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To apply for this position, please send your resume directly to our recruiting partner, K&A, at [email protected]. Resumes submitted through this portal will not be considered.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR
The Vice President of Commuter Rail Operations provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for the transition of commuter rail services from a fully contracted operating model to a directly operated organization for rail transportation and maintenance with contracting to a new contractor for maintenance of way and signal systems. This role is responsible for establishing the safety culture, operational framework, workforce strategy, maintenance integration, regulatory compliance, and performance management systems necessary to successfully internalize rail operations while maintaining safe, reliable, customer-focused service.

The VP serves as a key member of the executive leadership team and leads a complex organizational transformation involving labor relations, operational readiness, governance, change management, and stakeholder coordination.

In addition, the VP will oversee strategic coordination on CapMetro’s hosted railroad with contracted freight rail partners to lead initiatives that maximize return on investment across rail operations, infrastructure utilization, capital deployment, and service performance.

WHAT YOU BRING

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Transportation, Engineering, Public Administration, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

• Minimum of Fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience in passenger rail or railroad operations, including senior executive leadership experience.

• Three (3) Years experience at a class 1 freight railroad highly preferred

• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale operational transformation, startup, insourcing, or transition initiatives.

• Experience working within a regulated railroad environment and knowledge of FRA/FTA requirements.

• Strong financial, organizational, and strategic planning experience.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Experience transitioning services from third-party contract operations to direct operations.

• Experience with commuter rail startup, expansion, or operational integration projects.

• Experience working with governing boards, elected officials, and public-sector stakeholders.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Executive-level leadership and organizational transformation capabilities.

• Strong strategic planning and change management expertise.

• Deep understanding of rail operations, safety systems, and regulatory compliance.

• Ability to lead through ambiguity and complex operational change.

• Exceptional communication, stakeholder engagement, and negotiation skills.

• Strong analytical and operational decision-making abilities.

• Ability to build high-performing teams and establish organizational culture during transition.

• Advanced knowledge of Federal, State and local regulations pertaining to railroad signaling engineering, design, construction, operation and maintenance.

• Strong oral and written communications skills and excellent technical report preparation skills.

• Ability to perform investigations of railroad accidents and false clear signals.

• Expert level knowledge of railroad operating practices rules and procedures and their relationship to signaling / train control design, freight commuter train operation, maintenance and test.

• Knowledge of Positive Train Control, railroad and/or rail transit control and wayside grade crossing signal design, operation and maintenance.

• Working knowledge of the relationship of the signal / train control systems and track and rail vehicles

• Knowledge of project management methods, principles and practices including risk analysis, scope control, and quality assurance.

• Interpersonal skills and customer focus with the ability to handle daily challenges and adjust to adversity.