Executive Director, Halifax Transit
The Halifax Regional Municipality is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and traditional lands of the Mi’kmaq people. The Municipality acknowledges the Peace & Friendship Treaties signed in this Territory and recognizes that we are all Treaty People.
Continuing to be recognized as one of the fastest growing cities across the country, it is a dynamic time of growth and change for the Halifax Regional Municipality. The Region is home to almost half a million residents and is the economic, financial, educational, social, and cultural centre for the Maritime region. A vibrant seaport municipality, residents hail from a unique mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities. HRM strives to provide its citizens with the best quality of life in a healthy, sustainable, vibrant community at work, play and every day.
Halifax Transit
Halifax Transit is the primary public transportation provider for the HRM, playing a crucial role in the daily lives of residents by providing essential connections across the Halifax Region. With an annual operating budget of $130 million (2023-2024), Halifax Transit employs a workforce of approximately 1,000 employees and services 14 major bus terminals, three ferry terminals, and 12 Park-n-Ride lots. With over 60 conventional bus routes (including corridor, local, and express service), three regional express routes, three rural routes, Access-A-Bus, a door-to-door service for seniors and disabled citizens, and two ferry routes, Halifax Transit supported approximately 19.4 million rides in 2023-2024.
Position Profile
HRM is seeking its next Executive Director, Halifax Transit to promote and ensure operational excellence for the effective operation of HRM’s public transit system that consistently meets its schedules and delivers reliable service.
Reporting to the Commissioner of Operations, the Executive Director is responsible for:
• Providing effective leadership and stewardship to HRM’s public transit services.
• Overseeing and leading Halifax Transit’s team, providing ongoing support, mentorship, and guidance while empowering employees and fostering a positive work environment.
• Ensuring effective and efficient operation and maintenance of a diverse fleet of over 400 vehicles and five ferries.
• Managing the business unit’s $130M budget.
• Planning and delivering effective, safe, and reliable conventional, accessible, and specialized transit services to Halifax citizens.
• Providing guidance, input, and leadership to Regional Council and the Executive Leadership Team (ELT).
• Collaborating with government officials, community partners, and the public on strategic policies and direction for long-term transit services.
Ideal Candidate Profile
As the ideal candidate, you bring a strong track record of operational and people leadership experience from complex, dynamic, multi-partner, unionized environments. You are a seasoned executive leader with demonstrated experience in workforce planning and leading and developing high-performing teams. You provide ongoing support and mentorship to inspire and empower staff to create an inclusive and collaborative work environment where talent can thrive. Your work ethic is characterized by an unwavering dedication to excellence in service delivery, consistently ensuring the provision of reliable, high-quality services. A champion of change, you have experience leading and seeing change initiatives through, effectively building buy-in and support for these changes with both internal and external partners. Organized and strategic, you are experienced in leading large-scale operations and are adept at developing and executing both short- and long-term operational plans that align with the organization’s growth objectives and sustainability goals. Experience in leading public transportation initiatives or transit system planning and management, with knowledge of relevant federal, provincial, or municipal regulations, is an asset.
You possess exceptional financial acumen and have successfully managed complex budgets. A skilled communicator with strong political acumen, you navigate community and political landscapes effectively, building collaborative relationships with internal staff, leaders, government officials, community organizations, union representatives, and the public. With resilience and integrity, you diplomatically confront opposition, make tough decisions, and uphold the organization's best interests. You have a strong background in operational performance, with extensive experience in measuring, monitoring, and improving operations to ensure efficiency and reliability. As the ideal candidate, you are equipped to lead a diverse team, drive innovation, and ensure the public transit system remains efficient, accessible, and responsive to the Municipality's needs.
How to Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this exciting opportunity, please apply online by clicking "Apply Now" on the button below. For more information or to ask any questions, please contact Daniella Sam at dsam@kbrs.ca, Katherine Risley at krisley@kbrs.ca, or Erin MacDonald at emacdonald@kbrs.ca.
Halifax Regional Municipality is committed to reflecting the community it serves and recognizing Diversity and Inclusion as one of the Municipality’s core values. We have an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Women in occupations or positions where they are underrepresented in the workforce, Indigenous/Aboriginal People, Persons with Disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ Persons. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify on their application.
As part of the recruitment process, KBRS will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that considers an applicant’s accessibility needs. Should you require an accommodation to participate fully in the recruitment process, please inform KBRS at accommodate@kbrs.ca.