Technical Manager (Systems)

SYSTRA; Saudi Arabia; On-site; SAR 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

SYSTRA, a world-leading engineering and consultancy group, seeks an experienced Technical Manager to govern technical standards, design assurance, and engineering processes for a major railway program. Based on-site in Saudi Arabia, you will ensure designs meet rail standards and regulatory requirements across safety, quality, cost and schedule.

You will establish and audit the technical management system, drive continuous improvement, coordinate interfaces with partners, and lead

Qualifications

• Extensive railway project experience (mainline, metro, high-speed) is required.
• Proven track record in setting technical standards and design assurance.
• Strong knowledge of EN/IEC and safety frameworks.
• Experience with V-model and V&V.
• Leadership in multidisciplinary design reviews.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain project technical standards and engineering management plans.
• Develop and improve the technical review process and design assurance workflows.
• Manage deviations, waivers, and concessions with justification and risk assessment.
• Lead multidisciplinary design reviews across track, civil, structures, systems, OLE, power, signaling/telecoms, stations, MEP.
• Drive requirements management, verification and validation, and configuration control.
• Coordinate technical interfaces with contractors, suppliers, and operations.
• Ensure compliance with safety regulations and rail safety frameworks.
• Act as principal contact for technical standards with client and authorities.
• Prepare and present technical findings, risk registers, and governance recommendations.
• Facilitate cross-functional workshops to resolve issues.

Skills

Technical leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Design reviews

Safety/regulatory knowledge

Project governance

Communication/report writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

BIM

Digital engineering

Job description

SYSTRA is one of the world's leading engineering and consultancy groups specialising in public transport and sustainable mobility. With over 10,300 employees, SYSTRA's mission is to design safe and sustainable transport solutions to bring people together, develop social inclusion and facilitate access to employment, education and leisure throughout the world.

For 65 years, the Group has been working alongside cities and regions to contribute to their development by creating, improving and modernising their infrastructure and transport systems, throughout the life cycle of their projects. SYSTRA is involved from the earliest stages of design through to the testing, deployment and maintenance phases. The company provides all its services in over 80 countries worldwide and generates 74% of its turnover internationally. With its new services, SYSTRA supports its clients and partners in their digital, ecological and energy transition, in order to invent the mobility of tomorrow.

Context

We are seeking an experienced Technical Manager to lead the governance of technical standards, design assurance, and engineering processes for a major railway program. The role ensures that multidisciplinary designs meet applicable rail standards, regulatory requirements, and project objectives across safety, quality, cost, and schedule. You will establish, maintain, and audit the technical management system, drive continuous improvement, and coordinate design assurance across all engineering disciplines and delivery partners.

Missions/Main Duties

• Own and maintain the project's technical standards, specifications, and engineering management plans, ensuring alignment with national/international rail standards, regulatory obligations, and client requirements.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve the technical review process, stage gate criteria, and design assurance workflows across concept, preliminary, detailed, and IFC stages.
• Manage deviations, waivers, and concessions, ensuring robust justification, risk assessment, and approvals.
• Lead multidisciplinary design reviews (track, civil, structures, geotechnical, systems, OLE, power, signaling/telecoms, rolling stock interface, stations, MEP, RAMS) to assure completeness, consistency, constructability, operability, and maintainability.
• Drive requirements management, verification and validation (V&V), and configuration control, ensuring traceability from system requirements to design outputs and test evidence.
• Coordinate technical interfaces and integration across packages, contractors, suppliers, and operations/maintenance stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with safety legislation and rail-specific safety management frameworks (e.g., CSM-RA or equivalent), including hazard identification, risk
• Act as the principal point of contact for technical standards with the client, independent validators, authorities, and certification bodies.
• Prepare and present technical review findings, design assurance reports, technical risk registers, and recommendations to governance boards.
• Facilitate cross-functional workshops to resolve complex technical issues and drive decision-making.

Profile/Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Systems, or related). Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of engineering experience, including substantial experience on railway projects (mainline, metro, light rail, or high-speed).
• Strong design background with demonstrated leadership in multidisciplinary design development and review.
• Proven track record establishing and managing technical standards, design assurance, and engineering processes on large infrastructure programs.
• Experience with requirements management tools and configuration control; familiarity with systems engineering V-model and V&V.
• Demonstrable knowledge of relevant rail standards and codes (e.g., EN/IEC standards, AREMA/BS/EN, local rail authority standards) and safety/regulatory frameworks (e.g., CSM-RA or equivalent).
• Experience coordinating with independent safety assessors/validators, regulators, and client technical authorities.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and report-writing skills.
• Chartered or Professional Engineer status (e.g., CEng, PE, RPEQ) or equivalent.
• Experience in RAMS, human factors, and operability/maintainability reviews.
• Competence with common rail systems and design tools; exposure to BIM and digital engineering for assurance and information management.
• Rigorous attention to detail with a pragmatic, delivery-focused mindset.
• Leadership, coaching, and collaborative problem solving.

Systra is an equal opportunities company; this position is open to all applicants.

Workplace Type

On-site