AGM Operations (E021)

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA); Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 248,000 - 303,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage

Retirement Security

Work-Life Balance

Employee Wellness

Tuition reimbursement

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Free SEPTA Transportation Pass

Job summary

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) seeks an experienced Assistant General Manager (AGM) of Operations to lead the organization’s turnaround. This role focuses on Safety, Service, and Sanitation, while guiding a long-term transformation into a best-in-class urban mobility model.

The AGM will oversee core ops departments, drive performance, and partner with executive leadership to deliver the SEPTA 5-year Strategic Plan, ensuring customer-centric outcomes and workforce

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree (master’s preferred) in Transportation Engineering, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field with ten (10) years’ managerial experience in mass transportation, including five (5) years in senior executive leadership.
• Deep familiarity with complex rail and/or bus operational challenges.
• Proven ability to navigate relationships with boards, officials, and labor partners.
• Experience in managing large-scale organizational change and budget administration.
• Excellent verbal and written communication with ability to present to management, Board, and external organizations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with staff at all levels and the board.
• Valid driver’s license is required.

Responsibilities

• Re-establishes standards for OTP and service reliability across bus, rail, and paratransit modes.
• Prioritizes fleet health; ensures buses/rail cars are sound, climate-controlled, and clean before entering service.
• Drives a Safety Over Everything culture with Transit Police and System Safety teams.
• Focuses on basics for the workforce with tools, training, and support.
• Guides transition to predictive asset management with Engineering and Maintenance.
• Ensures operational CX with proper lighting, elevators/escalators, and announcements.
• Uses IoT and telemetry to identify trends and improve MDBF.
• Collaborates on accessible, user-friendly, best-in-class capital projects.
• Oversees Operations Division budget and eliminates waste to fund upgrades.
• Establishes KPIs to benchmark against top global transit agencies.

Skills

Operations expertise

Stakeholder management

Change management

Budget management

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Driver's license

Education

Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s preferred) in Transportation Engineering / Business Administration / Public Administration or related field

Job description

Secure Your Future with SEPTA – A Leader in Transportation!

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is the sixth-largest transportation system in the U.S., connecting communities across a 2,200-square-mile service region. SEPTA is at the forefront of innovation in the transit industry, ensuring reliable and efficient services while driving economic growth in the Philadelphia region.

Only candidates who are authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship, will be accepted at this time.

We Are Proud To Be Recognized As

2023 FORBES Best in State Employer

Philadelphia Employer of Choice for 2024

We are seeking to hire candidates for our AGM Operations (E021).

Opening Date: 09/24/2026

Closing Date: Until Filled

Job Grade: SAM 47

Annual Salary: $275, 000

Overall Description

The Assistant General Manager (AGM) of Operations is the architect of SEPTA’s operational turnaround. Grounded in the “Back to Basics” mantra, this role is focused on the relentless execution of core transit fundamentals: Safety, Service, and Sanitation. While mastering the basics, the AGM will simultaneously lead the long-term transformation of the Authority into a “Best-in-Class” organization that serves as a global model for urban mobility. The AGM will oversee the core operational departments with a focus on operational discipline, workforce pride, and customer-centric performance.

Specific Responsibilities

• Re-establishes rigorous standards for on-time performance (OTP) and service reliability across all bus, rail, and paratransit/shared ride modes.
• Prioritizes the fundamental health of the fleet; ensures every bus and rail car deployed is mechanically sound, climate-controlled, and deep-cleaned before entering service to eliminate “preventable” service cancellations.
• Drives a “Safety Over Everything” culture, working with Transit Police to ensure the system is secure and perceived as safe by customers and frontline employees and System Safety to ensure that employees and customers are free from accidents and injuries.
• Focuses on “Basics for the Workforce” – ensuring operators and maintainers have the tools, training, and support needed to succeed daily.
• Transitions from reactive “fix-on-fail” maintenance to a predictive, world-class asset management model; partner with the Assistant General Manager, Engineering, Maintenance, and Construction on the implementation of the next generation of rolling stock.
• Partners across divisions to ensure “Operational CX” – including station lighting, functional elevators/escalators, and clear platform announcements – meets international standards for a “Best-in-Class” passenger journey.
• Utilizes IoT and real-time telemetry from the vehicle fleet to identify engineering trends, reducing the Mean Distance Between Failures (MDBF) to industry-leading levels.
• Partners with the Assistant General Manager, Engineering, Maintenance, and Construction to ensure capital projects aren’t just functional but “Best-in-Class,” focusing on accessibility (ADA), intuitive design, and seamless multi-modal transfers.
• Oversees Operations Division budget to ensure every dollar supports the “Back to Basics” mission, eliminating waste to fund high-impact “Best-in-Class” upgrades.
• Establishes KPIs that benchmark SEPTA against the world’s leading transit agencies rather than just regional peers.
• Bridges the gap between leadership and the shop floor, fostering a culture where being “Best-in-Class” is a point of personal pride for every SEPTA employee.
• Modernizes labor practices and training to prepare the workforce for the next generation of high-tech transit equipment.
• Interfaces with the SEPTA Board on policy decisions and implementation of day-to-day activities in all areas of the organization.
• Collaborates with Executive staff to ensure the goals and objectives of the SEPTA 5-year Strategic Plan are being advanced.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications And Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree (master’s preferred) in Transportation Engineering, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field with ten (10) years’ extensive and progressively responsible managerial experience in mass transportation services required, which includes a minimum of five (5) years’ experience in a senior executive leadership role.
• Deep familiarity with complex rail and/or bus operational challenges required.
• An equivalent combination of experience and education (i.e., two (2) years of related experience, equating to one (1) year of formal post high school education) may be considered in lieu of the above requirements.
• Proven ability to navigate complex relationships with governing boards, local and state elected officials, and labor partners required.
• Exceptional skills in managing large-scale organizational change and communicating vision to a diverse frontline workforce required.Experience in the administration and management of a budget for a complex organization required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with ability to organize and present technical and program presentations to all levels of management, Board, and external organizations required.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with staff, all levels of management, and the board of directors required.
• Valid driver’s license is required.

Why Join Our Team? Enjoy Outstanding Benefits!

• Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage – Medical, prescription, dental, and vision plans with little to no employee premiums.
• Retirement Security – Participate in a Defined Benefit Pension Plan and a 457B Deferred Compensation Plan to build your financial future.
• Work-Life Balance – Enjoy paid parental leave, generous vacation time, and paid holidays to recharge and spend time with loved ones.
• Employee Wellness – Access wellness programs and resources to support your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
• Invest in Your Growth – We offer tuition reimbursement to support your education and career advancement.
• Student Loan Assistance – Our positions qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, helping you manage and reduce student debt.
• Free Travel Perks – Receive a FREE SEPTA Transportation Pass, giving you unlimited access to all SEPTA services!

Join us and take advantage of these incredible benefits while making a difference in your community!

SEPTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SEPTA is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.