Transit Technology Project Management Team Manager

Help shape how one of the nation's leading transit agencies runs on technology!

King County Metro is building something new: a Technology Section created two years ago as part of a modern IT operating model, and still defining what it can become. We're looking for an experienced, strategic, and collaborative leader to join at this pivotal moment as our Transit Technology Project Management Team Manager .

In this role, you’ll lead a highly skilled team of project managers who deliver business critical technology from first concept and procurement through design, testing, implementation, and full lifecycle management. The systems they deliver keep buses moving and riders connected every day. You will also work alongside Metro Division Directors and the KCIT leadership team to shape the Metro Technology Roadmap, deciding which investments best move Metro's goals forward.

You’ll represent the Transit Technology Capital Project Management group on committees, workgroups, and countywide initiatives. As a senior leader in an emerging office, you'll help define its identity, culture, and visibility across King County.

Position Information

This recruitment will be used to fill One (1) Career Service, Manager – Transit Systems Development and Operations classification vacancy. In addition, this selection process may be used to generate an eligibility pool for future Special Duty Assignment (SDA), Term Limited Temporary (TLT), and Career Service (CS) vacancies that may occur in this classification within this workgroup. The eligibility list will be retained for 12 months from the date of posting and may be used at the discretion of the hiring authority.

Who May Apply

We are accepting applications from all qualified individuals including current King County employees and the general public.

Applying our ACTIVATE values: being Accountable, Collaborative, Timely, and Impactful; how we Value Employees; staying Accessible; building what’s Trusted; and acting Equitably, is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. As a Transit Technology Project Management Team Manager, you will:

Leadership and Workforce Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of transit technology project managers, focusing on coaching, workforce development, and building a technologically aware and future-ready team.
• Provide guidance and support to other supervisors and technology groups within the Technology Section, contributing to section-wide development and performance.
• Drive outcome-based thinking, critical analysis, and clarity in an increasingly ambiguous environment, helping teams and stakeholders make informed decisions.
• Conduct performance reviews that support staff growth and build the competencies needed to bring the broader department along in its modernization journey.
• Serve as a strategic people leader offering direction, advising stakeholders, and influencing policies rather than simply managing tasks or projects.
• Manage personnel administration including hiring, discipline, leave approvals, accommodations, workload balancing, and labor contract adherence.
• Maintain productive relationships with multiple collective bargaining units; actively engage in grievance and arbitration processes as needed.
• Intervene on complex issues or team dynamics to restore alignment, resolve conflicts, and ensure project and staff success.
• Shape and support the ongoing transformation to a modern, strategically focused technology organization with strong visibility across King County.

Technology Strategy, Planning, and Governance

• Contribute to Metro’s technology portfolio planning and technology budget development to ensure strategic, enterprise-wide alignment.
• Provide expert strategic analysis to help the division address technology needs, evaluating investments, priorities, and long-range solutions. Advise senior management on tradeoffs related to technology policies, procurement approaches, and lifecycle management strategies.
• Support executive leadership in assessing risks, organizational capacity, feasibility, and market availability of emerging technologies, especially as Metro moves towards SaaS technologies.
• Prepare and deliver compelling business cases and strategic proposals to the Project Review Board (PRB), CIO, DOT leadership, and additional oversight bodies.

Project & Portfolio Oversight

• Oversee a portfolio of complex technology projects with significant capital investment appropriated from the executive council. These projects help implement enterprise platforms that support mobility services for the community.
• Own the performance metrics for such complex multi-system development efforts, project scope, schedules, budgets, dependencies, and integration across hardware, software, data, and business processes.
• Enable high performance from the team using strong project management principles including agile development methodologies to support effective delivery and rapid iteration.
• Serve as a central escalation point for evaluating risks and own escalation decisions to senior leadership.

Procurement, Contracting, and Vendor Management

• Oversee technology procurements and contract management, including RFP/RFQ development, negotiations, change orders, acceptance criteria, and milestone approvals. Drive improvements that help in effective project delivery.
• Collaborate closely with Procurement Services and the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to develop negotiation strategies and assess legal and project risks.
• Evaluate vendor performance and ensure high-quality delivery, resolving service gaps, financial impacts, and contractual challenges. Enable development and documentation of vendor management best practices for the team.

