Policy Manager

Salary

$153,439.31 - $194,493.31 Annually

Location


Operations & Maintenance Facility - 3407 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA

Job Type

Career Service (Exec)

Job Number

2026SJ26947

Department

MTD - Metro Transit

Division

Rail

Opening Date

06/18/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

FLSA


Exempt

Bargaining Unit


Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines

Full- or Part-Time


Full Time

Summary

Learn how Metro connects you with what matters

NOTE: This announcement has been reposted to invite additional applicants. Applicants that applied prior to June 16, 2026, do not need to reapply.


King County Metro Transit's Rail Division has an exciting opportunity for a Wayside Maintenance Section Manager (Transit Section Manager). This senior leader will report to Rail's Senior Maintenance Manager and will work in partnership with employees, colleagues, and stakeholders to foster a culture of safety, driving maintenance excellence and supporting Metro's commitment equity and sustainability.


The Wayside Maintenance Section Manager is responsible for managing programs and staff within the Wayside Section overseeing the business strategy, planning, operations, and service delivery of the following workgroups: Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Signals & Communications, Track and Right of Way, and Wayside Maintenance Planner Scheduler. You will develop, implement, and oversee long-term business and employee strategy for the Wayside Section to support the Rail's success, including strategic initiatives, budget and finance, communication, and section processes and procedures.

The ideal candidate brings effective leadership capability and strategic organizational planning skills. They demonstrate a high level of self-awareness and are adept at navigating and facilitating complex conversations. They are passionate about empowering others, and are committed to teaching, mentoring, and developing staff. Top candidates actively engage the workforce to identify opportunities for process improvement and foster an environment where employees are supported to perform at their best. They also possess the ability to understand how core business processes apply to county functions and can recognize how various operations are interconnected.

About Metro Transit's Expanding Rail Division
King County Metro's Rail Division manages and maintains Sound Transit's Link Light Rail, a growing network spanning 60 miles and serving 41 stations across the Puget Sound region. Together with Metro's extensive fixed-route bus system and mobility services, the Link Light Rail system is the backbone of an integrated regional transit network that gives people real freedom of movement. As Puget Sound transit agencies work together to build a seamless, connected system, our Light Rail system plays a central role in expanding access, reducing barriers, and ensuring that everyone across our region can get where they need to go.

Joining Metro's Rail Division means joining an organization that is shaping the future of public transportation in the Pacific Northwest and setting the standard for modern rail operations nationwide. This is a division that values strategic thinking, collaborative leadership, and a deep commitment to the people we serve, both our riders and our teams. Whatever your role, your work here contributes to something that matters, a system that thousands of people count on every day.

Who May Apply

This recruitment is open to all qualified applicants. This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) full-time Wayside Maintenance Section Manager (Transit Section Manager) position. However, this recruitment may also be used to establish a list or pool of qualified candidates for any future openings in the same classification. Placement onto an eligibility list/pool is not a guarantee of placement into a future position. The pool/list may be used for up to six (6) OR twelve (12) months at the discretion of the hiring authority.

To Apply:

Those interested must submit:

• An online King County application, updated with all detailed relevant work history going back 10 years (or more, if necessary).
• Complete all the required supplemental questions
• A letter of interest (1-2 pages) that describes:
  • How your experience and background meet or exceed the qualifications for this position.
  • How you lead diverse groups in an active railroad environment; and
  • How you have applied equity and social justice principles in your current and/or previous role(s) (experience may include roles in either a professional or volunteer setting).

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact:

Skyler Jones, Senior Talent Advisor, View email address on click.appcast.io .

Want to make sure your application materials are as competitive as possible?

We highly recommend visiting the Career Support Services website for tips and examples on how to make your application materials most effective:

Career Support Services - King County .

Job Duties

Ap plying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work.


As the Wayside Maintenance Section Manager, you will also:

• Provide Senior Leadership & Cross Divisional Collaboration
• Serve as an active and engaged member of Rail's Senior Leadership Team, providing strategic communication to Division leaders and collaboration across Rail's different sections to ensure consistent employee experience.
• Engage in collaborative discussion with Rail's outside agency partners on behalf of Rail.
• Develop and maintain a culture of care, inclusion and belonging within the Wayside Section by:
  • Leading, helping to develop, and motivate employees, helping them to recognize the important role they each play in achieving the overall agency goals and empowering them to perform accordingly.
  • Developing and leading a communication strategy for the Section that aligns with the Senior Maintenance Managers strategy.
  • Overseeing process and procedures for the Section, focusing on developing efficiencies, and creating clarity and consistency for the Section in coordination with the rest of the Rail Division.
  • Ensuring that employee and public safety continue to be Metro's highest priority, maintaining strict adherence to safety rules and procedures and continually seeking to enhance safety practices.

