Innovation & Optimization Manager
About The Position
This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It’s an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region. Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs. The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it. SUMMARY The Innovation and Optimization Manager leads strategy execution, process improvement, and quality governance activities for the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) Technology Department. This position establishes and advances organizational practices that improve service delivery, operational efficiency, and technology program effectiveness across enterprise and operational technology environments. The role oversees technology governance functions including IT service management practices, quality assurance, program coordination, knowledge management, and continuous improvement initiatives. The Innovation and Optimization Manager works across Infrastructure, Applications, and Cybersecurity teams to standardize processes, improve performance outcomes, and support organizational maturity as CATS transitions toward an independent operating model. Working under limited direction, this position exercises broad judgment in designing improvement initiatives, guiding program execution standards, and fostering innovation aligned with organizational goals
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field.
- Five (5) years progressively responsible experience in technology governance, program management, IT service management, or organizational improvement.
- Knowledge of: IT service management frameworks and practices.
- Knowledge of: Organizational performance and quality improvement methods.
- Knowledge of: Technology governance and program oversight.
- Knowledge of: Change management and process design principles.
- Knowledge of: Project and portfolio management concepts.
- Skill in: Facilitating organizational change initiatives.
- Skill in: Analyzing operational performance data.
- Skill in: Developing standards and governance practices.
- Skill in: Communicating across technical and executive audiences.
- Skill in: Coordinating complex cross-functional efforts.
- Ability to: Influence without direct authority.
- Ability to: Balance innovation with operational stability.
- Ability to: Establish structured yet adaptable processes.
- Ability to: Lead improvement initiatives across organizational boundaries.
- Ability to: Translate strategic goals into actionable practices.
Nice To Haves
- Experience implementing ITIL or service management frameworks.
- Experience managing cross-functional initiatives.
- Experience in public-sector or transportation environments.
- Project or service management certifications (ITIL, PMP, Lean, or similar).
Responsibilities
- Translate technology strategy into operational improvement initiatives.
- Identify opportunities improving efficiency, reliability, and service delivery.
- Lead continuous improvement efforts across Technology divisions.
- Evaluate organizational performance metrics and recommend enhancements.
- Promote innovation aligned with operational needs.
- Oversee adoption and maturity of IT service management practices.
- Establish standards for incident, change, and service processes.
- Guide development of knowledge management practices.
- Ensure consistent service delivery frameworks across teams.
- Promote structured operational accountability.
- Oversee technology quality assurance activities.
- Establish performance and quality measurement practices.
- Support development of standardized documentation and procedures.
- Coordinate process improvement initiatives.
- Promote continuous evaluation of technology outcomes.
- Provide governance oversight for technology programs and projects.
- Establish project management standards and practices.
- Support prioritization and portfolio visibility.
- Ensure alignment between initiatives and organizational strategy.
- Coordinate cross-department program reporting.
- Encourage adoption of modern practices and tools.
- Evaluate emerging technologies improving service delivery.
- Support experimentation and improvement initiatives.
- Facilitate cross-functional collaboration.
- Oversee technology knowledge repositories and documentation standards.
- Support lifecycle management of technology assets and licenses.
- Promote transparency and organizational learning.
- Ensure continuity of institutional knowledge.
- Partner with Technology leadership aligning operational practices.
- Serve as internal advisor on process and performance improvement.
- Facilitate coordination across Technology subdepartments.
- Support organizational change initiatives.
Benefits
- The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
