Project Director - Rail Systems

Alstom; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Alstom in Pittsburgh is seeking a Project Director (Rail Systems) to drive project excellence and oversee all phases of project management. Ideal candidates will possess a degree in Engineering or Business Administration and have 10-15 years of senior project management experience, specifically in the railway industry.

This role involves managing cross-functional teams, ensuring customer satisfaction, and delivering complex railway projects. A collaborative and dynamic work environment awaits, promoting continuous learning and professional growth.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10-15 years of experience in senior project management, particularly in the railway industry.
• Experience with field testing, commissioning, and test activities on rail systems is desired.
• Proficiency in managing complex projects in a multi-national and multi-cultural context.

Responsibilities

• Accountability for the Project Management Work Package and related activities.
• Define project strategy and lead project activities from transfer to close-out.
• Manage resources effectively, including core team staffing.

Skills

Project Management

Negotiation Skills

Team Management

Communication Skills

Conflict Management

Education

Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field

Job description

At Alstom, we understand transport networks and what moves people. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, and trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, we offer our diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. Every day, 80,000 colleagues lead the way to greener and smarter mobility worldwide, connecting cities as we reduce carbon and replace cars.

Could you be the full-time Project Director (Rail Systems) in Pittsburgh, PA, US?

Your future role

Take on a new challenge and apply your extensive project management and leadership expertise in a new cutting-edge field. You'll work alongside collaborative and dynamic teammates. You'll drive impactful outcomes by ensuring project QCDP (Quality, Cost, Delivery, Performance) excellence and optimizing financial performance, including margin and cash management. Day-to-day, you'll work closely with teams across the business (engineering, procurement, and operations), lead and coordinate project activities and stakeholders from transfer to close-out, and manage customer and external stakeholder relationships to ensure alignment with contractual requirements and successful project delivery‑and much more.

We'll look to you for:

• Accountability for the Project Management Work Package (WP) and all related activities
• Defining project strategy, including PMP (Project Management Plan) elaboration and objectives allocation to Sub-Systems (planning, cost, quality, performance)
• Leading and coordinating project activities and stakeholders from transfer to close-out phases
• Ensuring proper transfer from tender to project and defining project objectives to achieve customer satisfaction
• Managing resources effectively, including planning project core team staffing and escalating resource gaps when necessary
• Leading and engaging project teams, including Core Team members and, when applicable, Project Managers of internal and external partners, to achieve project objectives

All about you

We value passion and attitude over experience. That's why we don't expect you to have every single skill. Instead, we've listed some that we think will help you succeed and grow in this role:

• Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field
• Minumum 10-15 years of experience in senior project management, particularly in the railway industry (system upgrade)
• Experience with field testing, commissioning, and test activities on rail systems – desired
• Familiarity with railway products, systems, and project construction management
• Advanced negotiation skills and effective communication abilities
• Leadership and team management skills, with the ability to coordinate and collaborate across multi-site/multi-functional teams
• Strong conflict and crisis management capabilities
• Proficiency in managing complex projects in a multi-national and multi-cultural context
• Capacity to manage customer relationships and external stakeholders effectively
• A continuous learning mindset and adaptability to evolving challenges
• Willingness to travel up to 50%

Things you'll enjoy

Join us on a life-long transformative journey – the rail industry is here to stay, so you can grow and develop new skills and experiences throughout your career. You'll also:

• Collaborate with transverse teams and helpful colleagues
• Work with diverse, multi-national teams to deliver complex and impactful railway projects
• Progress towards becoming a key leader in driving innovative solutions and achieving excellence in project delivery
• Utilise our dynamic and inclusive working environment, which fosters leadership, resilience, adaptability, and continuous learning
• Contribute to innovative projects
• Steer your career in whatever direction you choose across functions and countries

You don't need to be a train enthusiast to thrive with us. We guarantee that when you step onto one of our trains with your friends or family, you'll be proud. If you're up for the challenge, we'd love to hear from you!

Important to note

As a global business, we're an equal‑opportunity employer that celebrates diversity across the 63 countries we operate in. We're committed to creating an inclusive workplace for everyone.