Supervisor, Rail Dispatch

Supervisor, Rail Dispatch

The Supervisor, Rail Dispatch, reports directly to the Chief Dispatcher, and provides day-to-day supervision of a rail dispatching shift team supporting the CapMetro Railroad system. This position is responsible for shift oversight, coaching, scheduling coordination, and operational support to ensure Dispatchers perform their duties safely, accurately, consistently, and in compliance with established operating rules, safety procedures, and FRA requirements. As the first-line supervisor for dispatch operations, the Supervisor ensures adequate shift coverage, assigns work, monitors performance, resolves operational issues, and provides guidance during service disruptions, incidents, abnormal operations, and emergency situations. The role maintains a visible presence within the dispatch center, reinforces FRA compliance and safe decision-making, addresses safety and rule compliance concerns, and ensures dispatch communications, records, documentation, and incident reporting are accurate, complete, timely, and audit ready. This position focuses on daily operational leadership rather than program administration or standards management, which are the responsibility of the Chief Dispatcher. The Supervisor implements established operating rules, training requirements, certification standards, and safety programs through coaching, performance documentation, escalation of compliance and safety concerns, and coordination with rail operations, safety, training, and field supervision teams to support safe, compliant, and reliable rail service.

Note: The duties and primary responsibilities below are intended to describe the general content of and requirements of this job and are not intended to be an exhaustive statement of duties.

Operations & Service Delivery

• Oversee daily dispatch operations to ensure the safe and efficient movement of passenger, freight, and excursion rail service in accordance with operating plans, operating rules, special instructions, safety procedures, and applicable FRA requirements.
• Monitor real-time dispatching activities, including train movement coordination, dispatcher workload, authorities, permits, bulletins, operating restrictions, and radio and telephone communications to ensure safe, compliant, and consistent operations.
• Serve as the on-duty supervisory escalation point for service disruptions, delays, abnormal operations, weather events, equipment failures, track outages, incidents, emergencies, and other operational challenges; provide direction within established authority and escalate issues to the Chief Dispatcher as appropriate.
• Coordinate with field supervisors, contractors, Safety, Training, Customer Service, and other operational stakeholders to resolve service issues, communicate safety-critical information, and maintain effective coordination during normal and disrupted operations.

Leadership & Workforce Management

• Supervise the daily activities of Rail Dispatchers, including work assignments, workload management, attendance monitoring, shift coverage, and schedule adjustments to support continuous and compliant dispatch operations.
• Provide coaching, guidance, performance feedback, and day-to-day supervision including routine check-ins, shift briefings, job briefings, and safety reminders to support safe, accurate, timely, and rules-compliant dispatcher performance, documenting coaching, attendance, performance concerns, and corrective actions as appropriate.
• Maintain regular communication with the Chief Dispatcher regarding staffing, employee performance, service reliability, operational readiness, training needs, safety concerns, compliance matters, and overall dispatch operations.

Safety, Compliance & Training

• Promote and reinforce a proactive safety culture by encouraging hazard identification, near-miss reporting, adherence to operating rules and safety procedures, stop-and-review discussions, and timely escalation of safety concerns.
• Support implementation of operating rule changes, special instructions, bulletins, timetable revisions, service plans, safety advisories, temporary operating procedures, and other regulatory or operational requirements.
• Support dispatcher training, qualification, certification, recertification, operational testing, and skills development by tracking requirements, identifying gaps, and coordinating with the Chief Dispatcher, Safety, and Training functions.
• Analyze operational information to identify recurring service, safety, compliance, communication, staffing, and performance issues, and communicate significant trends and concerns to the Chief Dispatcher.

Documentation, Reporting & Incident Management

• Review dispatch logs, reports, communications, authorities, incident records, training and qualification documentation, operational testing records, certification records, and other required documentation to ensure accuracy, completeness, timeliness, regulatory compliance, and audit readiness.
• Ensure operational events, incidents, service disruptions, safety concerns, rule-related issues, handoffs, and other required records are documented in accordance with internal procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Support incident investigations and after-action reviews by gathering dispatch information, assisting with timeline development, identifying communication or rule-compliance issues, supporting root-cause analysis, and tracking corrective actions.

CapMetro SMS Support & Other Duties Assigned

• Support Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Safety Management Systems (SMS) process by ensuring staff follows safety and security policies, considers safety in every action, and ensures safety and security concerns are reported.
• Perform other rail-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

What You Bring

• High school diploma or GED required. Associate degree or bachelor's degree in Transportation, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field preferred. An equivalent combination of directly related education, training, and experience may be considered. Preferred Rules Qualified Engineer/Conductor/ Transportation Supervisor or Qualified Train Dispatcher.
• Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in rail, transit, transportation, dispatching, or a closely related operations environment.
• One (1) year of lead, supervisory, training, scheduling, or team coordination experience preferred, including experience providing work direction, coaching, or performance follow-up in an operational setting preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of railroad operating rules, dispatching procedures, signaling systems, track and bridge operations, and industry practices supporting safe and compliant passenger and freight rail operations.
• Knowledge of rail safety principles, Safety Management System (SMS) practices, hazard identification, risk assessment, incident prevention, and corrective action processes.
• Knowledge of applicable FRA regulations and compliance requirements related to dispatching operations, certification and qualification programs, operational testing, training records, hours of service, incident response, and regulatory documentation.
• Strong leadership and supervisory skills, including assigning work, monitoring performance, coaching employees, addressing attendance, and conduct concerns, and promoting accountability.
• Effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to communicate operational and technical information to employees, contractors, trainees, and stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Proficiency in standard business and operational software applications, including word processing, spreadsheet, scheduling, and workforce management tools.
• Ability to promote and sustain a positive safety culture through open communication, hazard reporting, rule compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to identify and respond appropriately to safety risks, rule deviations, communication breakdowns, fatigue-related concerns, workload challenges, and other conditions affecting safe dispatch operations.
• Ability to coordinate staffing, shift coverage, overtime, scheduling adjustments, time-off requests, and other workforce planning activities in a 24/7 operating environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, contractors, and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and make timely decisions during routine operations, service disruptions, incidents, emergencies, and other safety-sensitive situations.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to communicate recommendations clearly and effectively.

Work is primarily performed in an office, Operations Control Center (OCC), or rail dispatching environment with responsibility for safety-sensitive coordination, FRA-focused compliance oversight, time-critical decision-making, and operational supervision. The position involves managing multiple concurrent priorities and overseeing staff engaged in complex work where safety, accuracy, communication, regulatory compliance, documentation, and audit readiness are essential.

The incumbent must be able to sit and stand frequently throughout an eight-hour workday; reach vertically and horizontally; and effectively use telephone, radio, or headset equipment. The role requires the ability to lift and move materials weighing up to 20 pounds, perform sustained work at a computer workstation for up to six to eight hours per day, and operate effectively in an environment with frequent interruptions and competing priorities. The incumbent in this role serves as an on-call escalation point and may be required to respond to emergencies, major service disruptions, or other critical operational incidents outside of normal operating hours. Regular and predictable attendance at assigned work location is an essential function.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. All applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.

As an Onsite position, the incumbent's primary workplace is a CapMetro facility or field location. Expected to work in the office or field