DEPUTY DIRECTOR, BART SILICON VALLEY II PROJECT CONTROLS

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority seeks an accomplished Deputy Director, BART Project Controls to lead capital project controls for SVRT/BART programs in the Bay Area. You will partner with executives, consultants, and federal partners to strengthen controls, align budgets, and guide delivery of complex public infrastructure projects.

The role demands strategic thinking, strong communication, and a track record of building high‑performing teams while ensuring compliance with project

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading project controls for large, complex capital programs.
• Strong background in capital planning, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management.
• Ability to coordinate with executives, consultants, and multiple agencies.

Responsibilities

• Selects, supervises, trains, motivates, evaluates, counsels and disciplines staff;
• Develops and implements capital project controls standards and procedures, monitors compliance and initiates corrective measures;
• Monitors capital project planning, scheduling, and reporting activities and ensures compliance with VTA requirements;
• Consults with project managers and division chiefs regarding project planning, scheduling, and reporting;
• Prepares, reviews, and approves detailed correspondence and reports;
• Prepares, reviews, and approves specialized, technical project schedules, charts, and graphs;
• Participates in the development and administration of the SVRT budget, including monitoring expenditures and recommending staffing levels;
• Assists in the development and implementation of technology solutions used to manage project controls;
• Represents VTA before Federal, State, regional and local agencies including the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART);
• Develops and manages project definitions within the SVRT/BART Capital Program;
• Provides guidance and oversight to VTA capital project managers, staff, and consultants;
• Assists in the development of funding plans and facilitates grant funding activities;
• Monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of capital project delivery methods and procedures;
• Oversees and participates in the training and development of VTA staff and consultants;
• Performs related duties as required.

Skills

Project controls leadership

Capital program management

Planning & scheduling

Estimating & budgeting

Risk management

Stakeholder collaboration

Tools

Paragon

Primavera P6

Job description

VTA is seeking an accomplished and strategic leader to serve as Deputy Director, BART Project Controls, supporting the delivery of one of the Bay Area’s most significant capital infrastructure programs. The ideal candidate brings extensive experience leading project controls for large, complex capital projects, with expertise in planning, scheduling, estimating, budgeting, risk management, and project delivery.

This highly visible leadership role will partner closely with executives, internal stakeholders, consultants, contractors, and regional and federal partners to strengthen project controls, align financial strategies, and support successful program delivery. We’re looking for a collaborative, analytical leader who can translate complex project and financial information into clear recommendations, build high‑performing teams, and bring accountability, transparency, and innovation to major public infrastructure projects.

About The Office of the General Manager and CEO

VTA’s General Manager and CEO reports directly to VTA’s Board of Directors. The Office of the General Manager and CEO is responsible for overall administration of VTA, oversees VTA’s construction, planning, financial, and capital program efforts and strategies. The Office of the General Manager and CEO is VTA’s Purchasing Agent, executes and implements real estate transactions, as authorized by VTA’s Board of Directors, as well as executes grant agreements in accordance with VTA’s Administrative Code or as authorized by VTA’s Board of Directors.

Definition

Under direction, the Deputy Director, SVRT/BART Project Controls plans, directs, and manages capital project controls and development activities for the SVRT/BART Capital Program.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is an At‑Will Executive Management position and serves at the discretion of the General Manager and CEO. The incumbent manages VTA staff and consultants responsible for capital project controls and development activities within the SVRT/BART Capital Program, including planning, analysis, estimating, budgeting, and development of implementation plans. Capital project development responsibilities delegated to this position include identifying environmental planning and analysis requirements, developing project definitions and funding plans, and managing the production of information for submittal to funding agencies. This classification is distinguished from the Project Controls Group Manager in that the latter has overall responsibility for all VTA capital project controls activities. The Deputy Director, SVRT/BART Project Controls manages project controls activities for the SVRT/BART Capital Program, and ensures program compliance with project controls standards, policies, procedures, systems, and initiatives.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a collaborative and strategic executive with extensive experience leading project controls for large, complex capital infrastructure programs. They possess a strong background in capital planning, scheduling, estimating, budgeting, risk management, and project delivery, with demonstrated success overseeing multidisciplinary teams and consultants.

This leader is comfortable working in close partnership with design, construction, and external affairs executives in a highly visible environment, providing executive‑level recommendations, managing competing priorities, and ensuring compliance with project controls standards, policies, and procedures. They have the experience and judgment to partner closely with internal agency stakeholders to synchronize project‑wide and agency‑wide budgets and financial data. Those internal stakeholders are supportive of the project and its financial strategy; this leader’s role will be to deepen the coordination to ensure ongoing success.

They excel at building partnerships with contractors, consultants, and oversight agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), BART, and other regional partners.

The successful candidate is an analytical problem solver and effective communicator who can translate complex technical information into clear recommendations for executive leadership and policymakers like the VTA Board of Directors. They have a proven ability to improve project controls processes, leverage technology solutions, manage funding and grant‑related activities, and foster accountability while developing high‑performing teams. A commitment to collaboration, transparency, innovation, and delivering successful public infrastructure projects is essential.

About VTA

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority employs more than 2,000 people dedicated to providing solutions that move Silicon Valley. Unique among transportation organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, VTA is Santa Clara County’s authority for transit development and operations (light rail and bus), congestion management, transportation‑related funding, highway design and construction, real estate and transit‑oriented development, and bicycle and pedestrian planning. With local, state, and federal partners, VTA works to innovate the way Silicon Valley moves and provide mobility solutions for all.

