Operations Supervisor at The Washington Companies in BC, Canada

Operations Supervisor

Location: BC, Canada

As an operations leader, the Operations Supervisor is responsible for developing employee work schedules and provides guidance and support to front line employees by fostering an efficient and psychologically safe working environment. The Operations Supervisor ensures that all safety and operations related information is communicated to operations employees. Reporting to the Superintendent, Operations, the Operations Supervisor assists in maintaining regulatory compliance for all required regulatory agencies such as Transport Canada, Technical Safety BC and WorkSafe BC. The Operations Supervisor is responsible for ensuring that all regulatory requirements such as Hours of Rest rules and the Company’s Safety Management System are properly adhered to and utilized. This position may be assigned additional duties as needed or required.

• Responsible for the efficient performance of all front-line operations employees;
• Coordinate train arrival and any required switching with Class 1 and terminal partners;
• Develop working schedules with frontline employees that adheres to Hours of Rest requirements;
• Foster a psychologically safe working environment;
• Ensure accountability from operations employees and resolve conflict when required;
• Assist the Superintendent in compiling all required information to conduct train incident and employee investigations;
• Work with the Superintendent to properly document and track health and safety hazards through the Safety Management System and ensure its effectiveness;
• Manage the development and implementation of site-specific goals, objectives, policies, and priorities;
• Establish and maintain the Company’s credibility with its customers;
• Perform audits and analyze daily/monthly performance of the railroad to determine changes required in operations to meet service demands;
• Review tasks and requirements from the Joint Health & Safety Committee and ensure tasks and objectives are implemented and consistently monitored;
• Assist the Superintendent in forecasting funds needed for equipment, materials, and supplies and approve expenditures;
• Manage inventory of equipment, parts, and supplies to maintain appropriate inventory levels and prepare purchase requisitions as needed;
• Conduct safety audits, site specific inspections, identify operating hazards and direct corrective actions as needed;
• Conduct operational field and observation testing on contractors and operations employees to ensure compliance with regulations and safety requirements;
• Ensure that locomotive and car inspection, maintenance, and records are accurate and current;
• Assist with other projects and perform other duties as assigned;
• Assist the Superintendent in the investigation of personal injuries and incidents;
• Develop effective labour relations with unionized employees and union representatives and respond to stage 1 grievances when required;
• On call for accident and incident investigations;
• Monitor and enforce all regulations and compliance for Operations employees; and

• Ensure that Operations personnel are properly trained on all tasks and safe work procedures.

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with employees, customers, and railway supervisors through both verbal and written communication;
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as the Canadian Railway Operating Rules, General Track Bulletin, TGBO, Daily Operating Bulletins, and Safety Management Systems, and

• Proficient computer skills such as the use of Microsoft Office Suite.

• High School Diploma or GED;
• Must have a clean and valid Class 5, BC Driver’s License;
• A minimum of 5 years of railroad experience;
• Locomotive Engineer experience preferred
• Certified on the application of Distributed Power Locomotives is an asset;
• Thorough knowledge and troubleshooting abilities for all mechanical and electrical locomotive systems;
• Working knowledge of WorkSafe BC regulations, and

• Experience supervising unionized employees is an asset.