Program Manager, Rolling Stock and Support Equipment (RSSE)

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority • Austin, TX

7h • Onsite

About The Position

Are you ready to lead the strategy and technical direction behind the vehicles and systems that power a region’s public transit network? The Program Manager, Rolling Stock & Support Equipment, reports directly to the Vice President, Rolling Stock & Support Equipment providing strategic leadership and technical expertise across the entire fleet lifecycle portfolio, encompassing the critical functions of design, development, procurement, and integration of complex transit systems including but not limited to freight and commuter rail, fixed route bus, demand response, police, non-revenue vehicles, specialty vehicles and support to infrastructure required for revenue operations. This senior position and is expected to lead, organize, and administer the agency’s systems and technologies through policy, governance, and a demonstration of technical core competencies in the areas assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Electrical Systems Technology, Information Systems, or related field. An equivalent combination of related education and experience may be substituted for the above stated minimums on a year-for-year basis up to four (4) years.
• Eight (8) years of progressive experience managing projects involving the design, development, procurement, and delivery of rolling stock and support equipment within a transit or regulated heavy industry environment, including six (6) years of progressive experience in equipment engineering, strategic procurement, and asset lifecycle management, six (6) years of experience in mentorship, or team leadership, focused on technical items and knowledge transfer, and two (2) years of management experience either managing employees or projects.
• Demonstrated proficiency using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project.
• Demonstrated experience in Transit Project Management and providing engineering oversight for transit operations or other large-scale capital projects.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Project and Regulatory Expertise Strong knowledge of project management principles, including risk analysis, scope control, and quality assurance. Comprehensive understanding of Federal, State, and local regulations related to railroad signaling, engineering, design, construction, and maintenance. Deep knowledge of industry and regulatory standards such as FRA, FTA, OSHA, EPA, FMVSS, SAE, and ANSI. Technical and Engineering Skills Expertise in engineering principles for rolling stock and complex equipment systems. Ability to interpret and analyze technical specifications, engineering drawings, electrical schematics, and reports. Comprehensive knowledge of rolling stock engineering principles and associated systems. Expertise in technical procurement, contract management, vendor evaluation, and developing detailed Scopes of Work (SOWs). Leadership and Team Development Proven ability to lead cross-functional technical teams and manage multiple capital projects within budget and schedule constraints. Ability to train, coach, and develop team members through work plans, career development, and performance evaluations. Strong accountability and decision-making skills, with the ability to handle challenges and adapt to adversity. Communication and Interpersonal Skills Excellent oral and written communication skills, including technical report preparation and presentation. Ability to build trust and respect within teams and communicate goals effectively. Customer-oriented with strong problem-solving, organizational, and facilitation skills. Strategic and Analytical Abilities Superior ability to synthesize complex technical challenges into clear, actionable recommendations for senior management. Skilled in planning, developing, and implementing formal work plans independently with minimal supervision.

Nice To Haves

• Professional Engineer License preferred.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or ability to obtain within one (1) year from date of hire.
• Experience investigating railroad accidents and false clear signals.
• Experience in designing, installing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and testing office, wayside, cab, and grade crossing warning signal systems consisting of relay and processors.

Responsibilities

• Rolling Stock Oversight and Compliance Provide strategic oversight and technical guidance across the entire fleet lifecycle, including planning, procurement, implementation, and commissioning for all rolling stock and support equipment. Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, manufacturer recommendations, and CapMetro standards, maintaining thorough documentation. Lead the design, development, and integration of new rail and vehicle assets into existing operational and maintenance infrastructure, ensuring optimal resource utilization and alignment with organizational objectives. Define and enforce engineering methodologies for developing, evaluating, and validating complex equipment specifications, ensuring technical consistency and quality standards across all fleet assets.
• Planning and Safety Provide detailed technical guidance and strategic coordination across the entire fleet lifecycle (planning, design, procurement, implementation, and commissioning), developing and implementing long-term proactive obsolescence management and asset sustainability strategies to mitigate risks of aging equipment and evolving technology. Manage all technical aspects of project risk, including identifying, documenting, and resolving high-level technical issues across complex timelines, ensuring optimal resource utilization while aligning fleet planning with overarching organizational objectives.
• Project and Budget Management Develop and manage projects using CapMetro’ s Enterprise Project and Portfolio Management tools and methodologies to ensure delivery within scope, schedule, and budget, providing reports and analysis to internal and external stakeholders as needed. Manage and prioritize engineering support across multiple simultaneous capital projects, providing critical guidance and project oversight, oversee procurement activities and identify the best strategies for the delivery and integration of rolling stock. Oversee complex contract requirements and manage vendor relationships to ensure technical requirements, schedules, and budgets are met. Oversee the development of detailed scopes of work, specifications, and technical evaluation criteria for all equipment procurements.
• Incident Response and Investigations Conduct investigations into equipment failures or technical incidents to prevent recurrence, ensuring that any findings from incident investigations are integrated back into the workflows as required.
• Stakeholder Collaboration and Liaison Role Act as the key coordination hub, synthesizing complex technical information into strategic recommendations for Senior Leadership, maintaining effective communication among internal teams, external partners, vendors, consultants, and regulatory agencies. Function as a department leader and Subject Matter Expert (SME), contributing to strategic direction and promoting continuous process improvement, providing guidance and mentorship to junior team members to build internal technical capacity. Support CapMetro’ s Safety Management Systems (SMS) process by ensuring staff follow safety and security policies, consider safety in every action and ensure safety and security concerns are reported. Perform other duties as required and/or assigned.
• Manage department personnel by planning, scheduling, delegating, and overseeing employee work assignments, authorizing, coordinating, and scheduling work with vendors and consultants, conducting personnel actions, including, hiring, and interviewing, and overseeing hiring, training, work assignments, and performance evaluations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees