Specialist, Tools and Processes

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Under the direction of the Senior Manager, Project Management Method, the Specialist is responsible for supporting the administration of the Enterprise Project Management tool (EPM). Their responsibility includes supporting the continuous evolution of EPM tool at the PMO. This role entails resolving complex issues and ensuring the tool is used to its full potential.

In collaboration with the Senior Advisor Tools and Processes, the Specialist assists with the configuration and customization of EPM to meet the specific needs of the project community (Portfolio Managers, Project Managers, and Project Controllers), as well as stakeholders involved in major programs at VIA Rail. This involves collaborating to discuss, design, and implement tailored solutions within EPM. They are also responsible for creating and maintaining comprehensive documentation for the tool, including technical manuals, user guides, how-to materials, and best practices.

Additionally, the Specialist supports in access management for collaborative tools such as SharePoint and Teams. Finally, they stay informed about market trends and emerging opportunities to enhance the EPM solution, consistently aiming to optimize its functionality and performance.

Responsabilities

• Work closely with the Finance team on financial activities within EPM (month-end reporting activities, review and update permanent employee rates, capitalization of PSC activities, etc.) and ensure communication of updates and their impact to project teams;
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of all information in the corporate EPM solution through regular audits and validation routines;
• Manage creation of new projects & new resources in EPM;
• Manage access permissions and promote communication and collaboration tools for the CPMO (SharePoint site, Teams, and other associated channels), ensuring they are regularly updated;
• Develop, maintain, and optimize Excel-based tools, reports, and dashboards, including the use of advanced formulas, Power Pivot, and macros to automate data collection and reporting tasks;
• Extract, manipulate, and analyze data from EPM and other systems using Excel queries, Power Query, and basic SQL when required;
• Support and resolve technical issues to project teams and other users;
• EPM solutions tailored to the specific needs of our major transformation programs;
• EPM solutions for project portfolios in collaboration with directors and senior managers;
• Participate in on-time on-budget initiative KPIs (CPIs/SPIs) through configuring epm such as setting up project plan templates with key project elements (baselines, milestones, etc.);
• Participate in capacity planning initiative through configuring epm such as updating resource profiles to align with the resource roles & expertise per portfolio, and updating vacation as per resource vacation schedules from our HRIS;
• Supporting the reinforcement of project planning practices in epm through monitoring reports and auditing project plans in epm;
• Contribute to the development of the community of practice;
• Propose, prepare, and coordinate communication materials and discussion forums to train and inform the community of practice;
• Actively participate in training community members;
• Conduct active monitoring and technical analysis of optimal technological solutions in project management to adapt the latest trends and innovations to the organization's context.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, business administration, management, or a related field;
• 5 years of relevant experience;
• Experience in the development, deployment, and continuous improvement of business processes, as well as in change management;
• In-depth knowledge of Project Online administration, MS Project 2013 and later, Excel and SharePoint Online;
• Proven ability to leverage diverse enterprise project management platforms (e.g. Planview, Planisware, ServiceNow, etc.) to optimize planning, resource allocation, reporting, project life cycle management and governance;
• Proficiency in the Office suite: PowerPoint, Visio, Word, and Outlook;
• Strong expertise in Excel, including advanced formulas, Power Pivot, Power Query, VBA/macros development, and data visualization techniques;
• Experience in querying and extracting data from enterprise systems using tools such as Power Query, basic SQL, or equivalent;
• Experience in project planning using MS Project or Primavera is an asset;
• PMP certification is an asset;
• Knowledge of PowerBI is an asset;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in both French and English;
• Capacity to automate reporting processes and improve operational efficiency using appropriate tools.

At VIA Rail, we are proud to be an employment-equity employer and we strive to form teams that reflect the diversity of Canadian society. We aim to remove barriers to employment accessibility and aspire to provide an inclusive and equitable work environment where everyone is valued, regardless of their identity or differences, to enable them to reach their full potential.

If you need assistance in making the recruitment process or the position you are applying for more accessible, please let us know. Alternate arrangements may be offered to individuals who request them at any stage of the recruitment process. All information received in relation to arrangements will be kept confidential.

Note that we will only contact those who are selected for an interview.

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