Streetcar Operations Chief - SDA

King County • Washington, DC, United States • $200k - $250k / year • 3w ago

Summary

King County Metro Transit's Rail Division manages and maintains Sound Transit's Link light rail service and City of Seattle’s streetcar system. Link light rail currently spans a 33-mile route from SeaTac to Lynnwood and a 6.6-mile route from Redmond to South Bellevue. By the end of 2026, light rail is projected to expand to nearly 60 route miles, adding seven new stations. Additional expansions to the Link system will be coming online for years to come.

Seattle Streetcar includes the 1.3 mile South Lake Union line and the 2.5 mile First Hill line, proudly serving the diverse and vibrant communities around Seattle’s downtown core. These rail services complement Metro's extensive fixed-route bus system and mobility services. Puget Sound transit agencies are collaborating to create an integrated transit network that enables people to travel farther, faster, and more easily.

King County Metro Transit seeks outstanding people leaders to fulfill a Special Duty Assignment (SDA) for Streetcar Chief. This position supports the Streetcar Section employees in providing excellent public transit service for both the South Lake Union Streetcar Line and the First Hill Streetcar Line, proudly serving the diverse and vibrant residential communities and business districts around Seattle’s downtown core.

This leadership role will be entrusted to model and promote teamwork, encourage a safety culture, inspire high standards of service excellence, and coach employees toward achievement of shared goals and values.

Metro Transit operates the Seattle Streetcar on behalf of the City of Seattle. A successful Operations Chief will maintain effective and collaborative relationships with agency partners to provide timely and cost-efficient service in compliance with applicable service level requirements.

Work is performed independently with some shared responsibility with the Streetcar Maintenance Chief, under the general supervision and direction of a Transit Superintendent.

Job Duties

Applying 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 Streetcar Chief, you will:

Demonstrate positive leadership and role modeling to encourage and support staff while managing employee performance. Encourage a culture of inclusion, teamwork, safety and service excellence.
Plan, supervise and review the work of Operations & Maintenance Supervisors, Streetcar Operators, and Maintenance staff engaged in Streetcar operations and service delivery.
Implement applicable portions of the rail system and safety program; ensure compliance with all Streetcar, Rail Division, Metro Transit Department and County policies and procedures governing safety sensitive positions, employment, worker safety and related areas as well as with applicable local, state and federal laws.
Coordinate and collaborate within Metro Transit Department, and with City of Seattle and other outside agencies as required to maintain Streetcar operations and deliver service; manage contractor access and track allocation processes; manage and review the work of inspection and repair contractors.
Monitor and report on Streetcar performance metrics; monitor daily labor costs and modify operations when necessary to achieve performance improvement targets while maintaining established service levels.
Identify, evaluate, and recommend service, quality, workplace, and business process improvements; continuously improve service by identifying improvement opportunities and engaging and coaching others in process improvement efforts.
Establish and maintain a collaborative and effective labor relations environment; ensure daily operations and personnel actions conform with the terms of negotiated agreements; confer with labor representatives to discuss and resolve issues; escalate issues to Superintendent or Transit Labor Relations staff as appropriate; hear first-step grievances on a case-by-case basis; testify at arbitration, unemployment and related hearings as requested; assist in labor negotiations and contract changes as needed.
Manage employee absenteeism, vacation change requests, sick/injury leaves, and related processes and requirements for assigned employees; review and approve leave requests consistent with staffing needs, and employee preferences where possible, and applicable County policy/procedures and bargaining agreements; review, correct and approve payroll; administer federal safety-sensitive drug and alcohol testing program for assigned employees.
Assist in the evaluation and selection of Streetcar employees; provide employees with development opportunities as available; counsel staff on effective safety, service, and workplace strategies; evaluate staff performance through record reviews and conduct performance appraisals for direct reports as appropriate; counsel employees in performance improvement requirements when needed.
Conduct investigations into allegations of employee misconduct, harassment, negligence, policy/procedure violations and similar assertions; determine appropriate follow-up actions including counseling, and appropriate disciplinary actions in consultation with the Superintendent, Human Resources and Labor Relations as required.
May be assigned to participate in internal and external work groups, project teams, committees, and task forces; coordinate operations, service delivery and operating needs with appropriate staff throughout the Transit Department as required.
May need to assume other roles when needed, including Supervisor On Duty, Vehicle Maintenance Chief or Superintendent as assigned. Perform other duties as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

