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Apply By: Wednesday, June 3, 2026 11:59 pm EDT

Head, Construction Northwest

Job ID:

244642

Posting status:

Open

Organization:

Ministry of Transportation

Division:

Transportation Infrastructure Management Division

City:

Thunder Bay

Position(s) language:

English

Job term:

1 Permanent

Job code:

G0215M - Management Engineering 02

Salary:

$115,559.00 - $171,573.00 Per year

Shaping Construction Excellence Across Northwestern Ontario

Are you a leader with construction and contract management expertise who wants to make a meaningful difference in how public infrastructure is delivered?

If so, the Ministry of Transportation invites you to bring your expertise to an exciting leadership role. The Transportation Infrastructure Management Division is seeking an enthusiastic, results-oriented leader to direct staff involved in the delivery of the region's construction program.

Join us in shaping integrated transportation solutions that prioritize safety, accessibility, and inclusivity.

The Ontario Public Service: Strengthening Ontario, Together.

A career in the Ontario Public Service (OPS) is driven by purpose. We're building a stronger Ontario by delivering programs and services that make a real difference in people's lives. If you share this ambition, you'll find a workplace that reflects the diversity of the people we serve and empowers you to lead with confidence.

Why Your Leadership Belongs Here

• Purpose that drives you: Lead work that matters. Your leadership will shape policies, programs, and services that improve lives across the province—every day.
• A culture that supports you: Thrive in a flexible, inclusive, and respectful workplace that values your well-being and empowers you to bring your whole self to work.
• A career that grows with you: Explore leadership opportunities across ministries and sectors. With access to mentorship, learning, and mobility, your career can evolve here.
• Recognition that reflects your impact: We value the difference you make. You'll receive competitive pay, a defined-benefit pension, and benefits that support your well-being—plus meaningful recognition for your contributions.

About the job

We believe great leadership starts with high standards and strong support. In the OPS, that means showing up with authenticity, acting with integrity, and having the courage to do what's right, even when it's hard.

As a leader, you'll shape a team culture that sparks innovation, supports collaboration, and champions inclusion. You'll help build a workplace that is diverse, anti-racist, and accessible, where everyone feels safe, respected, and able to thrive.

You won't be doing it alone. We invest in our leaders through mentorship, learning opportunities, and cross-ministry networks that help you grow your impact and connect with peers across the organization.

Leadership is about impact, and in this role, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful one. You will:

• Ensure consistent and responsible contract delivery by providing authoritative expertise that supports sound decision-making and reliable outcomes.

• Enable effective construction delivery by offering strategic advice on managerial, technical, and contractual matters that support timely and well-managed projects.

• Maintain contract integrity and performance by resolving complex issues related to administration, interpretation, and disputes in ways that protect public interests.

• Strengthen service delivery approaches by leading special assignments and studies that inform improvements to delivery methods, organization, and resourcing.

• Promote consistency and quality in construction practices through the review and refinement of contract standards.

• Support continuous improvement in construction delivery by advancing the adoption of new technologies that enhance efficiency, quality, and oversight.

Your ability to align your team's efforts with broader organizational goals will be key to your success, and to the success of the people we serve.

Please note: This role requires travel within the Northwest Region, including long road trips to project sites.

Meet Your New Team

You will join Construction Northwest, a team responsible for the administration and oversight of construction contracts across the region. The team brings together a broad mix of roles and experience levels, including administrative staff, inspectors, technicians, managers and interns all working toward shared outcomes.

This is a highly collaborative group that values shared learning, strong working relationships, and staying connected to the design work that informs construction delivery. You will help sustain a supportive environment where experienced staff and those early in their careers work together, exchange practical knowledge, and learn from one another. The team takes pride in working collaboratively to support consistent contract management and well-coordinated construction delivery across Northwestern Ontario.

