Senior Advisor Transit Strategy

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.

Transit Strategy and Insights helps Metrolinx make better decisions about transit investments, policies and priorities. Across our transit portfolios, we combine forecasting, market intelligence and strategic analysis to understand travel needs, evaluate options and advise leaders throughout the investment lifecycle.

We are looking for a Senior Advisor, Transit Strategy to develop transit strategies, advance strategic initiatives and help put new ideas into practice. You will tackle complex questions, assess options and bring forward recommendations that help Metrolinx improve transit outcomes and the value of its investments.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Transit Strategy, this senior individual contributor role combines strategy development with practical delivery. You will take ownership of defined assignments, work with colleagues across Metrolinx and external partners, and help turn agreed priorities into action. You will exercise sound judgment, challenge assumptions constructively and propose solutions.

If you enjoy making sense of complex issues and working with others to move good ideas forward, we want to hear from you.

What will I be doing?

• Develop transit strategies and strategic advice. Translate business priorities and emerging issues into clear objectives, focused questions and workplans, taking ownership of assigned analyses and strategy workstreams.

• Conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis, research and peer benchmarking to assess options and test assumptions. Connect customer, operational, financial and policy considerations; recommend a course of action with clear trade-offs, risks, resource implications and requirements for implementation.

• Work with colleagues across Metrolinx and, through established channels, external partners to develop and test proposals. Facilitate focused discussions and workshops, reconcile different perspectives and build support for workable recommendations.

• Advance assigned strategic initiatives from recommendations into agreed next steps. Develop implementation approaches, coordinate contributions and track milestones and dependencies. Anticipate obstacles, propose solutions and bring decisions or material risks to the Senior Manager in time to act.

• Help shape and advance innovation pilots: define the opportunity, develop the rationale and scope, establish success measures, and work with partners on delivery and evaluation. Use results to recommend whether to refine, expand or discontinue an approach.

• Respond to emerging and ad hoc strategic requests with timely analysis and advice. Clarify the required decision, synthesize available evidence and identify gaps, making sound judgments about when to investigate further, seek input or escalate.

• Translate analysis and stakeholder input into clear recommendations, executive briefings and presentations. Explain the implications, decisions required and practical next steps, and present findings to senior audiences and relevant internal and external forums

What Skills and Qualifications Do I Need?

• Completion of a degree in business, economics, public policy or related discipline, or a combination of education, training and experience deemed equivalent.

• Demonstrated experience developing strategies and advancing complex initiatives, including responsibility for substantive analysis, recommendations and delivery of defined workstreams. Relevant experience from a range of sectors is welcome; prior transit sector experience is not required.

• Strong strategic problem-solving and systems-thinking skills: ability to structure ambiguous issues, connect objectives and dependencies across an organization, evaluate options and translate strategic choices into feasible actions.

• Strong research and analytical skills, combining qualitative and quantitative evidence, testing assumptions and assessing the strengths and limitations of available information. Ability to assess performance, costs, benefits and trade-offs, interpret evidence critically and draw sound conclusions that inform strategic decisions.

• Political acuity and sound judgment in a complex stakeholder environment. Ability to understand organizational and public-sector decision processes, recognize sensitivities and competing interests, handle confidential information and know when to seek direction or escalate.

• Demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships, facilitate productive discussions and influence without direct authority. Confidence engaging senior colleagues, challenging ideas respectfully and working constructively through differing perspectives.

• Demonstrated experience turning complex analysis into clear insights and actionable recommendations for senior audiences. Strong writing, presentation and visual communication skills, including preparing concise briefing materials and presentations.

• Ability to manage concurrent assignments, organize contributions from others and deliver quality work to agreed timelines. A proactive approach to identifying issues, proposing solutions and following through. Experience shaping or advancing innovation pilots, testing new approaches or evaluating initiatives is an asset.

Don’t Meet Every Requirement? 

If you’re excited about working with Metrolinx but your past experience doesn’t quite align with every qualification of this posting, we encourage you to apply. You just might be the right candidate for this or other roles. We are always looking for great talent to join our team.

We invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from members of equity-deserving communities, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, racialized, women, people with disabilities, and people with diverse gender identities, expressions and sexual orientations.

Accommodation:
Metrolinx is an equal opportunity employer and committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We are also committed to offering reasonable accommodation to job applicants in accordance with applicable legislation. If you require assistance or an accommodation at any point during the hiring process, please contact us at: 416-202-5601 or email hr.recruitment@metrolinx.com.

Application Process:

All applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada. Metrolinx will be using email to communicate with you for all job competitions. It is your responsibility to include an updated email address that is checked daily and accepts emails from unknown users. As we send time-sensitive correspondence, we recommend that you check your email regularly. If no response is received, we will assume you are no longer interested in pursuing the opportunity. Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate.

For Internal applicants, with the recent implementation of the Internal Mobility Policy, the internal recruitment process has changed for non-union roles. Candidates must be in their current role for 12 months prior to applying for another role and each applicant must be in good standing (not participating in a Performance Improvement Plan). Please review all provisions of the policy before submitting your application.

Should it be determined that any background information provided is misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, Metrolinx reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of your application.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

WE ARE AN EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE EMPLOYER.

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