Assistant Superintendent

Canadian National Railway Company•Urbana, IL

2d•$110,000 - $145,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Superintendent is a mid-level management position responsible for overseeing front-line supervisors (Trainmasters and Assistant Trainmasters) and unionized conductors and locomotive engineers in day-to-day train operations within a territory or terminal to meet CN’s service commitments. The role involves supervising front-line supervisors to achieve organizational targets, ensure compliance with rules and regulations, act as an escalation point, liaise with other departments, coach and develop front-line supervisors for increased responsibility, and manage unionized employees. This position is critical in ensuring front-line supervisors have the necessary support to achieve on-time train performance and meet customer commitments in a 24/7 work environment.

Requirements

Minimum 18 months of experience in railroad, preferably as a supervisor of transportation.
Trainmaster work experience.
Industrial work experience demonstrating progression of responsibility and complexity in a safety-compliant environment.
Experience working with heavy machinery.
4 years of supervisory experience of both management and unionized employees.
High School Diploma.
Valid Driver’s Licence.
Qualified Conductor or Locomotive Engineer.
Working knowledge of other operating functions (engineering, mechanical, operations centre).
General Microsoft and computer skills; especially with Excel, Word, SRS, SAP, PAP and applications such as RTBI, DataCity and SmartYard.
Comprehensive knowledge of safe rail operating practices.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Logistics.
Develops and empowers self and others to ensure CN’s success through continuous feedback and coaching.
Shows initiative and empowers others to raise our collective game.
Makes informed and timely decisions to succeed.
Tracks metrics to achieve ambitious targets and holds self accountable to meet performance expectations.
Inspires others with impactful communications, both orally and in written, and adapts well to its audience.
Addresses risks in a timely manner to eliminate them.
Collaborates with key internal stakeholders to enable higher productivity.
Continuously displays a customer-centric attitude in order to improve the customer’s journey.
Time management and project management.

Responsibilities

Coach and train management and unionized employees on safe and productive work procedures.
Build safety compliance and improve safety results through regular safety observations, providing feedback, and taking action on non-compliant behavior.
Audit and validate safety discussions held by front-line supervisors with unionized employees.
Validate and qualify conductor trainees before they move onto the spare board.
Respond to crossing incidents, accidents, or sites of injury to support employee reaction, work with police, and manage the site until track and service are restored.
Submit accident and injury investigation close-outs.
Respond to and coordinate with a dangerous goods incident or leak in a yard, liaise with the Dangerous Goods Officer, and ensure employee and public well-being.
Train, audit, and implement Standard Operating Procedures.
Ensure safe operation as measured by accidents, incidents, and employee injuries.
Achieve weekly and monthly safety observation expectations and objectives in regards to the safety management plan.
Co-chair and participate in Health & Safety Committee meetings regularly.
Interact with local communities, including presentations.
Maintain teamwork and order amongst staff, contractors, and internal clients by acting with urgency to respond to issues.
Ensure decisions consider a broader perspective of the territory, not just the terminal.
Use operational data in CN systems to identify opportunities for improved asset utilization and service reliability, take action for the territory, and make recommendations with CN’s network implications.
Oversee the management of crew utilization, track deadheads, recrews, and unproductive labor costs, while improving operations and cost control.
Set recovery plans for service exceptions in conjunction with the Rail Traffic Control (RTC) center.
Oversee and support front-line supervisors in accurate and timely reporting of delays, identifying ways to reduce delays, and managing, monitoring, and improving Initial Terminal Delay and Final Terminal Delay.
Support front-line supervisors in working with rail traffic control to manage train lineups and meets, and to predict estimated arrival times and train crew needs.
Support front-line supervisors in managing crew productivity against switching standards and recommend improvements.
Track yard status, service commitments, old dates, inbound arrivals, process traffic to reduce dwell, and ensure train connections and departures meet the service plan.
Establish the best opportunity to move traffic against multiple demands.
Oversee cost control and asset utilization as it relates to the territory, ensuring terminals are compliant with CN’s standards and expectations.
Oversee the customer service plan and adjust as required.
Build network relationships to support strategic initiatives and opportunities for the territory and region.
Communicate company goals and policies to create clear understanding of direction and expectations for both the front-line supervisory team and unionized employees.
Oversee the investigation process as per the collective agreement, ensuring timelines are met and actions progress.
Work with Occupational Health Services in returning employees to work.
Develop and sustain appropriate employee behaviors with feedback, recognition, reinforcement, and coaching.
Participate in the interview process and facilitate the training schedule.
Oversee front-line supervisors with time off requests, leaves of absence, and attendance management.
Spearhead Trainmasters: evaluate employee performance and review performance expectations, actual performance, and overall performance ratings.
Work with front-line supervisors to create comprehensive development goals and support their achievement of technical and leadership development, while providing opportunities for growth.
Conduct and validate onboarding conversations to ensure employees adopt proper work practices and have the knowledge, tools, and understanding to perform their jobs safely and efficiently.
Identify and coach performance deficiencies, and take action to build required behaviors.
Share best practices, information, operational concerns, and company information to create transparency and clear understanding of company direction and expectations.