Director, Planning & Development

POSITION:           Director, Planning & Development
REPORTS TO:     VP, Finance and Planning
DEPARTMENT:    Finance 
LOCATION:          North Bay
REFERENCE:      800-75-26
SALARY:              $155,948 - $183,482

WHO WE ARE:
Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) is an Agency of the Province of Ontario that provides efficient and vital transportation services.  We are a modern, forward-thinking organization focused on providing safe and reliable transportation services. ONTC has a rich history of over 120 years and strong connections to the communities we serve. With over 1000 skilled professionals, we work together to enhance transportation services and ensure that they are sustainable for future generations.  We offer a dynamic workplace culture, along with a competitive salary, excellent benefit package, a defined benefit pension plan, paid vacation, paid personal leave days and discounted transportation on our bus and passenger rail services. 

ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT:
The Director, Planning & Development, plays a critical leadership role in shaping and executing the organization’s strategic direction through robust planning, analysis, and delivery functions. This role is accountable for overseeing all aspects of corporate planning, including capital planning, business planning and intelligence, enterprise project management, business analysis, and business development. The Director ensures the organization is well-positioned to achieve its long-term goals through evidence-based decision-making, integrated planning processes, and cross-functional collaboration.

MAJOR DUTIES/ RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work with the VP, Executive Team, and MTO to modernize ONTC and enhance operational efficiency to meet Ontario’s transportation needs.
• Regularly report on ONTC initiatives and KPIs, seeking executive input on prioritization and performance results.
• Follow up with departments on performance, support corrective planning, and report progress to senior leadership.
• Build and lead a multidisciplinary team, fostering innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Mentor and develop staff through coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Provide strategic leadership in Enterprise Asset Management, ensuring policy compliance and development of strategic and operational asset management plans.
• Oversee asset costing methodologies, risk frameworks, and KPI development aligned with industry benchmarks.
• Lead scenario planning and long-term forecasting to support proactive decision-making and resilience.
• Guide the annual business planning process, business intelligence strategies, and business case development aligned with corporate and provincial goals.
• Submit the annual multi-year Business Plan and Annual Report.
• Represent ONTC in Ministry discussions, advocating for business needs and ensuring compliance with mandates.
• Align financial and operational plans with corporate strategy in collaboration with Finance and HR.
• Oversee and critically review business cases to ensure data-driven, compelling justifications.
• Collaborate with IT to ensure strong data governance and high-quality, secure data for analysis.
• Monitor KPIs and organizational performance to ensure alignment with goals and drive continuous improvement.
• Direct the development and implementation of business analysis frameworks and methodologies and champion process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, customer experience, and cost-effectiveness.
• Ensure business requirements are clearly defined and translated into effective solutions.
• Provide strategic leadership to the PMO, overseeing project planning, prioritization, execution, and monitoring, developing standardized frameworks and tools, establishing intake processes for strategic alignment and effective project evaluation.
• Track project performance metrics and provide insights to executive leadership.
• Work with Business Development to identify and evaluate high-potential opportunities aligned with strategic goals.
• Maintain a robust pipeline of future business opportunities.
• Engage internal leadership to align business development efforts across the organization.
• Ensure tools, training, and coaching are in place to support teams.

REQUIREMENTS:

• University degree in Business Commerce, Business Administration, or a related field
• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or relevant certifications in risk and business analysis
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience, preferably in the public sector and within planning functions
• Proven experience in planning functions, including capital planning, project management, continuous improvement, and business process analysis
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and enterprise-wide initiatives
• Strong knowledge of project and portfolio management tools and methodologies
• Familiarity with legislation relevant to rail, bus, and remanufacturing operations is considered an asset
• Advanced understanding of modern technology systems, including asset management and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems
• Experience engaging with senior executives and multiple stakeholders
• Strategic thinker with excellent analytical, planning, and problem-solving skills
• Effective communicator, both written and verbal, across all organizational levels
• Strong research skills with experience producing executive summaries, reports, briefings, plans, proposals, and presentations
• Comfortable acting as a catalyst and advocate for change
• Proven leadership skills, including the ability to manage and mentor diverse teams
• Solid understanding of data analytics and performance measurement
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills
• Strong ability to set priorities, manage competing demands, and exercise sound judgment
• Skilled in decision-making, negotiation, and consensus-building
• Commitment to health and safety 

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: The successful candidate will need to pass the following clearances: criminal record check, employment references and education verification.

CLOSING DATE: June 16, 2025, no later than 11:59 p.m. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Qualified individuals are invited to apply in writing with a current covering letter and resume (provided in one document), stating reference name and number.  Visit our career website to apply: https://www.ontarionorthland.ca/en/careers

At Ontario Northland, we are committed to employment equity.  We value the unique skills and experiences each person brings to Ontario Northland and invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+.

Ontario Northland will provide accommodation to ensure barrier-free employment in accordance with the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. You can request accommodation at any stage of the hiring process. If you require an accommodation, please contact Human Resources.

Les offres d'emploi sont également disponibles en français. Visitez notre site Web sur les carrières ou appelez le 1-800-363-7512, poste 394 pour plus de renseignements.