Manager, Joint Facility Contracts and Compliance

Job Summary

The Manager, Joint Facility Contracts and Compliance serves CN's strategic and financial needs, focusing on customer centricity and operational excellence by collaborating with internal and external stakeholders on interline operating agreements between CN, foreign railroads, and customers within their territory. The incumbent is responsible for all interline agreements and their financial compliance within their territory. The position also writes and analyzes new interline operating agreements as well as interprets, amends, and researches existing agreements, and is expected to be an expert for all their contracts. The incumbent will work closely with their counterparts at other railroads and will be the point of contact for CN functions, including Operations, Strategy, Finance, Marketing, Business Development, and Real Estate for all interline contract within their territory. The incumbent reports to and supports the Senior Manager, Contracts & Compliance, and operates as railway liaison between other railroads and stakeholders on interline agreements.

Main Responsibilities

Joint Facility Contract Compliance

• Produce, analyze, and audit all financial aspects of joint facility agreements within the assigned territory
• Perform monthly and annual financial audits on payable and receivable joint facility contracts within assigned territory
• Research and interpret existing operating agreements and amendments with foreign carriers and customers
• Dispute any billing inconsistencies from other railroads and come to resolution
• Handle monthly closing by analyzing financials and ensuring CN is properly reported
• Establish billing, accruals, and all related financials for all new joint facility agreements within assigned territory
• Produce and maintain annual joint facility budget for assigned territory
• Oversee derailment financials and liability

Contract Management & Research, Operations Planning, and Strategy

• Manage all contracts within assigned territory (write, interpret, amend, terminate, extend, and renegotiate)
• Develop into an expert and understand the operations behind all contracts within assigned territory
• Collaborate with senior management on operational strategy development
• Provide guidance and feedback on requests from Operations, Strategy, Marketing, and Business Development pertaining to joint facility operating and interline agreements
• Suggest operational changes to drive cost savings

Customer Centricity and Interline Partner Development

• Establish relationships with current and prospective interline partners to grow CN's reach and carloads
• Amend existing shortline operating agreements to drive additional carload revenue
• Analyze the financials of new third party, interplant, and shortline initiatives to drive additional carload revenue
• Cooperate with Strategy, Marketing, and Operations to address customer operating concerns to retain existing carloads
• Collaborate and guide Strategy, Marketing, and Operations to assist in new customer initiatives that create new carloads

Working Conditions

The role has standard working conditions in an open-office environment with a regular workweek from Monday to Friday with occasional evening and weekend work expected on an as needed basis. The role requires being available to respond to critical incidences 24/7. Due to the nature of the role, the incumbent must be able to meet tight deadlines, handle pressure and stress. The role requires minimal travel (10%) within the U.S. and Canada.

Requirements

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of railroading experience
o Experience in railroad operating agreements, finance or accounting
Any experience for these above would be considered an asset, but not a requirement

Education/Certification/Designation

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent industry experience
• Masters in Business Administration (MBA) or equivalent Masters Degree
Any education for these above would be considered an asset, but not a requirement

Competencies

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong analytical and organizational skills
• Applies critical and strategic thinking
• Collaborates with others and shares information
• Communicates with impact
• Sets direction and inspires others
• Identifies needs and finds solutions that create value for all stakeholders
• Demonstrates active listening
• Demonstrates agility and drives change
• Knows the business and stays current on industry needs

Technical Skills/Knowledge

• Proven analytical and strategic thinking skills
• Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, SharePoint)
• Intermediate mathematical proficiency
• Fluent in English, both written and verbal
• Proficient in Systems, Applications and Products (SAP), Service Reliability System (SRS), Geographic Information System (GIS), Business Objects, Railinc, and E-business
• Knowledge of railroad operating agreements, landscape, geography, and CN's operations
• Conversational in French
Any skills or knowledge for these above would be considered an asset, but not a requirement

About CN

CN is a world-class transportation leader and trade-enabler. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. As the only railroad connecting Canada's Eastern and Western coasts with the Southern tip of the U.S. through a 19,500 mile rail network, CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship. At CN, we work as ONE TEAM, focused on safety, sustainability and our customers, providing operational and supply chain excellence to deliver results.