Senior Capital Program Manager, Design & Configuration Management

MARKETING STATEMENT

Lead the programs that shape the future of Metro's infrastructure. As the Senior Capital Program Manager for the Design & Configuration Management team, you will oversee a critical portfolio of engineering and construction initiatives that support WMATA's capital investment program from project inception through final archiving. This team serves as the steward of design records and configuration management, ensuring that every infrastructure modification across the system is accurately documented, maintained, and preserved throughout the project lifecycle.

In this leadership role, you will guide a team of professionals responsible for managing project documentation, design control, configuration changes, and archival records for major transit infrastructure projects. Success in this position requires a strong understanding of construction/engineering project delivery, exceptional leadership skills, and the ability to collaborate across multiple departments.

Based at WMATA's Alexandria, VA, Eisenhower Avenue administrative offices, this position offers a hybrid work schedule and the opportunity to make a lasting impact on one of the nation's largest public transportation systems.

If you are a strategic leader who excels at developing teams, driving process excellence, and ensuring project integrity from concept to closeout, we invite you to bring your expertise to WMATA and help preserve the foundation of our growing transit network.

Job Description

The Senior Capital Program Manager provides effective and efficient program management of new capital construction, rehabilitation and modernization projects valued at $50 Million - $150 Million Annually. Responsibilities include overseeing, managing and coordinating program development and planning; and oversight of design, procurement, construction, system integration, testing and turn-over activities as applicable. The incumbent establishes and maintains effective working relationships with key stakeholders, determines program needs and requirements, and develops and implements plans and procedures to ensure successful program/project delivery. This Senior Manager makes sound decisions and resolves issues while leading a diverse staff of employees and consultants to effectively deliver the assigned capital

Principal Job Duties

• Oversees program/project phasing coordination activities to establish schedule priorities, access requirements (where applicable) and to ensure work is performed in a safe manner.
• Maintains close contact with all program/project stakeholders, including Executive Management Team (EMT), Federal and state and local agencies to provide timely and accurate status updates and critical project information requiring EMT level decisions and acknowledgement.
• Leads the review and resolution of any design, construction, and strategic issues to assure adherence to program scope, schedule and budget
• Manages issues, changes and conflicts, and provides timely escalation. Recommends and obtains approvals or concurrences in collaboration with local jurisdictions, Federal agencies, Executive Management Team, External Relations Team and other stakeholders as needed to assure project schedule and goals are met and visibility is maintained at the highest appropriate level in the WMATA organization
• Supervises staff including recommending applicant selection, assigning duties, directing work, conducting performance evaluations, championing professional development activities, handling disciplinary actions, and resolving grievances, with support from appropriate WMATA departments to ensure compliance with all human capital policies and guidelines and to support Metro’s position as an Employer of Choice.
• During planning and implementation phases, identifies resource needs by evaluating project performance and allocation of work across staff. Recommends staffing plans and adjustments utilizing additional resources and/or consulting services. Maintains project performance and meets project objectives (on time, on budget, within scope and in a safe manner).

Other Duties

• Leads program development efforts, including preparation of programming/bridging documents, collaboration with procurement office and support of contract negotiations to ensure close alignment to capital program goals and objectives.
• Prepares program schedules, estimates and budgets that are complete and accurate for review and approval by department Directors / Vice Presidents.
• Coordinates with WMATA stakeholders from other departments and oversees major implementation activities and service outage events required by projects in assigned portfolio, to ensure collaboration with WMATA departments and timely resolution of issues.
• Demonstrates Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) behavior and promote DE&I principals to ensure an inclusive and diverse workplace
• Leads project teams, creating and maintaining a proactive safety culture while, adhering to WMATA’s quality management standards. Ensures that safety and quality are maintained as the top values for the project/program and that all safety and quality concerns and issues are addressed before they become significant issues or impact to the project.
• Maintains and promotes awareness and accountability with safety policies and procedures while performing job functions. Promotes a positive safety culture and encourages reporting of safety concerns consistent with our Agency Safety Plan, other regulatory requirements within the Safety Management System and just culture principles.

The functions listed are not intended to limit specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Nor is it intended to limit in any way the right of managers and supervisors to assign, direct and control the work of employees under their supervision.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, budget formulation, scheduling, maintaining, controlling, resource allocation, leadership techniques, and coordination of people and resources
• Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of project management and the proven ability to coordinate, review and provide technical management
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of project controls including scheduling (critical path method) and budgetary control systems
• Knowledge of construction and engineering contract management and administration
• Knowledge of various types of project delivery methods, contract types, procurement methods and contract negotiation and administration
• Knowledge of MS Office suite, teleconferencing platforms, data analysis tools, project management information systems

Skills

• Skilled in leading diverse technical teams to achieve outcomes that are mutually accepted and are beneficial for the Authority and the project
• Skilled in public speaking and giving presentations on various technical subjects to various types of audiences
• Skilled in managing construction and engineering contractors to achieve outcomes beneficial for the Authority and the project
• Skilled in supervising and managing others, including motivating, developing, directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job, and identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance
• Skilled in construction procurement, including review and evaluation of bids and proposals

Abilities

• Ability to apply knowledge and experience to the solution of complex engineering, technical and project management problems
• Ability to supervise, train and evaluate subordinate staff in compliance with Authority’s personnel and labor relations policies, procedures, regulations and agreements
• Ability to independently organize and carry out assignments with minimum direction and supervision
• Ability to develop, analyze and communicate/report various types and levels of technical, contractual and legal documentation to varying levels of audiences both orally and in writing
• Ability to think logically, creatively, including conducting what-if scenarios and making informed decisions
• Ability to work in fast paced environment and under high pressure
• Ability to lead, manage, and / or champion change and gain employee acceptance by strategically flowing down change directives
• Ability to quickly assimilate WMATA’s processes and adhere to procedures and policies; ability to work with Metro’s business systems, and to understand and apply rules and regulations to construction projects taking place in operating (revenue) and non-operating (non-revenue or shut down) environments

Machine, Tools, Equipment, Software, Hardware Required

• Standard office equipment - Personal computers & mobile devices, copiers, printers and phone systems.
• Standard office software (Microsoft 365, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).

Supervisory Responsibility

Supervises work of others, including planning, assigning, scheduling and reviewing work, ensuring quality standards. Is responsible for hiring, terminating, training and developing, reviewing performance and administering corrective action for staff. Plans organizational structure and job content.

Minimum Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Construction Technology, Computer Science, Business, Construction Management, or a related field
  • In lieu of a Bachelor’s Degree, a High School Diploma and four (4) year of project management/project controls experience, in addition to the minimum experience stated below, will be considered

Minimum Experience

• Eight (8) years of project management / project controls experience on complex, high profile, schedule driven projects or programs to include at least two (2) years of supervisory experience.
  • A Master’s Degree in Engineering, Construction Technology, Computer Science, Business, Construction Management, or a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of experience

Minimum Certification/Licensure

• Roadway Worker Protection (RWP) Certification, Level 2, within six months of start job and maintained while holding this role

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in a related field
• Registered Professional Architect
• Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.)
• Certified Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Certified Construction Manager (CCM)