Sponsor Officer, Bus Sponsor

Metrolinx•Toronto, ON

About The Position

Metrolinx is connecting communities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Metrolinx operates GO Transit and UP Express, as well as the PRESTO fare payment system. We are also building new and improved rapid transit, including GO Expansion, Light Rail Transit routes, and major expansions to Toronto’s subway system, to get people where they need to go, better, faster and easier. Metrolinx is an agency of the Government of Ontario. At Metrolinx, equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to living our values of serving with passion, thinking forward and playing as a team. The Sponsor Officer, reporting to the Manager, Bus Sponsor, ensures that GO Bus and Bus Rapid Transit projects are strategically aligned and deliver defined outcomes. They lead the planning, execution, and oversight of the network, including capital business case development. Acting as the project’s guiding authority, the Sponsor Officer secures approvals, assigns delivery teams, and governs budget, schedule, and risk to ensure the client receives the intended benefits.

Requirements

Completion of a degree in Planning, Engineering, Urban Studies, Architecture, Geography or a related discipline – or a combination of education, training and experience deemed equivalent.
Registered Professional Planner (RPP) designation recognized by the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI), Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO), Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or comparable professional designation is an asset.
Demonstrated experience in leading and developing projects and strategy, urban/transportation planning, or transit infrastructure, preferably in the public sector
Familiarity with the bus sector, including zero emission buses, and working in a transportation / transit planning and/or project delivery environment, leading large-scale projects is an asset.
Thorough knowledge of innovative and progressive transit planning processes and methodologies, including knowledge of government transportation direction, transportation policy analysis, and transportation data analysis.
Knowledge and sensitivity to the needs of transit operators including operations, funding and governance.
Clear analytical thinking, problem solving skills, and adaptability combined with strong organizational skills.
Demonstrated Project Management skills, with the ability to co-ordinate different complex projects under pressure, meeting schedule and budget commitments.
Management, negotiation, and influencing skills to discuss key technical issues, foster multi-stakeholder collaboration to mitigate risks, and assist senior management with major infrastructure and investment decisions.
Interpersonal and oral/written communication skills to edit and review consultant reports, design drawings, specifications, and contract documents, and to develop and deliver presentations to senior management and other stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Registered Professional Planner (RPP) designation recognized by the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI), Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO), Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or comparable professional designation is an asset.
Familiarity with the bus sector, including zero emission buses, and working in a transportation / transit planning and/or project delivery environment, leading large-scale projects is an asset.

Responsibilities

Support Sponsors in providing assurance of project readiness through planning, design, delivery and operation to ensure project benefits are delivered on time and within budget.
Develop recommendations and prepare materials for various corporate governance bodies, including the Investment Panel, Change Control Board, Metrolinx Board, Treasury Board, etc. defining a project’s scope, ensuring the budget and funding is secured, and assuring a project is at a state of readiness and can advance to the next stage.
Monitor bus project risks, constraints and contingencies to avoid additional project costs, penalties and delays and proactively escalate issues to the Sponsors.
Gather and develop project requirements for bus investments, procurements, and other initiatives, including research, working group facilitation and documentation of requirements (infrastructure, operational, maintenance, fleet, customer experience, other).
Leads the development of business cases (in accordance with Metrolinx’s Business Case Guidance), environmental assessments and design to inform decision-making on GO Bus infrastructure projects, including but not limited to the construction of new bus facilities, upgrading bus facilities, and GO bus on-street stops.
Evaluate outputs of modelling and analysis from project and consultant teams to ensure alignment with project, organizational, customer, land use, operational and financial objectives.
Oversee consultant assignments, negotiating fees, cost sharing agreements, approvals and contractual claims.
Contribute to the development, review and monitoring of various GO Bus initiatives, including business cases, benefits realization plans, funding submissions and performance requirements and measures (KPIs).
Critically analyze service and infrastructure proposals to ensure alignment with organizational strategic directions, construction timelines, operational constraints, customer impact and demand, as well as available resources.
Conduct initial analyses, research, and studies in support of planning in the transit investment area, with a focus on bus; provides advice with respect to technical and socio-economic impacts and considerations of capital investment and planning issues for decision-making on project changes that impact project benefits, including its scope, schedule, and budget.
Develop new strategies, present conclusions and recommendations to the Sponsor or Senior Management Team, and suggest alternate strategies associated with possible transit initiatives/capital investments for bus.
Work to ensure alignment of plans with transit policies, factoring in impacts, costs, benefits, and other considerations in a timely manner.
Develop and integrate processes and procedures that define roles and responsibilities in review and decision- making at various stages of work, such as Strategic Planning, Business Case development, capital budget process, etc.
Develop and sustain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders (e.g. municipal officials, municipal transit service providers, NGOs, landowners) to foster and coordinate new initiatives, develop partnerships, strengthen transportation planning, and project delivery.
Demonstrate teamwork and core competencies at a high level of development and be an exemplary model of living the corporate Values and Code of Ethics.