Manager, Rail Transportation

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority•Austin, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager, Rail Transportation reports to the Director of Transportation Operations and is accountable for CapMetro’s Transportation Department, including the Train & Engine (T&E) crew function for Engineers and Conductors. The position leads the department’s strategic and administrative work, including labor relations, workforce planning, discipline policy, budget ownership, and the FRA compliance posture for crew operations, including Hours-of-Service policy under 49 CFR Part 228. It is CapMetro’s primary point of contact for T&E crew workforce matters. The Manager leads Transportation operations in strategic partnership with the OCC Manager, Rail Dispatch. Rail Dispatch directs train movement, while Transportation controls crew staffing and assignment. The role provides senior management-level direction to the Transportation Manager and owns the policy framework for Transportation Shift Supervisors’ combined floor-supervision and crew-dispatch responsibilities, including time-allocation standards and safeguards separating discipline decisions from crew assignment decisions. The position oversees workforce planning, staffing, employee development and performance, labor relations, crew qualification and certification, operational testing, safety, training, regulatory compliance, investigations, and emergency response. It directs department personnel through subordinate leaders, establishes performance and compliance measures, supports technical and program initiatives, prepares documentation for leadership and regulatory review, and supports CapMetro’s Safety Management System. Work is performed in office and outside environments, with field and yard travel as needed and exposure to inclement weather. The position may require varying and rotating shifts, nights, weekends, holidays, on-call escalation, emergency response outside normal hours, and work beyond a normal 40-hour week. Regular attendance at the assigned work location is essential. The role is onsite, and the incumbent must be able to operate a motor vehicle and use telephone or headset equipment, lift and move up to 20 pounds, and work at a computer terminal for 6–8 hours per day.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Transportation, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field; related experience may substitute year for year.
Eight years of progressively responsible experience in railroad or rail transit operations, transportation, or a closely related field.
Two years of management experience, including labor relations, workforce planning, budget ownership, and staff oversight through subordinate leaders in a railroad or transit operating environment.
Knowledge of railroad or rail transit Train & Engine crew operations, crew-calling practices, and Hours-of-Service regulations.
Knowledge of labor-relations principles, discipline-policy development, and workforce planning in a safety-sensitive operating environment.
Knowledge of applicable FRA, FTA, and TxDOT regulations governing T&E crew qualification, certification, and Hours of Service.
Demonstrated ability to develop and enforce workforce and compliance policy through subordinate leaders rather than performing tactical work directly.
Ability to identify and mitigate conflicts of interest in combined supervisory roles and design safeguards that protect compliance and employee trust.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, peer managers, regulatory agencies, leadership, and the public.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, and effective oral and written communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operational environment and respond to operational emergencies as needed.
Demonstrated self-starter committed to operational excellence and continuous improvement.
Must be currently authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available.
Must participate in the employer’s prohibited-substance testing program as a condition of employment, including random testing for drug use or alcohol misuse while performing, before performing, or just after performing safety-sensitive functions.
Must be able to stand, walk, and travel to field and yard locations as needed; safely operate a motor vehicle; use telephone or headset equipment; lift and move material weighing up to 20 pounds; and work at a computer terminal for 6–8 hours per day.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in FRA-regulated operations, including Hours-of-Service compliance under 49 CFR Part 228.

Responsibilities

Lead and oversee workforce planning, staffing, labor relations, employee development, and performance management for Engineers and Conductors, ensuring consistent application of attendance, discipline, and operating standards.
Direct Transportation operations through subordinate leaders and ensure adequate staffing, employee qualification and certification compliance, and operational readiness for scheduled service, special events, training, vacancies, and emergency response.
Coordinate with Rail Dispatch, Engineering Services, Vehicle Maintenance, Signals, and other stakeholders to align workforce resources and operational priorities.
Oversee CapMetro’s Operations Testing Program under 49 CFR Part 217, including operational testing, documentation, program evaluation, and corrective actions.
Lead investigations involving employee performance, operating-rule violations, safety incidents, and other operational events, and ensure appropriate corrective, disciplinary, training, or procedural actions.
Establish and reinforce customer-service, safety, and operational-performance expectations, including effective communication during normal operations, disruptions, emergencies, and special events.
Oversee workforce governance, including staffing, crew assignments, crew-board administration, scheduling standards, workforce deployment, and compliance with 49 CFR Part 228 Hours-of-Service requirements.
Direct workforce planning, staffing models, shift structures, and fatigue-risk management to maintain sufficient qualified crew resources.
Establish safeguards and oversight mechanisms supporting equitable workforce management, regulatory compliance, and separation of personnel administration from crew assignment functions.
Establish, monitor, and report departmental performance, compliance, safety, and workforce metrics, including service delivery, qualifications, attendance, overtime, operational testing, and adherence to operating standards.
Ensure compliance with applicable FRA, FTA, TxDOT, and CapMetro regulations, policies, and programs governing Transportation operations.
Oversee locomotive engineer and conductor certification and qualification programs under 49 CFR Parts 240 and 242, including certifications, monitoring, recertifications, and records.
Lead Transportation safety, training, and workforce-readiness programs and coordinate required initial, recurrent, remedial, and regulatory training with Safety and Training.
Direct Transportation’s response to regulatory audits, inspections, investigations, corrective-action plans, major service disruptions, and emergency events.
Provide technical and operational support for crew-management programs, workforce-planning initiatives, and related projects.
Prepare reports, presentations, and supporting documentation for leadership, regulatory agencies, and Board review.
Comply with records-management standards and company policy.
Support CapMetro’s Safety Management System by ensuring staff follow safety and security policies, consider safety in their work, and report concerns.
Plan, schedule, delegate, and oversee employee assignments through subordinate leaders; establish and enforce discipline and crew-assignment policies; coordinate vendor and consultant work; and oversee program-level hiring, training, assignments, and performance evaluations.
Perform other duties as required or assigned.