Senior Manager, Operations & Maintenance (Railway Transportation)

Senior Manager, Operations & Maintenance | Herndon, VA (Hybrid 2 days/week remote); travel 25-50% to 5 national locations.

A highly respected organization in the rail and automated people mover (APM) transportation industry, with operations spanning multiple sites across North America.

This is a highly visible leadership role reporting directly to the Senior Vice President of Operations & Maintenance, based at the company's headquarters, with a hybrid schedule (remote Mondays and Fridays) and periodic travel to operational sites.

Position Overview

The Senior Manager, O&M will serve as a critical operational leader and key liaison between executive leadership, site teams, subcontractors, and customers. This individual will be responsible for translating strategic direction into day-to-day operational execution across multiple APM sites — ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient service delivery in a complex, contract-driven environment.

Core Areas of Responsibility

🔹 Operational Leadership — Support the SVP O&M in implementing strategies, performance standards, and organizational objectives across all sites; provide coaching and oversight to Site Managers to ensure consistent execution

🔹 Customer & Stakeholder Management — Maintain strong customer relationships, represent the organization during reviews and audits, and ensure alignment between operational performance and customer expectations

🔹 Contract & Compliance Oversight — Ensure O&M teams operate within contract terms and company policies; support subcontractor performance review and conflict resolution

🔹 Financial & Budgetary Support — Assist in preparing annual O&M budgets, monitor site-level financial activity, and provide analytical insights to support executive decision-making

🔹 Training & Technical Support — Coordinate technical training programs, ensure teams receive timely updates on equipment and procedural changes, and oversee development of operational documentation

🔹 Cross-Functional Collaboration — Partner closely with Engineering, EHSQ, HR, Supply Chain, and Finance to drive operational excellence and maintain safety standards

🔹 KPI Reporting & Continuous Improvement — Monitor site performance, identify risks and deficiencies, and lead corrective action initiatives

Ideal Candidate Profile:

✔ Minimum 5 years of experience in electromechanical, rail, transit, APM, or related transportation O&M environments

✔ 3 years of progressive leadership in operations or engineering management

✔ Prior APM or rail/transit experience strong plus

✔ Strong technical acumen — ability to interpret complex drawings, specifications, and technical documents

✔ Proven multi-site leadership with experience supporting Site Managers and cross-functional teams

✔ Excellent customer management, contract administration, and communication skills

✔ Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field required; Master's preferred

Compensation & Structure

💰 Base Salary: $125,000 – $150,000 💰 Short-Term Incentive Plan (bonus): 10% EXCELLENT benefits.

Relocation stipend & possible sign on bonus

✈ Travel to operational sites as required 25-50% (all US based)

If you or someone in your network has a background in rail, transit, transportation, APM, or electromechanical O&M leadership and is open to an exciting opportunity with a growing, mission-driven organization, I would welcome a conversation.