Director, Rail Access - #189378

At Alto, we are actively contributing to the transformation of Canada's future with our high-speed train project connecting Quebec City and Toronto. With the support of the Government of Canada, this innovative project aims to improve the quality of life of our citizens, strengthen ties between communities and stimulate economic growth.

Would you like to take on a stimulating, high-impact challenge? We are looking for a Director, Rail Access. Please note that the candidate may be based in one of our 3 offices: Montreal, Ottawa or Toronto.

The role

We are seeking a highly motivated Director, Rail Access to oversee and manage relationships and technical requirements with 3rd party host railway partners for a major infrastructure project. Reporting to the Vice-President, Systems & Interface, the ideal candidate will have a proven track record of working with class 1 railroads on large-scale projects, strong technical and commercial skills, and the ability to ensure efficient, risk-conscious, and collaborative delivery.

The Responsibilities

• Lead negotiations with 3rd party railroad companies (CN, CPKC, Metrolinx, QGRY, etc.), including ancillary agreements, access rights, train scheduling rights, performance penalty regime, control and dispatch rights, and trackage rights agreements.
• Manage relationships with the Project’s Private Developer Partner regarding railway interfaces, oversee risk management and analysis in collaboration with internal stakeholders, supervise the project’s rail access management plan, and coordinate with the private development partner, government agencies, and other stakeholders to resolve issues and foster positive relationships.
• Understand and work towards the integration of technical and business requirements of the different railway companies within the project framework, ensure thorough due diligence (commercial, technical, financial), and provide input or oversee inputs into the Project’s associated risk registers.
• Lead a multi-disciplinary team of managers and advisors, review the Host Railway Management Plan provided during Checkpoint Submittals, represent and advocate for the engineering team in various working groups, and provide reporting to the Rail Engineering and Infrastructure Table.
• Develop and manage the budget for all host railway-related activities.
• Advance other engineering-related tasks as assigned.
  
  

The Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, or a any railway/technical related field.
• Minimum 10 years experience working for or with major railways in Canada.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license or equivalent certification (Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec is a plus).
• Strong knowledge of technical and commercial principles for railways in major infrastructure projects.
• Understanding of railway engineering concepts and project management.
• Experience with public-private partnerships and collaboration with government agencies.
• Excellent leadership, stakeholder engagement, and communication skills.
• Ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences.
• Proficiency in both of Canada’s official languages (desirable).
• Proven problem-solving, decision-making, and continuous improvement mindset.
• Effective at leading multidisciplinary teams and managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  
  

Why join our innovative team?

• Basic Group insurance paid for you and your family, including medical, dental, life, disability, etc.
• A pension plan and saving options (RRSP and TFSA)
• Flexible benefits: access to wellness and health accounts to support your lifestyle
• Vacation based on experience, available as soon as you're hired
• Incentive bonus program
• Work in flexible hybrid mode
• A work environment that encourages initiative, innovation and forward-thinking solutions
• A unique opportunity to craft the future of transportation in Canada
  
  

We work to create high-performance, diversified teams

At Alto, we believe in the power of diverse teams. We aspire to provide an inclusive and equitable work environment where everyone can develop and flourish. Alto offers equal employment opportunities to all and invites qualified individuals, regardless of their identity, origin or situation, to apply.

Please let us know if you need any adjustments during the recruitment process. We will do our utmost to provide you with a fair and pleasant experience, while keeping any adjustments confidential.

Please note that we will communicate only with those candidates whose applications are selected for further consideration. To find out more about the entire project, visit Alto - Home.