We are looking for candidates who have the following core competencies:

Demonstrated ability to conduct activities with sensitivity and respect in a diverse community and workforce to create an environment that is welcoming and inclusive.
Skilled in building trust with employees and partners through fairness, transparency, sincerity, integrity, and consistency.
Proven ability to be a collaborative and productive team member and engage teams to achieve shared goals.
Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communications skills including the ability to listen carefully to others with an open mind and give and receive feedback.
Proven customer service skills that reflect Metro’s commitment to service and ability to create an environment that supports service excellence.
Skill in developing and achieving performance and operational goals. Able to manage multiple work projects and competing priorities. Ability to complete detail-oriented work efficiently, accurately, and on time.
Experience and skill in building and maintaining strong partner relationships, such as with internal and external agency partners, labor organizations, or other stakeholders.
Demonstrated dedication to developing employee skills and ability to coach others to do their best work.

Minimum Qualifications:

Two years of experience working in Streetcar operations in the past five years.
One year experience in a Trainer, lead or supervisor position.

Desired Qualifications:

Two years of experience in Streetcar operations including at least one year experience in a lead or supervisor position at Streetcar in the past five years.
Working knowledge of King County Metro Transit operations. Knowledge of Metro Transit policies and procedures.
Experience in streetcar operations.
Knowledge of basic mechanical and maintenance concepts and procedures.
Skill in planning and delegating work assignments, clearly articulating goals and expectations.
Experience or knowledge of HASTUS System or similar automated scheduling and management information systems.
Demonstrated ability to address difficult issues or problematic behaviors.
Knowledge of effective supervisory principles and practices as well as federal, state, and local laws related to employment, civil rights, and affirmative action.
Knowledge of basic human resource practices as they relate to workforce planning, hiring, and employee management.
Ability to manage in a highly unionized workforce. Knowledge of labor contracts.
Skill in effectively addressing employee performance issues including instructing and motivating employees to perform well and correct performance deficiencies.
Ability to gather information and conduct thorough investigations related to employee misconduct and customer and employee complaints with fairness and equity.
Skill in the use of personal computers, word processing, spreadsheet, database management, and similar software applications. Ability to use the Internet and other technology in networking with other transit professionals.
Skill in critical thinking and basic data analysis to evaluate work systems, improve processes and resolve problems.

Necessary Special Requirements

Valid State Driver's License
Work requires reporting for duty and directing staff during adverse weather events and other emergencies.
Able to work a flexible schedule if needed, and willing to rotate on-call responsibility for responding as needed to emergent issues.

Supplemental Information

Application & Selection Process
Please follow the application instructions carefully if you are interested in pursuing this position. 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 Neha Bansal (She/Her), Talent Advisor, at: nbansal@kingcounty.gov

Applicants will be screened for completeness, writing accuracy, and competitiveness. Any additional attachments will not be reviewed or considered. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews. Streetcar Operations management will make the final selection of candidates to be placed into the acting assignment and offers will be finalized after any pre-employment processes are completed (such as an internal record review, etc). Start dates are dependent on the approval of your current supervisor or manager.

Applications that are submitted without the following required materials will not be considered for this position:

King County Application
Complete responses to Supplemental Questions

Work Schedule
This position works a base workweek of 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday with some flexibility in start times. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not over-time eligible. Management will determine the schedule of the successful candidates.

Union Representation - Local 17, Transit Chiefs

Work Location - The primary location of this position is at the First Hill Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) at 848 7th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134 and South Lake Union OMF at 318 Fairview Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109.

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.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. 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.

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