SENIOR DIRECTOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS (CYBER SECURITY / SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTER)

Senior Director, Special Projects

Metro's mission is to provide a world-class transportation system that enhances the quality of life for all who live, work, and play within LA County.

Oversees, manages, and executes plans, policies, and frameworks for projects for an executive unit that may have broad organization-wide impact; coordinates and oversees the work of assigned staff on related projects or assignments.

The Senior Director, Special Projects manages the Security Operations Center (SOC) LA METRO, overseeing security monitoring, incident response, threat detection, and operational readiness across enterprise and critical transportation systems. This role manages SOC Analysts, and the organization's outsourced 24/7 Managed SOC provider while driving continuous improvement of cybersecurity alerts, ingestion and incident response capabilities.

Recruitment Timelines: Interviews are projected to be scheduled for the week of June 15, 2026. These dates are subject to change. We encourage you to monitor your governmentjobs.com profile and emails for the latest updates.

Examples of Duties

• Directs the evaluation, development, and implementation of multiple projects that may have major financial or operational impact to the department or Metro
• Oversees, manages, and executes project or program delivery strategies
• Manages staff execution of key workstreams and tasks
• Scopes and oversees consultant support workstreams
• Directs cross-functional development teams to address departmental issues
• Works cross functionally with other departments to understand needs and strategic direction and ensure that department is aligned to meet client's support requirements utilizing existing processes and tools and identifying areas for new solution development
• Directs the development of business plans, objectives, initiatives, policies, and strategies for department or program
• Evaluates issues that have an impact on department and/or Metro and facilitates executive decision making
• Directs coordination of process and systems analysis, and oversees the development and recommendation of solutions, enhancements, testing, and implementation activities for assigned projects
• Develops recommendations for policy and administrative procedural changes that contribute toward continuous improvement and streamlining efforts
• Develops short- and long-range plans; establishes priorities and goals/objectives for functional department
• Develops, studies, and reports to evaluate productivity of functional areas and eliminate impediments to peak performance
• Directs the preparation of capital project budgets, monitors and controls expenditures, initiates procurements, and approves payment of invoices
• Develops financial and administrative studies and reports
• Directs and participates in the preparation of Requests for Proposals (RFPs); participates in proposal evaluation, vendor/consultant selection, and contract negotiation processes; monitors progress of consultants, develops and manages consulting budgets, and recommends payment for services
• Presents monthly status briefing to executive management and compiles monthly published reports for financial staff, FTA (Federal Transit Administration), and Metro's executive office, as required
• Represents department to the public and press
• Supervises, coordinates, oversees, trains, mentors, and motivates assigned employees
• Communicates and implements safety rules, policies, and procedures in support of the agency's safety vision and goals; maintains accountability for the safety performance of all assigned employees

Minimum Qualifications

A combination of education and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Additional experience, as outlined below, may be substituted for required education on a year-for-year basis. A typical combination includes:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Public Administration, Urban Planning, or a related field; Master's Degree in a related field preferred
• Five years of management-level experience overseeing capital and/or other project management functions
• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions

Preferred Qualifications (PQs) are used to identify relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) as determined by business necessity. These criteria are considered preferred qualifications and are not intended to serve as minimum requirements for the position. PQs will help support selection decisions throughout the recruitment. In addition, applicants who possess these PQs will not automatically be selected.

• Experience supporting cybersecurity operations within large scale public transportation, critical infrastructure, utility, or public sector environment.
• Experience building and maturing a Security Operations Center program including people, process, tooling, metrics, and operations.
• Experience working with managed security service providers, or third-party cybersecurity monitoring organizations.
• Experience developing executive cybersecurity dashboards, operational metrics, board level reporting, and strategic operational briefings.
• Experience implementing cybersecurity frameworks and standards including NIST, MITRE ATT&CK, ISO, TSA Security Directives

Essential Knowledge

Knowledge of (defined as a learned body of information that is required for and applied in the performance of job tasks)

• Theories, principles, practices, and tools of project management and development
• Transportation planning, engineering, construction, and operations
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations governing policies, trends, strategies, and developments for areas such as project management, the transportation industry, environmental impact
• Public and transportation project finance and funding
• Capital budget development and administration
• Public procurement policies and procedures
• New and emerging technology and innovation practices
• Modern management theory
• Applicable business software applications

Skill in (defined as the proficient manual, verbal, or mental utilization of data, people, or things)

• Program/project management and development
• Managing projects from inception to culmination
• Determining strategies to achieve goals
• Critical thinking and synthesis of ideas and concepts
• Policy research, analysis, and development
• Building consensus and support around new concepts and innovations
• Coordinating, facilitating, and motivating internal and external clients to make sound business decisions
• Developing and implementing policies, procedures and strategies
• Analyzing situations, identifying problems, recommending solutions, and evaluating outcomes
• Exercising sound judgment and creativity in making decisions and solving complex problems
• Communicating effectively orally and in writing
• Preparing comprehensive written correspondence, analyses, recommendations, and public reports
• Providing oral and written presentations and briefings for senior decision makers
• Interacting professionally with various levels of employees and outside representatives

Ability to (defined as a present competence to perform an observable behavior or produce an observable result)

• Develop new concepts and ideas to improve program/project performance that adhere to Metro policy and applicable rules, laws, and regulations
• Analyze project information to develop and implement recommendations
• Quickly obtain, analyze, and synthesize information
• Write and speak concisely and persuasively
• Establish and maintain cooperative work relationships
• Manage multiple stakeholders at various levels of seniority from a range of disciplines
• Understand, interpret, and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, contracts, budgets, and labor/management agreements
• Plan financial and resource needs
• Read, write, speak, and understand English

Special Conditions

• This job specification is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, or requirements
• The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job
• Metro provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
• This classification is at-will and the incumbent serves at the pleasure of the hiring authority
• Contributes to ensuring that the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and programs of Metro are carried out

Working Conditions

• Typical office situation