Technology Operations & Policy Alignment

• Partner closely with Metro division leadership to interpret operational needs, understand system impacts, and align project management team to adopt development methodologies with operational requirements.
• Support change management efforts related to technology operations, ensuring smooth transitions as systems mature or evolve.
• Work collaboratively with leaders who develop technology-related policies, helping shape standards and guidance that influence countywide practices and best practices that help in appropriate budgeting and resource management.
• Ensure ongoing viability and performance of technology projects across the division and to the Metro Technology Advisory Board.

Emerging Technology & Technical Aptitude

• Stay current with emerging trends in transit technology, including AI, cybersecurity, autonomous vehicles, and modern cloud-based enterprise environments.
• Apply strong technical aptitude to evaluate how emerging innovations can be incorporated into Metro’s strategic roadmap and service delivery models.
• Foster a culture of modernization, encouraging teams to adopt forward-looking practices, modern infrastructure concepts, and system integration strategies.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Representation

• Represent the Transit Technology Project Management team across internal and external committees, project teams, and workgroups.
• Coordinate with business leaders, IT partners, and executive stakeholders to align technology strategy with operational needs and county priorities.

Candidate Qualifications

A Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field.

AND

At least ten (10) years of increasingly responsible experience in IT project management that includes analyzing, planning, designing, deploying, and implementing complex IT projects and programs related to operations and infrastructure.

AND

A minimum of five (5) years of experience in IT management/leadership position. Managing and/or leading technical staff, developing and executing work programs, developing performance measures, setting performance expectations, and providing coaching and feedback.

OR

An equivalent combination of education and experience that demonstrates the skills, knowledge, and abilities required to perform the role effectively.

Demonstrated knowledge and skills in

• Enterprise-scale complex technology project life cycles, development strategies, and management principles.
• Systems analysis, design, deployment, and implementation.
• Mass transit business operations and strategic information needs.
• IT contracting, vendor management, and procurement strategies
• Managing competing priorities and performing statistical, operational, and business analyses.
• Risk assessment and mitigation including technical, legal, financial, and organizational factors.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of labor relations that include interest-based or collaborative labor negotiations as well as grievance and arbitration processes.
• Human resources management, supervisory practices, and labor relations.
• Workforce planning and budget administration.
• Planning and delegating work assignments.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Promoting a collaborative culture fostering engagement, innovation, development, and autonomy for staff.
• Staff development and training.
• Working with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Conflict resolution, problem-solving, negotiation, and team building.
• Customer service principles and stakeholder engagement.
• Effective verbal and written communication, including complex technical translation.
• Use of current office software including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and email tools.

Additional Desired Experience

• Experience with a broad range of enterprise technologies including project management tools, business systems, analytics platforms, ITSM systems, testing tools, content management, collaboration tools, system integration, cloud environments, cybersecurity, and enterprise IT standards.
• Experience working in a large public sector or governmental organization.
• Knowledge of King County Metro’s operations, mission, and policies.

Work Location

This position requires a minimum of 3 days per week onsite to support team collaboration, coaching, and in-person leadership presence, consistent with King County Metro's hybrid work expectations. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

Work Schedule

The position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not overtime eligible. The typical workweek is 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

Union Representation

The position is not represented by a union

Class Code

1132250 Manager – Transit Systems Development and Operations

Safety Responsibilities for Managers

• Fully support Metro Transit’s Safety Policy and its proper implementation.
• Create a positive safety culture where employees are engaged in safety practices and processes.
• Resolve hazards and safety concerns within their purview.
• Ensure that SMS is implemented and executed within their area(s) of responsibility.
• Ensure that performance of SMS is measured and documented in all areas.
• Needs necessary for employees to perform job duties are communicated to the Accountable Executive and considered in resource requests.
• Provide time necessary for employees to receive sufficient training.
• Establish accountability and corrective actions.

King County’s Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.