Meet the Hiring Manager

In this role, you will report to Tyler McQuaker, Manager, Construction Management NW @ MTO. Tyler McQuaker has over 18 years of OPS experience working in technical and leadership roles within multiple branches in the ministry. Tyler is a people-focused leader who invests time and effort to build a culture that leads to highly engaged, results-oriented teams. The Construction office is a highly dynamic and collaborative environment, with a strong culture of teamwork and knowledge sharing, to deliver on program demands and key ministry initiatives. Tyler is known for his approachable and inclusive leadership style and fostering a growth mindset by valuing learning, adaptability, accountability, and resilience.

What you bring to the team

Mandatory requirements:

• Must be licensed to practice with the Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO).

Leadership Experience:

• Leadership Experience: You bring established experience leading people and teams, with clear accountability for results, team development, and performance.
• Inclusive Leadership: Strength in fostering an inclusive, respectful, and values-based workplace where people feel supported.
• Team Management: Proven capacity to manage and develop diverse professional, technical, and support staff.
• Political Acumen: Sound judgment and political acuity, with the ability to provide clear and practical advice to senior leadership.

Technical Expertise:

• Contract Administration: Demonstrated ability to apply engineering and administrative policies to support effective construction contract management and dispute resolution.
• Standards and Policy Application: Strength in applying ministry standards and procedures to support consistency and service quality.
• Analytical Thinking: Proven ability to assess technical recommendations and operational plans in alignment with government priorities.

Project and Operational Management:

• Project Oversight: Demonstrated ability to oversee complex construction initiatives.
• Financial and Contract Monitoring: Solid understanding of construction expenditures, invoicing, and contract compliance requirements.
• Resource Management: Proven capacity to manage human, financial, and material resources to support regional operations.
• Problem Solving: Strength in critical thinking and resolving complex engineering and operational issues.

Communication and Relationship Management Skills:

• Stakeholder Engagement: Demonstrated ability to build respectful and ethical working relationships.
• Issues Management: Proven capacity to manage sensitive issues with diplomacy and sound judgment, including advising senior leadership.
• Communication: Strength in preparing clear and concise reports, briefings, and presentations.

Don't meet every qualification?

If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!

Think this role could be right for you?

We're here to support you every step of the way. These short videos can help you feel confident and prepared:

• Navigating Our Hiring Process (2 min) – Get a clear overview of each stage in our structured hiring process so you know what to expect and how to prepare.

• Application Preparation Tips (4 min) – Learn how to showcase your leadership experience in ways that align with how we evaluate applications during the screening stage.

Take a few minutes to explore these resources. They're designed to set you up for success.

How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility

We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please contact us.

Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:

• diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• accessibility
• Anti-Racism Policy

Additional information:

Apply by:

Wednesday, June 3, 2026 11:59 pm EDT

Position details:

• 1 English Permanent, 615 James St S, Thunder Bay, North Region

Compensation group:

Management Compensation Plan

Work hours:

Schedule 6

Category:

Management and General

Posted on:

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

How to apply:

• You must apply online.

• Your cover letter and resume combined should not exceed five (5) pages. For tips and tools on how to write a concise cover letter and resume, review the Writing a Cover Letter and Resume: Tips, Tools and Resources.

• Customize your cover letter and resume to the qualifications listed on the job ad. Using concrete examples, you must show how you demonstrated the requirements for this job. We rely on the information you provide to us.

• Read the job description to make sure you understand this job.

• OPS employees are required to quote their WIN EMPLOYEE ID number when applying.

• If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please Contact Us to provide your contact information. Recruitment services team will contact you within 48 hours.

Language requirements and assessment:
All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the "position(s) language" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.

Exigences en matière de langue et évaluation:
Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (FPO) sont affichées en français et en anglais. Consultez la section « Langue du ou des postes » en haut de chaque offre d'emploi pour connaître les exigences linguistiques. Pour tous les postes, les candidats sont évalués en anglais, la langue d'affaires de la FPO. Si le poste est bilingue (anglais/français), vous devrez également passer un test de compétences linguistiques en français.

Strengthening Ontario, together