Safety & Maintenance Excellence

• Lead the Section in delivering safe, reliable, and effective maintenance while driving continuous improvement through:
• Lead and oversee the planning, operations, and delivery of Wayside functions for the Division.
• Develop and implement innovative strategies and initiatives to enhance the Section's performance in both the short and long term.
• Oversee the Section's budget, resources, and material management.
• Leverage data from EAMS, Excel, and other operational platforms to generate insightful reports, enabling effective maintenance planning, prioritization, and resource scheduling.

Employee Engagement & Organizational Culture

• Provide effective strategies for expansion of the Wayside section to enable it to adapt to maintain new system and deliver on the promises made to the region.
• Work with Superintendents to develop staffing models that support coverage needs and requirements from our partner agency.
• Develop strategies for multi-base operations.
• Track service delivery impacts and provide mitigation strategies
• Track and maintain KPIs that pertain to the Wayside section
• Maintain effective partnerships by building and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders to deliver excellent service, including key labor partners and Sound Transit partners.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Minimum Qualifications:

• Option 1: Five (5) years of management or supervisory experience in rail wayside maintenance.

OR

• Option 2: A two-year degree in a related field; and three (3) or more years of management or supervisory experience in rail wayside maintenance or a related field.

OR

• Option 3: Three (3) or more years of experience in rail wayside maintenance; and two (2) or more years of management or supervisory experience in rail wayside maintenance or a related field.

And

• Experience in the following:
  • Implementing rules and procedures that keep people safe in a variety of operating environments.
  • Overseeing safety critical positions.
  • Integrating an equity mindset and methodology into continuous improvement activities.
  • Working effectively with individuals and groups from a variety of cultures and backgrounds.
  • Working with labor, within unionized environments.
  • Communicating effectively and making decisions that reflect fairness, respect, equity, and inclusiveness.
  • Supporting and building on a culture of employee engagement which supports the development, coaching, and team building necessary for the workforce of the future.

• Knowledge of the following:
  • Practices and industry standards of maintaining light rail systems, equipment and structures
  • FTA, APTA, AREMA standards and other technical documents.
  • Railroad operations and how on-track safety is applied.

Desired Qualifications:

• Solid expertise in the maintenance of track, signal, and SCADA systems
• Proven experience developing and delivering organizational strategies
• Demonstrated experience building, leading, and developing high-performing teams.

Supplemental Information

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.


Work Schedule

This position is anticipated to be full time, assigned 40 hours per week, typically Monday through Friday. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is therefore not eligible for overtime pay. This position is eligible for telework/remote work. Work outside of the normal workday is required periodically.


Work Location

This position requires a minimum of [4] days per week onsite to support team collaboration, coaching, and in-person leadership presence, consistent with King County Metro's hybrid work expectations for supervisory roles. The work associated with this position will be performed predominantly on-site temporarily at the Operations and Maintenance Facility Central (OMF-C) located at 3407 Airport Way South, Seattle, WA 98134. A new reporting location is in discussion that would be at the main campus at 5th and Jackson. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County and Sound Transit facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.


Employees will be provided with a Sound Transit issued cell phone and laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individuals selected for these opportunities will be joining innovative and progressive teams that are redefining how we work in the department's hybrid environment.


Selection Process

Application materials (application, letter of interest and supplemental question responses) will be screened to determine whether candidates meet the qualifications, and for clarity, completeness, and responsiveness to the application instructions above. Highly competitive applicants may be asked to interview. Formal offers will be finalized after candidates have successfully completed any necessary pre-employment processes, such as reference checks or internal record reviews.


Union Status/Union Code

This position is not represented by a union. (Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines)


Classification/Pay Grade

874030 (Transit Section Manager), Grade 77

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.


Guided by our " True North ", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

Application Process

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King County's vision for unified, equitable, and high-performing government, please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable, ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact Skyler Jones at View email address on click.appcast.io .

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 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.

#RailJobs #TradesJobs

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what's best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page .

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position.Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.


For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.
recblid n85t3dze4g9eraz6wfhjx1yo2mfxgo