Job Description

Job Title: Manager, Planning & Scheduling
Location: Halifax, NS
KR-16855 Public transit has been a part of the Halifax landscape since the early 1800s. Recent investment in transit services has had a large impact on the quality, accessibility, sustainability, and availability of transit in Halifax. Since 2002, service area population has increased by 94%, and today, Halifax Transit provides more service hours per capita than any other Canadian transit property serving a similar population size. Halifax Transit provides an integrated public transit system for over 340,000 residents living in communities within the Halifax Regional Municipality, operating two transit maintenance and storage centres, three ferry terminals, 11 bus terminals, 14 Park & Rides, and a fleet of 369 conventional buses, 5 ferries, and 47 Access-A-Bus vehicles. Partnered with Meridia, Halifax Transit is in search of a Manager, Planning & Scheduling to join their talented team in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Role Description Part of a growing team, and as a new role that reports to the Director of Planning & Customer Engagement, you will manage the team responsible for the short, medium, and long-range planning and scheduling of public transit service - this includes oversight of the new upcoming 5-year plan, as well as providing the vision for what is to come for the future of transit. You will provide strategic direction and guidance to the team as they undertake a wide range of planning activities, data collection analysis, and infrastructure projects, such as the Rapid Transit Strategy, which introduces four Bus Rapid Transit lines and 3 new ferry routes, and the Electric Bus Proposal, which will see more than 200 buses electrified and several centres and terminals updated to house and charge the new fleet. You will set a high standard for transit planning, integrating principles of land use planning and transportation planning to help the municipality achieve the goals established in the Integrated Mobility Plan and grow ridership. These standards will help to provide guidance, structure, and a positive culture to your as it continues to grow alongside the city of Halifax and the Municipality as a whole. Your responsibilities will include:

• Overseeing the preparation, alignment, and implementation of transit service plans, ranging from long range strategic plans to annual service plans
• Ensuring quarterly transit schedules are prepared, balancing efficiency, cost, reliability, quality of service to the public, and staffing impact
• Providing strategic direction regarding infrastructure, including bus stops, terminals, and transit priority measures
• Providing leadership in project planning and implementation, including large scale capital projects to construct or improve public transit facilities
• Providing strategic guidance on new initiatives, projects, and programs, such as new ferry service, bus rapid transit, rural transit, etc.
• Planning of high-quality public transit service by building and developing a strong and progressive team that efficiently and effectively meet deliverables
• Directing human resource and labour relations functions within the department, such as recommending and facilitating hiring, wage increases, promotions, granting time off, discipline, terminations, and any other job conditions for employees in the division, including participating in the grievance process

Your Qualifications With strong industry experience, you possess a wealth of knowledge in transit and planning. Having previous work experience in a government setting, you are comfortable navigating the processes involved in decision making and approvals. You have exceptional leadership abilities, and have demonstrated your managerial skills in a unionized environment. Additionally, your written and oral communication skills are excellent, as is your organizational and time-management capability. Your qualifications include:

• Undergraduate degree in Engineering, Transportation Planning, or Urban Planning with additional training or experience in public transit
• Graduate degree would be considered an asset
• Minimum of five years of experience in transit and/or transportation planning
• Minimum of five years of leadership experience
• Training and experience in project management
• Experience working in a unionized environment
• Licensed Professional Planner, Professional Engineer, or Project Management Professional certification would be considered an asset
• Strong knowledge of public transit planning principles and best practices
• Strong leadership skills
• Experience with transit scheduling practices/software, data collection and analysis, mapping, and transit operating requirements

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced leader to make an impact on a continuously growing organization. With significant growth and development in the HRM, there will be plenty of new and exciting challenges to tackle, along with upcoming projects in both planning and infrastructure that relate to sustainability, quality, accessibility, and more. Through these projects and initiatives, you will be able to see the difference you have made on the municipality and all the lives you have improved by solving intricate transit challenges. In addition to all of this, you will be located in the HRM, where you can enjoy all the amenities of the lively city of Halifax while being just minutes away from some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the province. To express interest in this opportunity please apply online by clicking "Apply Now" below. For more information contact Katherine Risley, Partner, at 902-424-1120 and krisley@kbrs.ca or Emma Roberts, Recruitment Specialist at 902-424-1104 and eroberts@kbrs.ca, or please apply online by clicking the "Apply Now" button below. If you require accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please let Katherine or Emma know. Meridia Recruitment Solutions connects leading organizations with top talent by building strong relationships and creating ideal matches with candidates because we are only successful when you are. We appreciate your interest in this opportunity. To learn more about Meridia Recruitment Solutions, our job opportunities, and career advice we invite you to explore our site and subscribe for career alerts.