a part of a collective effort in sustainable mobility.

Reporting to the NCIP Program Manager, the Project Manager is accountable for initiating, planning, and executing an iconic legacy car renovation project within the VIA Rail fleet. The role leads the kick‑off, coordinates delivery activities, and ensures project performance against scope, schedule, cost, quality, and governance requirements as defined by the Project Management Office. In parallel, the Project Manager supports rolling stock warranty management by leading the follow‑up of warranty claims and Non‑Conformity Requests (NCR), tracking warranty costs, maintaining forecasts, and supporting financial reporting.

Responsibilities

Iconic legacy car renovation project (primary)

• Initiate the project: confirm objectives, scope, deliverables, assumptions/constraints, stakeholders, and required approvals.
• Lead the project kick‑off and establish governance routines (core team cadence, reporting, action/decision logs) aligned with PMO requirements.
• Plan and baseline the execution (schedule, resources, procurement/contracting, risks, interfaces) and drive delivery through to closeout.

Execute and close the project

• Lead execution activities for the iconic legacy car project, coordinating internal teams and external suppliers to deliver scope safely, on time, and to quality requirements.
• Monitor and control project costs and warranty spend, ensuring accurate tracking, accruals where applicable, and consolidated forecasting.
• Maintain and update the integrated schedule; track progress against milestones and drive recovery plans when deviations occur.
• Coordinate procurement and contract execution (POs, change requests, deliverables) and support resolution of scope changes with appropriate approvals.
• Identify, assess, and manage project risks and issues; maintain action plans and escalate as required through governance.
• Ensure active follow‑up of open warranty claims and NCRs during execution, coordinating required technical inputs, approvals, and supplier responses.
• Provide regular status reporting (schedule, cost, risks, quality, warranty KPIs) and maintain clear communication with stakeholders.
• Coordinate quality inspections, acceptance, and documentation; ensure deficiencies are captured via NCRs and closed with evidence.
• Prepare project closeout deliverables (final cost, warranty summary, open items, lessons learned) and support operational handover as applicable.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of warranty processes, templates, and reporting with the Warranty Officer and PMO.

Warranty management (in parallel)

• Lead follow‑up of Non‑Conformity Requests (NCR) with the Warranty Officer, Engineering, Quality and suppliers; ensure investigation, corrective actions, and documented closure.
• Manage warranty claims follow‑up with suppliers/contractors (evidence, submissions, tracking, settlement/credit confirmation) and coordinate required technical inputs.
• Track warranty‑related costs and maintain a warranty cost forecast; provide periodic updates to the Program Manager and Finance/Project Controls.
• Maintain a consolidated warranty log/dashboard (issues, NCRs, claims, due dates, owners, financial impacts) and manage NCR/claims aging follow‑up.
• Prepare warranty reporting (status, KPIs, costs and forecast, risks/issues) and support audits/traceability requirements.
• Support supplier performance reviews related to warranty obligations and coordinate corrective measures and follow‑up actions.
• Escalate critical warranty issues and support timely decisions by coordinating cross‑functional problem solving.
• Collaborate with the Warranty Officer to standardize templates, improve data quality, and continuously improve warranty processes.
• Ensure warranty documentation is complete and compliant with internal processes and supplier contractual requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, administration or a related field; at least 10 years of experience in project management in the field of operations or transportation. A combination of relevant professional experience and education may be considered.
• Knowledge of rolling stock (definite asset).
• Basic understanding of finance.
• Experience in carrying out projects that require managing and coordinating multifunctional teams.
• Experience working in a matrix management environment.
• PMP certification (definite asset).
• Proven practical knowledge in developing project management activities, tools and methods, such as Microsoft SharePoint, EPM 2010 and Project Online (asset).
• Bilingualism in English and French is essential.
• Leading and motivational skills.
• Cooperates efficiently with multifunctional teams.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to foster and maintain effective working relationships with team members and external stakeholders.
• Capable of influencing team members of other organisations.
• Rigour, planning and organisational skills.
• Solid and successful experience in operation and maintenance coordination in the context of train commissioning and commercial service.
• Tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to manage ambiguity.
• Creative problem solver.
• Strong ability to achieve results.

At VIA Rail, we are proud to be an employment‑equity employer and we strive to form teams that reflect the diversity of Canadian society. We aim to remove barriers to employment accessibility and aspire to provide an inclusive and equitable work environment where everyone is valued, regardless of their identity or differences, to enable them to reach their full potential.

If you need assistance in making the recruitment process or the position you are applying for more accessible, please let us know. Alternate arrangements may be offered to individuals who request them at any stage of the recruitment process. All information received in relation to arrangements will be kept confidential.

Note that we will only contact those who are selected for an interview.