Operations Manager (Highways & Toll Roads)

Ferrovial•Austin, TX

About The Position

The Operations Manager shapes operational strategy and delivers long-term value across Ferrovial’s infrastructure portfolio. Working within the Operations Department, the role combines strategic influence, team leadership, and technical expertise spanning project procurement, implementation, and operations. The manager turns operations and maintenance (O&M) expertise into actionable strategies and informed business decisions, working across functions and with concession teams to advance performance standards, optimize lifecycle costs, manage risk, and identify value in new opportunities and existing projects. The role leads O&M input during bidding and provides strategic and technical support to concessions through implementation, design and construction, and ongoing operations. It oversees operational and maintenance strategies, lifecycle cost analyses, forecasting, asset management, performance and risk management, and continuous improvement across the portfolio. The Operations Manager also manages complex relationships with concession companies, contractors, public agencies, lenders, and project partners, and leads, mentors, and develops direct reports. The position is based in a usually quiet work environment and requires some travel, potentially including domestic and international air travel. Occasional lifting or moving of up to 10 pounds is required, as well as the ability to adjust visual focus for computer use. The employee is regularly required to talk or hear and frequently required to stand, walk, and sit.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
7–10+ years of management experience with direct responsibility for operations and maintenance.
Experience with Department of Transportation procurement processes or highway or roadway maintenance contracts.
Ability to set priorities, delegate effectively, and manage team delivery with accountability.
Collaborative management style and ability to build alignment, influence colleagues, and develop direct reports.
Sound judgment and resourcefulness in balancing priorities, resolving complex problems, and implementing processes in a fast-paced environment.
Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including ability to translate complex data into strategic and commercial insights.
Ability to produce clear technical writing and communicate effectively to support coordination and decision-making.
Effective presentation skills and ability to communicate technical concepts and strategic recommendations to varied audiences.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and other PC-based applications.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Management experience within a concession company or Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
Experience with Department of Transportation procurement processes or highway or roadway maintenance contracts within Public-Private Partnerships (P3s).
Professional Engineer (PE) certification.
Project management experience and Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Experience with CAD and/or MicroStation.
Experience with VUE Works asset management software and ArcGIS.

Responsibilities

Lead the O&M workstream across all bidding phases, partnering with Business Development to shape competitive bid strategies and representing the Operations Department in project meetings.
Oversee O&M deliverables, select and manage external advisors, and coordinate operational inputs on ITS, tolling systems, and insurance.
Define integrated operating and maintenance strategies during bidding, including team structures, maintenance strategies and procedures, rehabilitation approaches, and tolling operations where applicable.
Oversee and perform lifecycle cost analyses using O&M models, translating contractual requirements into cost assumptions for bid strategy and decisions.
Coordinate technical support during bidding, including bid-document reviews, risk assessments, advisor engagement, and preparation of presentations, reports, and technical proposals.
Advise concession leadership during implementation, design and construction, and operations on O&M team setup, subcontracting arrangements, and delivery models.
Develop, review, and improve operational procedures, maintenance and emergency plans, and asset management documentation.
Define and monitor KPIs, asset performance metrics, and service levels, and guide implementation and improvement of Asset Management Systems.
Assess contractual change requests, compensation events, and scope modifications, clarifying technical and commercial risks, implications, and options.
Contribute O&M input to annual business planning and budgeting, aligning OPEX, CAPEX, and lifecycle expenditure forecasts with asset priorities.
Promote operational excellence and asset management best practices across concessions.
Provide technical input to design optimization, construction activities, and O&M initiatives to reflect long-term operational needs and lifecycle value.
Identify and assess operational, maintenance, and lifecycle risks, and develop mitigation strategies.
Evaluate and implement innovative technologies, digital solutions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Lead portfolio benchmarking and performance assessments, identifying cost optimization, value enhancement, and operational improvement opportunities.
Assess and implement O&M optimization strategies that balance service quality, asset performance, and cost efficiency.
Develop training programs and knowledge-sharing initiatives to build operational expertise across the portfolio.
Monitor non-conformance management, corrective action plans, and compliance improvement initiatives.
Lead lessons-learned and knowledge management processes to share operational practices and support continuous improvement.
Analyze O&M expenditure and strategies across existing projects and use historical performance and lessons learned to strengthen lifecycle cost models for new opportunities.
Maintain long-term O&M cost forecasts for existing projects to support valuation, business planning, and investment decisions.
Lead, mentor, and develop direct reports by setting priorities and expectations, providing feedback, and supporting performance and professional growth.
Review technical provisions of Design-Build and O&M contracts for their implications for operational delivery and lifecycle performance.
Support and oversee lenders’ technical due diligence, coordinating operational inputs and responses.
Develop and maintain integrated long-term CAPEX and OPEX forecasting models for valuation, asset planning, and bidding strategies.
Shape O&M strategies and value enhancement initiatives aligned with long-term asset performance.
Manage relationships with concession companies, contractors, public agencies, lenders, and project partners, building alignment around operational priorities and project objectives.