Assistant General Manager, Operations - SEPTA

KL2Connects; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 250,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

SEPTA, based in Philadelphia, seeks an exceptional candidate for Assistant General Manager, Operations (AGM). Working with the General Manager, the AGM will lead comprehensive multimodal transit operations and support services across the SEPTA system, including surface transportation, rail, access services, control centers, and maintenance.

A strategic leader is required to implement SEPTA’s five-year plan and drive operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Transportation, Public Administration, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
• Demonstrate extensive and progressively-responsible executive-level management experience in large-scale multimodal public transit operations, with a minimum of five (5) years of senior executive capacity managing diverse operational and maintenance departments.
• Possess experience in the administration and management of a large budget for a complex organization.
• Candidates must exhibit executive presence, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to present to staff, management, the board, and external organizations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee multimodal transit operations and support services across the SEPTA system.
• Direct oversight of Surface Transportation, Rail Transportation, Access, Control Center Operations, Operations Training, Administration & Finance, Automotive and Rail Equipment Engineering & Maintenance, and the SEPTA Transit Police Department.
• Collaborate with safety and other departments to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Transportation, Public Administration, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field

Job description

• Client Name southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)
• Date Opened 08/07/2026
• Job Type Full time
• City Philadelphia, PA

Job Description

Target Salary Range: $250-275K

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) seeks an exceptional candidate for a very pivotal position – Assistant General Manager, Operations (AGM) . Working closely with the General Manager, this position is critical in implementing SEPTA’s best-in-class vision to help the surrounding region thrive by connecting more people to jobs, schools, and destinations.

Serving more than 4 million people across five counties in the Greater Philadelphia area, SEPTA is the 6th largest transportation system in the U.S. Offering a variety of multimodal services including regional rail, buses, trolleys, subways, and a high-speed line, SEPTA connects the southeastern Pennsylvania region to Delaware, New Jersey, and beyond. SEPTA is an award-winning transit system and is beginning to implement its new Five-Year Strategic Plan to transform the organization from a back-to-basics to best-in-class public transit system, optimizing the customer experience.

As a prominent member of the General Manager's Team, the AGM is responsible for planning, organizing, budgeting, and managing comprehensive multimodal transit operations and support services across the SEPTA system. This includes direct oversight of Surface Transportation (Bus, Trolley, and Trackless Trolley), Rail Transportation, Access (Paratransit and Senior Shared Ride), Control Center Operations, Operations Training, Administration & Finance, Automotive and Rail Equipment Engineering & Maintenance, and the SEPTA Transit Police Department. The AGM oversees the largest portion of the organization and its workforce, interacting with represented employees from 17 labor unions. The AGM works closely with the safety department to ensure ongoing compliance with applicable federal and state regulations that govern SEPTA’s various transportation modes.

A typical way of demonstrating qualifications is to:

Hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Transportation, Public Administration, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.

Demonstrate extensive and progressively-responsible executive-level management experience in large-scale, multimodal public transit operations, with a minimum of five (5) years of senior executive capacity managing diverse operational and maintenance departments.

Possess experience in the administration and management of a large budget for a complex organization.

Candidates must exhibit executive presence, excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with staff, all levels of management, and the board of directors. Candidates must also possess excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to organize and present technical and program presentations to all levels of management, Board, and external organizations. Most importantly, the successful candidate will be an intuitive, strategic thinker, able to understand operations at the enterprise level with a track record for delivering transformational leadership. Please view our brochure for more information.

This is an excellent opportunity that offers attractive compensation, relocation, and equal opportunity. SEPTA values diversity at all levels of its workforce – diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.