Metro Transit General Manager

The City of Madison is seeking a skilled and empathetic leader to be the next Metro Transit General Manager. Metro Transit is a City department that provides fixed route and paratransit service to the greater Madison region. Our fixed route service, including the recently launched MetroRapid Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, carries 45,000 passengers a day on 24 routes (23 fixed route and one 15-mile BRT route) with 31 BRT stations and 194 buses (132 40-foot buses and 62 articulated all-electric buses). The successful candidate will be a collaborative and effective leader who can manage change and motivate staff as they plan and integrate multiple new systems, including fare systems, route maps, a satellite facility, and electric buses. 

Madison is dedicated to providing high quality transit services to our diverse and growing community and to the region via our partner communities. Our next Metro General Manager will lead a growing transit system while supporting staff through process improvement and data-informed practices. Under the policy direction of the Mayor and Transportation Director, the Transit General Manager is responsible for exercising considerable judgment and discretion in meeting program objectives.

Madison is a leader in providing sustainable, equitable and safe transportation choices for all residents. Over the past five years, Madison has made significant strides in transportation, launching Bus Rapid Transit and a Vision Zero traffic safety project, conducting a transit network redesign, implementing Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Traffic Demand Management (TDM), achieving designation as a Platinum Biking and Gold Walking City, and beginning work on a new curb management system. We seek a leader who will collaborate with our Department of Transportation Director and partners to build on and expand this work.

Our Community 
The City of Madison is regularly included in lists of top places to live. A thriving food scene, more than 200 miles of trails for hiking, biking and snowshoeing, excellent healthcare, and of course great transit work together to help meet Madison’s vision to be inclusive, innovative, and thriving.
 

• #11 Best Places to Live in the Nation –U.S. News and World Report – 2023
• #1 Best Places to Live –Livability.com – 2021 and 2022
• #1 Best Cities for Families –SafeHome.org – 2019
• #2 ranked among top 30 mid-sized US cities for green commuting -CommercialCafe – 2024
• More Madison rankings and accolades can be found on the City's Webpage and on Destination Madison. 

Employment will be subject to a five-year employment contract negotiated by the Mayor and approved by the Common Council. A term of the contract requires residency in the City of Madison.


Employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, trans, nonbinary, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We value the unique blend of lived experiences and diverse perspectives that comes from non-traditional education pathways and the variety of transferrable skills each candidate brings to the table. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Even if every item on the job posting doesn’t match your experience perfectly, we encourage you to apply and share how your skills and experience can best serve our community. 

• Leading, managing, and developing a comprehensive staff team responsible for: 
  • Directly operating fixed route service for the Madison Metropolitan Region; this includes routing and stations, bus operation, transit maintenance, dispatch, and contracting for the paratransit service.
  • Managing regional service partnership contracts, service needs, and financial terms with surrounding cities and educational institutions, including (but not limited to) the University of Wisconsin, the Madison Metropolitan School District, and the communities of Sun Prairie, Monona, Fitchburg, Verona, and Middleton.
  • Coordinating with regulatory oversight agencies, including the Federal Transit Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
  • Leading and implementing Metro’s capital budget initiatives, including facilities, fleet replacement, charging systems, and Bus Rapid Transit.
  • Engaging in and supporting public engagement, including customer relations, media relations, and expansion of sales initiatives such as employer and ridership recruitment.
  • Developing and implementing area-wide transit plans that interface with land use and transportation planning elements.
  • Applying for and administering Federal and State grants in compliance with regulations.
• Managing the administration of systems that use key performance indicators to track transit performance, operations, and budget. 
• Developing, maintaining and supporting systems that promote continuous improvement and service delivery. 
• In partnership with Human Resources, directing all aspects of labor relations, including collective bargaining negotiations, agreements, and implementation. 
• Working closely with other Transportation Department managers and City officials in developing and administering the City's integrated transportation program.
• Evaluating bus route prioritization to ensure efficient, high quality and equitable service. 
• Performing related work as required. 

• Four (4) years of senior management experience in mass transit system work which includes a variety of the following responsibilities: Managing a multi-level organization, long range planning, managing operations including route structuring, collective bargaining/labor management, managing work culture, and fiscal services. 

- AND- 

• Bachelor's degree in transportation, urban planning, business administration, public administration or related field. 

If an applicant does not possess the specific requirements outlined above, HR will review the application materials to determine if the applicant possesses the following equivalent experience: 

Four (4) years of experience in applying the following: 

• Principles, practices and procedures associated with mass transit related system management, including strategies and long-range planning, finance, collective bargaining and related disciplines. 
• Principles, techniques and practices of management, various elements of mass transit related systems and their inter-relationships, trends in regional transportation issues. 
• Principles and practices of public/business administration consistent with the management of a city department, including the dynamics of policy development, sustainability, budgeting, resource planning, etc. 
• Full range of supervisory principles and practices, labor relations and staff management. 

Two (2) years of experience in applying the following: 

• Computers and related computer software applications used in management, scheduling, and planning. 
• Managing operations of transit system including route structuring, managing workplace culture, or another transportation initiative. 
• Sustainability principles and practices as it relates to operating a large fleet. 

The City of Madison strives to provide exceptional customer service to all its residents and visitors. Therefore successful candidates will have demonstrated ability to effectively work with multicultural and diverse communities. 

For a complete list of the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, please see the class specification. 

• Ability to meet transportation needs of the position.
• This position will be expected to attend meetings and events outside the normal work schedule, including evenings and weekends.
• Employment will be subject to a five-year employment contract negotiated by the Mayor and approved by the Common Council and a term of the contract requires residency in the City of Madison. Non-residents will be given time to establish residency if necessary.

Physical Requirements: 

Work is mainly sedentary in nature. The employee will be expected to work at a desk frequently using a computer and monitor and review numerous documents in policy manuals and other formats. The employee should be able to access all areas of the Metro Transit facility. Work involves travel to various City facilities in order to attend various meetings, both during and after regular hours.

Salary : $151,800 - $204,931