Project Manager, Program Management (Richmond or Alexandria, VA)

Job Description

Job Description

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) is a political subdivision established by Chapter 1230 of the 2020 Acts of Assembly. VPRA is responsible for promoting, sustaining, and expanding the availability of passenger and commuter rail services in the Commonwealth, including all administrative and fiduciary responsibilities for Virginia's state-supported passenger rail services. The VPRA also funds Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and administers all capital expansion projects, infrastructure, and land acquisitions related to the $3.7 billion Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative, which will double Amtrak and VRE service in Virginia over the next decade. The VPRA acts as a "responsible public entity" for the acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, or operation, or any combination thereof, of a "qualifying transportation facility" under the Public­ Private Partnership Act of 1995.

Are you a professional engineer looking for your next project? Do you have a background in rail? If so, VPRA is looking for you! The Program Management Team is seeking a Project Manager to plan, coordinate, and deliver projects that support the VPRA's Operations group as they oversee the multi‑billion‑dollar statewide rail program. This role will lead efforts to develop and implement CADD and design standards, technical specifications, and engineering policies; manage technical projects tied to infrastructure improvements; and support Operations with ad hoc initiatives across Virginia. Success in this role requires strong project management, exceptional organization and planning, knowledge of design and construction, and a collaborative approach to developing deliverables. The Project Manager will also carry out a range of business, technical, fiscal, and administrative functions to support program needs.

This position may be based in Richmond or Alexandria, Virginia.

Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Director of Program Management, the Project Manager will:

• Develop, publish, manage, and maintain, via periodic updates, a set of VPRA common engineering standards and specifications for VPRA Capital Projects that incorporate, among other things, AREMA recommendations, CSX Transportation (CSXT), Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), Amtrak, and the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) standards. This could include developing CADD Standards and guidelines, VPRA-specific design standards, and a manual.
• Support updates to any existing manuals, established processes, engineering standards, and specifications across the Operations department to ensure alignment, as appropriate, with various applicable standards, including AREMA recommendations, CSXT, NS, Amtrak, VRE standards, and industry best practices.
• Deliver ad hoc projects when a VPRA programmatic need arises
• Develop technical learning materials and host in-house seminars periodically to train applicable Operations staff on projects/materials developed in the role.
• Support the Director of Program Management with periodic updates to the VPRA Program Management plans.
• Employ an understanding of rail and transit operations, including the environmental review process, to ensure deliverables/solutions meet the needs of the Rail Services, ROW, Planning, and Engineering & Construction teams.
• Develop and manage scopes of work, budgets, work plans, resource plans, and other supporting documents required for the job and activities assigned.
• Support Program Management team, Operations, Finance, and Legal teams, and others as required.
• Develop and present reports, dashboards, executive summaries, and other verbal media to support VPRA and its leadership team.
• Occasional statewide travel may be required for project-related tasks and nationally for conferences.

Required Education:

• BS/BA degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field from an accredited college.

Preferred Education:

• Professional engineering license in Virginia
• Project Management Professional (PMP)

Required Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of project management experience managing design and/or construction activities for a large (>$10M) transportation project in the role of project manager, project engineer, or similar capacity.
• Experience with engineering and design activities for passenger rail projects and familiarity with railroad engineering principles related to track and station elements.
• Experience coordinating project activities with Virginia municipalities and statewide agencies, including the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local transportation policies, funding, and legislative and regulatory requirements related to freight and rail Projects, including 49 CFR, Subtitle B, Ch. II and AREMA guidelines.
• Ability to provide project management support on several projects simultaneously.
• Ability to use technical expertise and influence to gain consensus on technical matters.
• Ability to conduct independent research into engineering-related matters, prepare reports, present findings, and make recommendations.
• Ability to manage technical teams, consultants, and construction contractors.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a team member, leader, manager, and problem solver in an organization with a diverse staff and customer base.
• Proficiency in using MS Word, MS Project/Oracle P6, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet Explorer, and MS SharePoint/Teams.

Preferred Experience:

• Rail or transit capital project management experience.
• Familiarity with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and Enterprise Management Information Systems, including Asset Management and project management software.
• Relevant design, construction, and/or operations experience with Class 1 railroads, specifically CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Corporation.

Are you interested in this position, but you don't meet every single requirement? At VPRA, we are dedicated to building a talented team and an inclusive, authentic workplace. So, if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be the right candidate for this or other positions.

Applicants must fully and accurately represent their qualifications and work history on the application or resume. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information in the application, resume, or other relevant documents; therefore, applicants must supply detailed information. Submitting an incomplete application/resume or an application/resume lacking in detail may impact your interview eligibility. This website will confirm receipt when the application is submitted successfully. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities during the application and interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. VETERANS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AMERICORPS, PEACE CORPS, AND OTHER NATIONAL SERVICE ALUMNI ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. Equal Opportunity Employer