AGM Operations (E021)

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage

Retirement Security

Work-Life Balance

Employee Wellness

Invest in Your Growth

Student Loan Assistance

Free Travel Perks

Job summary

SEPTA in Philadelphia seeks an Assistant General Manager (AGM) of Operations to lead the agency’s turnaround, focusing on Safety, Service, and Sanitation while guiding a long-term transformation into a Best-in-Class organization.

You will oversee the core operations departments, set KPIs, manage the budget, and collaborate with engineering, maintenance, and the board to deliver reliable transit and an exceptional customer experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree (master’s preferred) in Transportation Engineering, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
• 10 years’ extensive and progressively responsible managerial experience in mass transportation services required, including minimum of five years in a senior executive leadership role.
• Proven ability to navigate complex relationships with boards, officials, and labor partners.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with ability to present to all levels.
• Valid driver’s license required.

Responsibilities

• Re-establishes rigorous standards for on-time performance and service reliability across all modes.
• Prioritizes fleet health; ensures buses and rail cars are sound, climate-controlled, and deep-cleaned before service.
• Drives a Safety Over Everything culture with Transit Police and System Safety.
• Leads Basics for the Workforce—tools, training, and support for operators and maintainers.
• Transitions to predictive asset management and partners on rolling stock projects.
• Ensures operational CX meets international standards for passenger journey.
• Uses IoT and telemetry to identify trends and improve MDBF.
• Oversees capital projects focusing on accessibility and seamless transfers.
• Manages Operations Division budget to fund high-impact upgrades.
• Establishes KPIs to benchmark SEPTA globally.
• Bridges leadership and shop floor to foster pride and Best-in-Class culture.
• Modernizes labor practices and training for high-tech transit equipment.
• Interacts with SEPTA Board on policy and day-to-day activities.
• Collaborates with Executives to advance the Strategic Plan.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education

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

Job description

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City: Philadelphia

Secure Your Future with SEPTA – A Leader in Transportation!

TheSoutheastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)is thesixth-largest transportation system in the U.S., connecting communities across a2,200-square-mile service region. SEPTA isat the forefront of innovation in the transit industry, ensuring reliable and efficient services while driving economic growth in thePhiladelphia 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 ourAGM Operations (E021).

Opening Date: 09/24/2026

Job Grade: SAM 47

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.