Director, Stakeholder Relations

At Alto, we are actively contributing to the transformation of Canada's future with our high-speed train project connecting Quebec City and Toronto. With the support of the Government of Canada, this innovative project aims to improve the quality of life of our citizens, strengthen ties between communities and stimulate economic growth.

**The role**

Reporting to the Vice-President, Real Property, the Director, Stakeholder Relations (QC) is responsible for defining and executing the real property consultation strategy for a major high-speed rail project across Ontario and Quebec. This includes leading stakeholder engagement related to land access and acquisition, managing key relationships with public and private entities, and ensuring the successful delivery of land required for project implementation.

The Director plays a critical leadership role in navigating the interface between technical delivery, stakeholder concerns, and regulatory compliance. They will oversee a multidisciplinary team and consultant network to negotiate agreements, implement engagement tools, and support the social acceptability and risk mitigation objectives of the project.

**Responsibilities**:

- Develop and implement the real property consultation strategy for both Ontario and Quebec, tailored to diverse stakeholder groups including municipalities, agricultural associations/unions, utilities, and private landowners.
- Oversee landowner and land-related stakeholder engagement across all project phases—planning, consultation, acquisition, and delivery—ensuring a consistent, respectful, and solutions-oriented approach.
- Facilitate regular communication and feedback loops with affected communities and interest groups to build trust and support.
- Support social acceptability by integrating landowner and community concerns into real property strategies and mitigation plans.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders: provinces, municipalities, utilities, farming unions, citizen groups, and regulatory authorities.
- Lead negotiations for land-related agreements in coordination with legal, technical, and environmental teams, ensuring alignment with project objectives.
- Represent the real property workstream on internal and external committees and ensure transparent and proactive follow-up on issues raised, in close coordination with Community Engagement teams.
- Lead and manage a multidisciplinary team, including internal staff and external consultants, responsible for land access and property communications.
- Develop and oversee delivery tools, including landowner-facing communications.
- Advise on real property risks, compensation principles, and dispute resolution strategies related to land and utility matters.
- Provide strategic oversight and expert guidance on property appraisals, ensuring fair valuation methodologies align with federal and provincial standards.
- Lead and coordinate land acquisition and expropriation processes, including strategy development, negotiation frameworks, and stakeholder communications.

**Qualifications**

- Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Economics, Real Estate, Law, Public Administration, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
- Minimum 10 years of experience in land acquisition, stakeholder consultations, or community/government relations for linear infrastructure or major capital projects.
- Deep knowledge of Ontario and Quebec’s municipal, regulatory, and agricultural contexts.
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex negotiations involving diverse stakeholder interests and political sensitivities.
- Experience developing consultation tools and engagement products tailored to affected communities.
- Strong leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a past faced, high-pressure environment.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; bilingualism in French is a strong asset.
- Willingness to travel throughout Ontario and Quebec.

**Assets**

- Experience with regulatory processes (federal or provincial) related to land acquisition or environmental assessments.
- Familiarity with railway, public transit, or other large-scale public infrastructure sectors.

**Why join our innovative team?**

- Basic paid group insurance for you and your family: medical, dental, life, disability, etc.
- Access to wellness and health accounts to support your lifestyle.
- Flex-Alto account of $500 to encourage a healthier approach and a more sustainable mode of transportation.
- A retirement plan and savings options (RRSP and TFSA).
- Vacations based on experience, available upon hiring.
- An incentive compensation program.
- Flexible hybrid work mode.
- A work environment that encourages initiative, innovation, and forward-thinking solutions.
- A unique opportunity to shape the future of transportation in Canada.

**We work to create high-performance, diversified teams**

At Alto, we believe in the power of divers