Transit Technology Project Management Manager

Full Job Description

King County Metro Transit’s Finance and Administration Division is seeking to fill a Transit Technology Project Management Manager Special Duty Assignment.

This position will manage and provide overall direction and guidance to the Metro Technology Section’s transit technology project manager group, which manages business technology projects from project conception through procurement, design, testing and implementation, and provides program management, operational support and system life cycle management for designated post-production systems.

It will lead to technology planning, prioritization and investment analysis; oversee complex systems -development initiatives; and ensure alignment with division goals, standards and operational needs.

The position will manage project teams, procurement and contracting activities, vendor performance, budgets and unit personnel, while coordinating with executive leadership and representing the transit technology project management and Systems Development group across committees, work groups and cross -departmental initiatives.

Position Info: This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) Special Duty Assignment (Manager - Transit Systems Development and Operations classification) vacancy. The SDA is anticipated to last until 7/31/2026 and may be extended.

Who may apply: We are only accepting applications from current King County Metro career service employees who have passed probation in their current position. Please refer to the "Supplemental Information" section of this job bulletin for the required application materials.

Requirements

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and foundational expectation for all King County employees.

In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of this work.

This position is comprised of the following core duties:

1. Provide technology planning and strategic analysis to assist the division to address and manage its technology-related business needs, investments and priorities; consult with Transit General Manager, division management and other stakeholders on complex business and management issues regarding or affecting business systems and technologies, and provide expert analysis to support the evaluation, prioritization, selection and implementation of technological and business process solutions to resolve those issues.

2. Support management team with expert technical and strategic assistance in planning and prioritizing technology investments and implementing selected initiatives to support the Transit Business Plan; assess and manage risk and organizational capacity to meet strategic objectives; develop capital and operating budget proposals to support Transit enterprise needs and priorities.

3. Ensures ongoing viability of business systems across the division, assist in prioritization of technology investments and development and execution of project initiatives to support those needs; perform broader analysis to support strategic decisions about technology life cycles, market availability of suitable technologies, feasibility of implementation, and the applicability and deployment of standards and best practices.

4. Conduct broad-scope business and operational needs assessments and recommend technology solutions to support division goals and performance expectations; supervise and conduct various assessments of technical feasibility, alternatives analyses, organizational impact, risk exposure and possible procurement strategies for project development proposals.

5. Prepare, present and justify the project business need and development plan to the PRB, CIO, DOT management and system stakeholders; review and approve project documents submitted to the PRB and make project presentations to the PRB and CIO; provide briefings to PRB members, CIO, Transit General Manager, DOT IT SDM and PAO; makes periodic reports to the PRB, CIO and Council.

6. Manage multiple systems development projects; determine project scope, schedule and budget; manage and monitor master project schedules, cross-project dependencies and mitigate unintended cross-project impacts; assess, manage and mitigate shared hardware, software, network, equipment, data, functionality, operations and business process integration issues.

7. Oversee project managers’ technology procurements and contracts; participate in the development of RFPs, RFQs and award of contracts; negotiate contract terms, system specifications and functionalities and acceptance criteria; monitor execution of contract and progress of work; oversee and approve change order processes, assess financial impacts, and monitor open issues to ensure their resolution; evaluate contractor performance, provide recommendations on milestone acceptance and approval/withholding of progress payments; determine acceptability of deliverables; negotiate and resolve contractor issues and performance problems.

8. Lead contract negotiation team in close collaboration with the PAO and Procurement Services; work with PAO to consult on legal strategies, assess project risks, and scenario development; consult with and advise the Transit General Manager and CIO regarding changing situations and evolving project contingencies.

9. Manage project teams; review and ensure appropriate systems analyses, documentation, development strategies, quality standards and adherence to systems development policies, procedures and protocols; assist staff anticipate, identify and manage potential deviations from projects, defined scope, schedule or budget; analyze project risk, develop mitigation plans and identify alternate solutions; serve as the escalation point within Transit on development problems and issues.

10. Manage ongoing systems operations, enhancement and troubleshooting; guide operations staff engaged in business-side functional analyses, process re-engineering, system testing, and data validation and processing analyses; help define and implement key performance measures and assess staff performance; coordinate systems operation and administration requirements with business and IT stakeholders; manage vendor service agreements and resolve vendor service delivery problems as required.

