Senior Transit Systems Manager – Rail Engineering & Business Development

Company Description

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There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

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Job Description

AECOM is actively seeking an accomplished and driven Senior Transit Systems Manager to lead engineering initiatives, manage complex transit projects, and spearhead business development efforts within our expanding transit practice. This leadership role is strategically positioned to support our Midwest operations—particularly in the Chicago metropolitan area—while also contributing to national pursuits and high-profile transit programs across the U.S.

This is a unique opportunity to shape and grow a dynamic practice with strong support from AECOM’s national and global transit systems teams. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise in rail and transit systems, a proven track record in project delivery, and a strong network within the transit industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Expand AECOM’s established Systems and Transit team in the West Region through strategic hiring, talent development, and staff retention initiatives.
• Lead client development and marketing efforts through strategic engagement, opportunity analysis, targeted proposal development, and the cultivation of new client and partner relationships.
• Providing leadership in the development of comprehensive transit project deliverables, including design drawings, technical specifications, cost estimates, proposals, engineering calculations, and technical studies.
• Serve as a technical leader on transit projects, demonstrating expertise across multiple disciplines of transit engineering while actively contributing to project execution and delivery.
• Recommend appropriate actions to ensure compliance with all client, local, state, and federal regulations, including AREMA railway criteria.
• Exercise judgment on details of work by making preliminary selections and adaptations of engineering alternatives.
• Manage projects of varying size and complexity, mentor staff to support team growth, and proactively mitigate risks to ensure successful program outcomes.
• Provide technical leadership and strategic direction for regional program delivery, while collaborating with regional and market sector leadership to identify and pursue new business opportunities.
• Analyze emerging and long-term industry trends to anticipate future needs, and recommend workforce planning and skill development strategies to build organizational capabilities.
• Actively contribute to talent attraction and retention by fostering a supportive environment and promoting growth opportunities within the area of expertise.
• Accountable for the overall financial success and delivery of the AECOM Program Management agreement.
• Travel nationally as needed to AECOM, partner, client, and project office locations to support solution development.

Qualifications

Minimum: 

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering and 10 years of transit engineering experience or demonstrated equivalency of experience and/or education, including 2 years of leadership.
• Experienced in the execution and task leadership for design calculations, plans development, specifications,and technical report writing
• Experience and demonstrated ability to design with constructability in mind throughout all steps of the design process.
• Experience and proficiency in technical and program management analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to draw from the skills of others to bring innovation to serve the needs of our clients
• Experienced in strategic thinking, with the ability to prioritize long-term goal achievement over short-term gains, and the discernment to know when to choose between the two.
• Experience as a self-motivator, able and willing to plan for and act on risks and opportunities aligned with business goals and within the organizational structure.