Program Manager, Light Rail Projects

Requisition ID: 22151
Department: Transit Services Dept.
Service: Transit Engineering Services
Branch: Rail Systems Administration Branch
Employment Type: 1 Full-time Permanent
Work Hours: 35.00 hours per week
Affiliation: MPE
Salary Information: $113,700.86 - $143,798.20 annually (2025 rates of pay)
Location: Transit Service, 1500 St.Laurent
City: Ottawa, ON
Job Category: Management
Application Close: 14/05/2026

JOB SUMMARY

The Program Manager, Light Rail Projects is accountable for organizing, directing, coordinating and supervising the implementation of project work, which is highly complex in nature, high profile, may involve significant risk, and is often composed of several sub-projects which may extend over multiple years.

You are responsible for planning and managing the day-to-day delivery and operations of projects, programs and services in support of the Rail Systems Branch, including:

• Project Controls – including schedule management, risk and opportunity management, quality assurance and standards implementation, progress reporting, and overall schedule compliance.
• Project Finance – including funding agreements and reporting requirements, contracted services coordination, and overall financial reporting for the program. Prepare procurement documents, and support the procurement process, in coordination with City departments, while maintaining compliance with the City’s procurement procedures, policies and by-laws.
• Contract Management Support – including change management coordination, Project Agreement(s), compliance and enforcement, Independent Certifier agreements, legal coordination and support, and project close out reporting.
• Structural Engineering Support – ensuring assets are maintained and inspected following all requirements, repairs are completed on schedule, and overall tracking of all structural assets is kept up to date. Work with other stakeholders within the City, maintainers, and contractors as part of the oversight function, working together to coordinate inspections, planned maintenance, and repairs as required.
• Lifecycle and capital planning - including condition assessments, reliability improvement planning, failure investigations, and root cause analyses to maximize the performance of the systems on the O-Train Trillium and Confederation Lines.
• Right of Way Expertise - collaborating with internal and external parties to ensure compliance with regulatory, legislative, and operational requirements for work in and around the O‑Train right‑of‑way (ROW). This includes overseeing permits, authorities, agreements, and service‑level obligations, reviewing Proximity Studies for safety and operational impacts, coordinating and liaising with contractors, rail operations, maintainers, and City departments, and conducting on‑site engagement to establish standards, assess compliance, and support the safe, coordinated execution of projects along the ROW.

You are also responsible for managing the unit’s human (including contracted services) and financial resources and partner relationships.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Completion of 4 year university degree in business administration or other related field.

Minimum of 10 years of related experience in the areas of project reporting, and/or project management including a minimum of 5 years in the management of human and financial resources.

CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENCES

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is an asset

KNOWLEDGE

• The City of Ottawa’s organizational, governance and administrative structures
• Legislation, regulations, policies, standards and guidelines relevant to the work
• Management principles, planning, budgeting and supervision techniques and practices
• Trends and developments in the business and technical services environment
• Economic and statistical analysis and research techniques
• Operational and budgetary planning and reporting
• Performance measurement processes, tools and techniques
• Re-engineering and quality assurance processes
• Financial and other related business practices
• Cost-benefit analyses and return on investment principles
• Contract document preparation and the tendering process
• Business administration concepts, theories, principles and methodologies
• Corporate policies, guidelines and practices
• The various Collective Agreements in place at the City
• Understanding of the programs/services and operations of other City areas, and the inter-relationships between them and own work area
• MS Office
• Must be familiar with applicable health and safety legislation, have knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the work place, and have knowledge of appropriate actions to be taken in order to ensure the health and safety of staff in accordance with applicable legislation and City policies and procedures

COMPETENCIES, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Core Behaviours
Core behaviours define the City's expectations of the behaviours employees should demonstrate in performing their work. They are reflective of the City's culture and values and guide all our present and future activities. Every employee is encouraged to learn, embody, and demonstrate these core behaviours.

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Leadership Competencies
The City has defined key competencies that leaders are expected to embody and demonstrate to successfully move the organization towards achieving its strategic objectives and create an organizational culture that supports and empowers employees to excel, grow and reach their full potential. These leadership competencies and associated behaviours are expected to be demonstrated by leaders at all levels of the organization.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Language Requirement: English oral, reading, writing
• Experience and formal training combined with demonstrated performance and ability may substitute for stipulated academic requirements.
• Please save a copy of the job poster. Once the closing date has passed, it will no longer be available.

We wish to thank all applicants for their interest and effort in applying for this position. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

The City of Ottawa promotes the principles of diversity and inclusion and adheres to the tenets of the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We encourage applications from members of Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women and non-binary persons, persons of all ethnic origins, religions, sexual orientations, classes, gender identities and expressions.
Candidates are encouraged to self-identify as a member of one or more designated employment equity groups in the self-identification questionnaire.

The City of Ottawa provides accommodation to applicants during all parts of the hiring process, upon request.