11. Manage unit personnel administration including hiring, firing, counseling discipline, approving leaves, special accommodations and alternate work schedules; balance workloads and reassign resources as needed; create harmonious working relationships with multiple collective bargaining units and ensure consistent application of labor policies, contract provisions and hiring guidelines; fulfill required responsibilities in grievance and arbitration processing and adjudication.

12. Provide guidance and direction to subordinate supervisors and other staff concerning complex or sensitive issues and problems; serve as escalation point for issues, intervene in project activities or team member relationships as necessary, to provide course correction or help members and team identify priorities, resolve problems and determine next steps; establish work performance standards and initiate corrective actions when required; review existing operational and administrative policies and procedures, and recommend improvements or modifications to higher-level management.

13. Provide supporting data and recommendations to management in the formulation of the information technology operating and capital improvement budgets; manage and administer work unit budget; authorize expenditures within designated authority level; monitor budget and maintain expenditures within approved levels; manage and administer vendor service, supply and other related contracts as required

14. Participate and represent the Transit SDO Unit in a wide variety of internal and external work groups, project teams, committees and task forces.

15. Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

We are looking for candidates who have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field and a minimum of five years experience in IT management/leadership position OR any combination of education, training, and/or professional experience which provides the equivalent background required to effectively perform the work of this position
• Knowledge of large-scale IT project development life-cycles and management principles, techniques and approaches
• Knowledge of mass transit business operations, processes and strategic information requirements
• Knowledge of information system analysis, design, deployment and implementation strategies
• Knowledge of IT contracting and solution providers
• Knowledge of the IT environment and business operations, policies and procedures of the Transit Division, including the interdependencies between systems, data interfaces and dependencies, transit business processes and organizational relationships
• Knowledge of risk assessment, risk mitigation and risk management, including technical, legal, financial and organizational risks
• Knowledge of human resources management, supervisory principles and federal, state and local laws related to employment, civil rights and affirmative action
• Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of labor relations that include interest-based or collaborative labor negotiations as well as grievance and arbitration processes
• Knowledge of workforce planning and budget administration
• Knowledge of customer-services principles and techniques
• Ability to communicate effectively, in person and in writing
• Skill in planning and delegating work assignments
• Skill in conflict resolution, problem solving and negotiation
• Skill in statistical, operational, business and process analyses
• Skill in handling multiple competing priorities
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships and team building
• Skill in staff development and training
• Skill in working with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Ability to work independently and as a team member
• Skill in using current office software programs including word processing, spreadsheet, database and email.

Highly competitive candidates will have (desired, but not required):

• Experience with a broad range of enterprise technologies and tools, including but not limited to project management, business systems, data and analytics platforms, IT service management systems, requirements and testing tools, document and content management systems, collaboration platforms, and foundational knowledge of system integration, cloud environments, cybersecurity, and enterprise IT standards.
• Experience working with large public sector agencies or governmental organizations
• Knowledge of King County Metro’s operations, mission, and policies

Additional Information

Who may apply: We are only accepting applications from current King County Metro career service employees who have passed probation in their current position.

To Apply

The following application materials are required:

1. An online King County application updated with accurate contact information and relevant work history.
2. Respond to all required supplemental questions.
3. Submit a letter of interest (cover letter) that addresses why you are interested in this role, how your qualifications meet or exceed the requirements and what unique strengths or perspectives you will bring to the position.

Selection Process: Applications missing required materials will not be considered. All submissions will be reviewed for qualifications, competitiveness, and completeness.

Management may select the most competitive candidate based on the application and letter of interest alone and/or may conduct interviews.

Final selection for the special duty assignment (SDA) is subject to reference checks, record review, and approval from the candidate’s current supervisor.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application/assessment process, or have questions, please contact: Sabrina Brazzle at sbrazzle@kingcounty.gov.

Other Position Information Work Location: This is a hybrid position. The team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting.

Currently the team is required to work 2 day in office on Mondays each week and the second day will be Wednesday or Friday.

The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely.

The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.

Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

Work Schedule: The position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not overtime eligible. The typical workweek is 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

Union Representation: The position is not represented by a union

Class Code: 1132250, Manager – Transit Systems Development and Operations

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.