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district that provides sustainable, accessible, community‑focused transportation options that are innovative, environmentally responsible, and promote the vitality of our region.

VTA provides bus, light rail, and paratransit services, as well as participates as a funding partner in regional rail service including Caltrain, Capitol Corridor, and the Altamont Corridor Express.

As the county’s congestion management agency, VTA is responsible for countywide transportation planning, including congestion management, design and construction of specific highway, pedestrian, and bicycle improvement projects, as well as promotion of transit oriented development.

VTA provides these services throughout the county, including Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Sunnyvale. VTA continually builds partnerships to deliver transportation solutions that meet the evolving mobility needs of Santa Clara County.

As we continue to implement our VTA Forward Plan, we aim to strengthen and increase our workforce to take on future opportunities and challenges by elevating our people and our services.

For more information about our VTA Forward Plan, visit: https://www.vta.org/VTAForward

Family-Friendly Workplace Certification Program (FFWCP)

The County of Santa Clara FFWCP recognizes VTA as a business that creates supportive workplaces for employees and their families.

Family‑friendly workplaces improve health outcomes and job satisfaction for employees and increase work productivity and retention for employers. Employers can create a family‑friendly workplace by meeting and exceeding state and federal employment laws relating to parental leave, lactation accommodation, and work/family balance.

Typical Tasks

• Selects, supervises, trains, motivates, evaluates, counsels and disciplines staff;
• Develops and implements capital project controls standards and procedures, monitors compliance and initiates corrective measures as necessary;
• Monitors capital project planning, scheduling, and reporting activities and ensures compliance with VTA requirements;
• Consults with project managers and division chiefs regarding project planning, scheduling, and reporting;
• Prepares, reviews, and approves detailed correspondence and reports;
• Prepares, reviews, and approves specialized, technical project schedules, charts, and graphs;
• Participates in the development and administration of the SVRT budget, including monitoring expenditures and recommending staffing levels;
• Assists in the development and implementation of technology solutions used to manage project controls;
• Represents VTA before Federal, State, regional and local agencies including the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART);
• Develops and manages project definitions within the SVRT/BART Capital Program;
• Provides guidance and oversight to VTA capital project managers, staff, and consultants;
• Assists in the development of funding plans and facilitates grant funding activities;
• Monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of capital project delivery methods and procedures;
• Oversees and participates in the training and development of VTA staff and consultants;
• Performs related duties as required.

Employment Standards

Sufficient training, education, and public or private sector management/supervisory experience to demonstrate possession of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Development of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is typically obtained through a combination of training and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with a four year degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, Information Systems, or a related field, and extensive, increasingly responsible professional experience in public works projects or the construction industry, including several years of capital project management or supervisory project management experience in a large and diverse organization.

Note: Experience as an accountant will not be accepted in lieu of capital project management and/or engineering experience.

Knowledge of

• Public works project management and project management software applications (e.g. Paragon and Primavera);
• Enterprise resource planning systems as applied to capital project management;
• Principles of management and supervision, employee training and development, motivation, and effective discipline;
• Public sector planning, funding, operations, and construction activities;
• Risk mitigation and monitoring as applied to public works projects;
• Principles and practices of accounting and/or financial planning as related to public works projects;
• Practices and techniques used in capital project planning, funding, and management.

Ability to

• Direct and manage consultants and subordinate VTA personnel;
• Analyze highly complex data, develop logical solutions to problems, evaluate, recommend and implement alternative solutions to complex issues and problems;
• Prioritize complex and demanding workloads;
• Manage project controls activities for multiple capital projects involving personnel from several departments, as well as consultants and vendors;
• Interface with management on priorities and program definition;
• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing;
• Effectively represent VTA and VTA's interests before federal, state, regional, and local agencies (e.g. FTA, BART);
• Prepare and present comprehensive reports and recommendations;
• Resolve differences in points of view across multiple processes and organizations;
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Conditions of Employment

Final candidates must successfully complete a Livescan background check, reference checks, verification of education or certifications, and a criminal history review before appointment.

For safety‑sensitive positions, VTA requires all safety‑sensitive positions to have a 6‑month DOT physical clearance. Obtained at the time of preboarding from a VTA‑contracted Concentra Location.

Eligibility List

The established Eligible List from this recruitment will be used to fill the current vacancies and additional vacancies that may occur. Eligible Lists typically remain in effect for six (6) months. However, Human Resources may abolish Eligible Lists at any time during the six (6) month period. Human Resources may extend eligible Lists for up to two (2) years. Eligible Lists may be used for more than one recruitment.

Americans with Disabilities Act Accommodations

VTA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities in the recruitment and examination process. To request an accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department at [phone] or email [e-mail] at least five business days before the test.

Veterans’ Preference Program

VTA welcomes and encourages the employment of veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Qualified veterans may be eligible to receive additional veterans’ preference credit in the selection process for this recruitment.

To be considered for Veterans’ Preference credit, please attach a PDF copy of your DD Form 214 (Service Copy 2) or other official discharge documentation showing your enlistment and discharge dates and character of service (i.e., type of discharge) in the Attachments section of your application. Applicants requesting preference based on a service‑connected disability, please submit Standard Form 15 (SF‑15) along with any required supporting documentation.

Veterans’ Preference credit will only be applied after the required documentation has been received and eligibility has been verified.

Equal Employment Opportunity

VTA is an equal employment opportunity employer. VTA does not and will not tolerate discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of age, ancestry, color, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, national, origin, immigration status, political affiliation, race, religion, creed, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, medical condition, disabled veteran or veteran status, etc.