Program Manager, Rail Safety Assurance

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority•Austin, TX

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Program Manager, Rail Safety Assurance develops, implements, and manages CapMetro rail safety assurance framework. This role independently evaluates the effectiveness of railroad safety programs, regulatory compliance, safety risk controls, corrective actions, and overall safety performance. Responsibilities include leading risk-based safety reviews, internal assessments, control verification, corrective action validation, and identifying systemic or emerging safety gaps. The position also supports CapMetro transition to in-house rail operations by assessing safety readiness and ensuring transition-related safety requirements and controls are effectively implemented and sustained.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in safety, Engineering, Transportation, Quality Assurance, Auditing, Risk Management, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field. Additional experience may substitute for a degree on a year-for-year basis up to four years.
Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in safety assurance, safety auditing, regulatory compliance, quality assurance, risk management, railroad safety, or a related field, including two (2) years of management experience either managing employees or projects.
Direct experience conducting railroad or rail transit safety audits, assessments, assurance reviews, compliance evaluations, and safety assurance activities, including experience with 49 CFR Part 270 or comparable safety management frameworks.
Knowledge of risk-based safety assurance, auditing and assessment methodologies, safety control effectiveness, corrective action management, verification and validation activities, and operational readiness or transition assurance.
Ability to independently evaluate safety programs and operational controls using records reviews, interviews, field observations, sampling, performance data, and other objective evidence; document evidence-based findings and conclusions; and interpret and apply regulatory, safety program, and internal control requirements.
Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to identify systemic or recurring safety concerns and distinguish procedural compliance from actual control effectiveness.
Ability to communicate findings objectively and professionally, maintain appropriate independence, and build productive working relationships with leadership, employees, contractors, regulators, and other stakeholders.
Strong technical writing, executive presentation, organizational, and program management skills with the ability to manage multiple complex safety initiatives and priorities.
All applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Transportation Safety and Security Professional (TSSP) – Rail Certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, and maintain CapMetro’s railroad safety assurance program, including methodologies, assessment protocols, reporting processes, and documentation standards.
Conduct annual reviews of the Risk-Based Hazard Management Program and prioritize assurance activities based on risk, performance trends, regulatory requirements, organizational changes, and previous findings.
Establish criteria to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of safety controls and maintain related records.
Lead independent reviews of railroad safety programs, operational controls, and high-risk activities to verify compliance with the SSPP and other safety requirements.
Evaluate evidence through records reviews, interviews, observations, sampling, and performance analysis.
Document findings, identify control weaknesses and improvement opportunities, and develop evidence-based conclusions on program effectiveness.
Verify implementation and effectiveness of approved safety risk mitigations and controls, including whether they achieve intended safety outcomes.
Assess control consistency and sustainability across departments, shifts, locations, and operational functions.
Identify ineffective, degraded, inconsistently applied, or undocumented controls and recommend additional review when effectiveness cannot be demonstrated.
Review and validate corrective actions resulting from assessments, audits, regulatory reviews, and safety findings.
Determine whether corrective actions address root causes and safety control weaknesses.
Challenge closure of corrective actions when evidence is insufficient, conduct effectiveness reviews as needed, and maintain independent records of validation activities.
Develop and execute independent safety assurance reviews supporting CapMetro’s transition to in-house railroad operations.
Evaluate implementation of transition-related safety requirements, controls, governance processes, and mitigation measures.
Assess safety readiness at key milestones, including implementation of safety-critical processes involving conductors, locomotive engineers, dispatchers, administrative functions, and contracted ROW services.
Report significant unresolved safety concerns and conduct post-transition reviews to evaluate long-term control effectiveness and sustainability.
Lead or coordinate risk-based railroad safety audits and assessments.
Develop audit protocols, evaluate compliance with safety programs and regulatory requirements, and track findings and management responses.
Coordinate with regulatory reviewers and external auditors and identify recurring or systemic control weaknesses.
Analyze safety data, trends, indicators, events, hazards, corrective actions, employee reports, and operational performance to identify risks and control degradation.
Identify systemic safety concerns, develop dashboards, and report, and recommend targeted assurance reviews.
Provide objective safety assurance reports to Safety leadership and governance committees.
Communicate and escalate significant, recurring, or unresolved safety concerns and control weaknesses.
Maintain objective and defensible documentation, provide evidence-based challenges, and advise leadership on areas of increased safety exposure or declining control effectiveness.
Support CapMetro’s Safety Management System (SMS) process by following safety and security policies, considering safety in every action, and reporting safety and security concerns.
Perform other duties as required and/or assigned.