Director of Rail Maintenance presso New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, LA

About the Department

NEW ORLEANS REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY

POSITION ADVERTISEMENT- Non-Represented Opportunity

The Regional Transit Authority gets people moving around New Orleans. Our transit services provide mobility to residents of the city as well as tourists, providing incredible views and comfortable rides through historical neighborhoods and countless attractions. RTA’s system includes 4 streetcar lines, 30 bus routes, 2 ferry routes, and paratransit services. Our passengers take more than 19 million rides every year. 

JOB Title: Director of Rail Maintenance

POSITION STATUS: full time

REPORTS TO

Chief Asset Management Officer 

TITLES OF POSITIONS REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THIS JOB

Manager of Maintenance Rail Shop

Manager of Rail Maintenance MOW

Manager of Traction Power

Manager of Transit Stops

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (Strategic & Leadership)

• Develop and implement a comprehensive, long-term maintenance strategy that ensures the safety, reliability, and efficiency of all rail assets, including rolling stock and infrastructure (track, power, signaling)
• Establish maintenance priorities, set performance goals, and drive continuous improvement initiatives using data-driven approaches
• Develop, monitor, and control the annual operating and capital budgets for the maintenance department, ensuring optimal resource allocation and cost efficiency
• Oversee procurement, manage vendor relationships, and negotiate contracts for equipment, parts, and specialized services
• Recruit, train, supervise, and mentor a team of managers, supervisors, and technical personnel
• Conduct performance evaluations, manage labor relations, and ensure the department is staffed with properly trained personnel in compliance with requirements
• Coordinate maintenance efforts with rail operations, transportation, and other departments to schedule work with minimal adverse impact on service delivery
• Serve as a liaison with external agencies, utility companies, and regulatory bodies.

JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Rail Maintenance is a high-level management position responsible for directing and managing all activities of the Rail Maintenance Department, including rail vehicles maintenance, Rail track maintenance, and storeroom support functions. This position has extensive latitude for independent judgment within RTA policies and procedures. This position is responsible for executive oversight ensuring staff service providers perform in a manner consistent with the requirements and standards defined in the RTA goals and contracts through monitoring of key performance indicators, rail maintenance condition, and readiness.  Monitors and evaluates Maintenance, fleet availability, campaign management, missed runs, revenue/cost data, customer complaints and resolution data; accident data; road call data; and other maintenance operations related functions.

Position Duties

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (Technical & Operational)

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions upon request.

• Ensure strict adherence to all Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations and other applicable federal, state, and local safety, health, and environmental standards
• Develop and enforce safety policies, programs, and training (e.g., Roadway Worker Protection) to provide a safe working environment
• Direct the implementation of rigorous preventive maintenance (PM) and corrective maintenance programs for all rail assets
• Utilize and manage a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to track work orders, asset history, and performance metrics
• Oversee the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of Light Rail Vehicles (LRV) and any specialized heritage/historic streetcar equipment, focusing on propulsion, braking, and control systems
• Ensure efficient materials management and parts warehousing to support vehicle availability
• Direct the maintenance of Maintenance of Way (MOW) components, including track, right-of-way, service-stop signs, and stations, ensuring compliance with Track Safety Standards
• Oversee the inspection, maintenance, and repair of the Overhead Contact System (OCS), traction power substations, and signal and communications equipment
• Develop and implement detailed emergency response plans for incidents like system failures, equipment breakdowns, power outages, and accidents
• Act as a leader or key coordinator during critical incidents to restore service quickly and safely
• Manage the life cycle of major assets, including developing vehicle and equipment specifications for new procurements and making recommendations for replacement or major overhaul projects
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for major equipment failures and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence
• Directs all maintenance, supervisors, and streetcar facility maintenance personnel in the implementation and administration of the programs necessary to provide required transit service from the maintenance facility
• Ensures that maintenance requirements are well planned for and that the established preventative streetcar maintenance programs and objectives are attained.
• Directly oversee the department’s performance, monitoring quality assurance and quality control, cost analysis and adherence, data management, long range fleet requirements, long range capital asset plan, maintenance information systems, and operational use of ITS and radio systems, and other related functions
• On-call 24/7 and immediately responds to and notifies executive staff of accidents, incidents, and emergency situations involving RTA vehicles, equipment and employees immediately when major problems occur as well as working with other departments as necessary. This includes weekend investigations in addition to the normal weekday duties
• Assists with the planning and oversight of RTA’s Rail Maintenance departments to ensure appropriate levels of service to the public and determine and implement short/long-term strategies needed to support agency goals and plans
• Initiates and arranges for the purchase of tools, supplies, machinery, and other equipment.
• Establishes work standards and checks adherence, reviews equipment failures and accidents and prepare preventative maintenance programs
• Confer with service vendor(s) and CBA representatives to resolve current and prevent future employee relations issues ensuring compliance with Federal obligations related to protection of workers’ rights and labor agreements 
• Ensures Maintenance safety training and enforces all regulations related to employee and public safety within the public transit system and contributes to the coordination of Risk Management, Safety, and Security functions
• Assists in responding to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Triennial Reviews and comments

Minimum Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree (preferred) in business administration, management, transportation, urban planning, engineering, or a closely related field required; a minimum of four (4) to seven (7) years recent experience directly related to transit, rail maintenance and the transportation function of a multi-division urban transit system 
• Supervisory experience with direct responsibility for the administration of a labor contract/grievance procedures for a large, unionized organization.
• Progressively responsible maintenance management experience that demonstrates the ability to implement a streetcar maintenance program requiring the attainment of daily schedules.
• Successful candidate must have experience in working with excel spreadsheets and the ability to develop, create and fluidly use PowerPoint in the development of presentations.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Normal office environment and fieldwork. Fieldwork may require the employee to perform essential duties in an outdoor setting in a variety of weather conditions.
• Incumbents must be able to board and alight transit vehicles, climb stairs, and move in confined spaces as well as stoop and bend.
• Incumbents must have the ability to safely drive an automobile. In case of a serious accident, the employee must be prepared to report for duty as notified and work extended hours.

This is a designated Safety Sensitive Position under RTA Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace Policy [“Non-USDOT”]. Drug and Alcohol Testing is conducted under RTA testing authority in accordance with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations.

Other Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to partner and collaborate with a diverse staff, address complex or sensitive situations, to advance the goals and strategies of RTA.
• Experience in coordinating transit safety and service delivery, field operations, labor relations, staff development, and collective bargaining negotiation skills in a union environment strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of or the ability to rapidly attain knowledge of the RTA rail system, operation and maintenance plans procedures, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise critical thinking, analysis, and managerial judgement.
• Proficiency with spreadsheet, word processing, presentation, database and project management software.