Director, Transit Services

The Opportunity

The Director, Transit Services is responsible for providing strategic leadership and operational oversight for the City of Grande Prairie’s transit system, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient service for all passengers. This role involves managing all aspects of transit operations, including route planning, scheduling, maintenance of vehicles, budgeting, and compliance with regulations. The Director works closely with municipal leadership, community stakeholders, and transit staff to develop and implement policies that support the City’s mobility goals and environmental sustainability initiatives.

In addition to operational management, the Public Transit Director plays a key role in long-term strategic planning, including service expansion, technology integration, and performance improvement initiatives. The position requires strong financial acumen to manage multimillion-dollar budgets as well as leadership skills to foster a collaborative, customer-focused culture. Effective communication and stakeholder engagement are critical, as the Director represents the transit system in public forums, council meetings, and partnerships with regional transportation agencies.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Vision
Provide clear direction for Transit Services, aligning operational priorities with Council’s strategic goals and the organization’s long-term objectives. Lead the development and implementation of forward-looking plans that anticipate future transit needs, integrate innovative solutions, and position the system as a modern, efficient, and accessible service for the community.

Operational Excellence and Service Reliability
Oversee day-to-day transit operations to ensure safe, reliable, and high-quality service. Monitor performance dashboards, guide supervisors in real-time decision-making, and implement data-driven strategies that optimize schedules, routes, and resource allocation. Champion continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and responsiveness to rider needs.

Financial Stewardship
Manage operating and capital budgets with a focus on sustainability and value for money. Optimize resource allocation, monitor key financial performance indicators, and support long-term investment strategies that strengthen the financial health of the transit system while delivering maximum benefit to the community.

Team Development and Leadership
Build and nurture a high-performing, engaged workforce. Coach, mentor, and support team members at all levels, cultivating leadership skills, accountability, and collaboration. Promote a positive workplace culture that encourages professional growth, teamwork, and employee engagement.

Customer and Community Engagement
Enhance the rider experience and foster trust within the community. Maintain proactive communication with passengers, community partners, and stakeholders to gather insights, address concerns, and ensure that transit services meet the evolving needs of the public. Act as a visible, approachable leader who represents the system with integrity and transparency.

Safety, Compliance, and Environmental Responsibility
Ensure that all operations comply with safety regulations, labor standards, and other regulatory requirements. Promote a culture of safety and environmental stewardship across the organization, implementing policies and procedures that protect employees, passengers, and the broader community.

Innovation and Continuous Improvement
Drive modernization and performance enhancement through technology adoption, emerging trends, and strategic funding opportunities. Encourage creative problem-solving and process improvements that increase efficiency, improve service delivery, and strengthen the system’s capacity to respond to changing demands and community expectations.

The Person

Experience and Education

• Proven performer with at least seven (7) years of progressive experience in a diversified municipal environment, including at least five (5) years in a supervisory or leadership role.
• Undergraduate degree in Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field from a recognized post-secondary institution.
• Combination of experience and education will be considered.

Skills and Qualifications

• Proven ability to build high-performing, collaborative teams and lead multi-stakeholder initiatives. Experienced in guiding unionized staff to achieve departmental goals while ensuring proper application of the Collective Agreement. Fosters a positive, solutions-focused work culture grounded in safety, inclusion, and accountability.
• Exemplary interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with staff, Council, community partners and neighbouring municipalities. Communicates with honesty, diplomacy, and tact, building trust and maintaining confidentiality in complex environments.
• Skilled in assessing organizational needs, developing strategies, and executing operational initiatives within diversified transit or municipal operations. Confident navigating complex municipal environments while balancing day-to-day operations with long-term strategic objectives.
• Demonstrates strong financial and strategic insight to support sustainable service delivery. Utilizes data-driven approaches to optimize resources, monitor performance, and ensure operational efficiency.

• Comprehensive understanding of transit service principles, operational practices, equipment, and facilities. Handles confidential matters professionally and maintains required qualifications, including a valid Class 5 Alberta Driver’s License or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Hours

The standard workweek consists of an average of 40 hours, with the specific schedule being determined by the immediate supervisor.

Compensation

Salary range $58.79 - $75.98 per hour as per the Out-of-Scope Agreement.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package. What We Offer | City of Grande Prairie (cityofgp.com)

Diversity & Inclusion

The City of Grande Prairie is committed to building and sustaining an inclusive work environment composed of individuals with unique experiences, perspectives, talents, and contributions who welcome, support, respect and value all members of the community.

Selection Process

We appreciate your interest in our organization, and we thank you in advance for your application. Candidates selected for an interview will be notified via phone or email.

1. To apply for this position, please utilize the "Apply Now" tab on this web page to submit your comprehensive cover letter and up-to-date resume.

2. Our application review process includes a thorough evaluation of all submissions. Short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview scheduling.

• This posting will be open until a suitable candidate(s) is/are found.

• This posting may be used to fill future vacancies in this position.

Note: After submitting your application and uploading your resume, you should expect to receive an email confirmation indicating that your application for this position has been successfully submitted. If you receive this email, there is no need for any additional contact with us regarding this position.

To efficiently manage the high volume of applications we receive for each job posting, we are unable to address job-specific inquiries prior to the interview stage. However, if you progress to the job interview stage, we will gladly answer any questions you may have.