Project Manager III – Strategic Initiatives

Dallas Area Rapid Transit; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Dallas Area Rapid Transit seeks a Project Manager III – Strategic Initiatives to lead high-priority, cross-functional programs across departments. You will translate executive priorities into structured work plans, manage risks, and drive initiatives from concept to implementation with a focus on mobility, operations, and technology-enabled solutions.

You will build business cases, coordinate with subject-matter experts, and develop executive-ready reports and roadmaps while guiding teams toward

Qualifications

• Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in strategic initiatives, business transformation, transportation, program implementation, process improvement, organizational change, or related field.
• Experience three (3) years leading complex cross-functional projects or programs.
• PMP certification preferred.
• Pass a medical examination including a drug screen.
• Knowledge of project and program management principles including scoping, scheduling, budgeting, risk management, resource planning, implementation, and performance monitoring.
• Knowledge of strategic planning, business-case development, process improvement, change management, and implementation planning.
• Ability to translate executive direction into clearly defined projects, work plans, deliverables, timelines, responsibilities, and decision points.
• Ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives without direct authority.
• Ability to identify and define business problems, evaluate alternatives, and develop recommendations.
• Ability to develop business cases, implementation plans, charters, schedules, budgets, risk assessments, and executive recommendations.
• Ability to identify and manage project risks, dependencies, constraints, and resources.
• Ability to facilitate working groups, workshops, executive discussions, and collaborative problem solving.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects with schedules, deliverables, and quality.
• Strong skills in strategic thinking, analytical, problem-solving, project management, facilitation, communication, presentation, negotiation, and organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex, high-priority strategic initiatives across multiple DART departments.
• Translate executive priorities into defined project scopes, work plans, milestones, and deliverables.
• Lead cross-functional teams, establish roles, timelines, dependencies, and accountability.
• Develop charters, implementation plans, schedules, budgets, and risk assessments.
• Evaluate business problems, research options, and prepare business cases and recommendations.
• Assess impacts across operations, finance, customers, policy, and technology with experts.
• Identify and manage risks, dependencies, constraints, and mitigation strategies.
• Facilitate workshops, planning sessions, Kaizen events, and problem-solving activities.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders for data, input, and approvals.
• Develop roadmaps and track progress through completion.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Project management

Facilitation

Communication

Presentation

Negotiation

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Public Administration/Project Management/Transportation/Urban Planning or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

PM software (MS Project/Primavera)

Job description

General Summary

The Project Manager III – Strategic Initiatives leads complex, high-priority initiatives that require coordination across multiple DART departments and disciplines. The position translates executive and organizational priorities into structured work plans, leads cross-functional teams, evaluates options and business impacts, manages dependencies and risks, develops recommendations, and drives initiatives from concept through implementation. The position may support mobility, operational, organizational, financial, customer, technology-enabled, and other strategic priorities requiring focused project leadership. The position reports to the AVP, Strategic Initiatives & Future Mobility.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Leads complex, high-priority strategic initiatives and special projects involving multiple DART departments, disciplines, stakeholders, and organizational priorities.
• Translates executive direction and strategic priorities into defined project scopes, objectives, work plans, milestones, deliverables, decision points, and implementation requirements.
• Leads cross-functional project teams and working groups, establishing roles, responsibilities, timelines, dependencies, and accountability for assigned initiatives.
• Develops project charters, implementation plans, schedules, budgets, resource requirements, risk assessments, and other project management tools necessary to move initiatives from concept through implementation.
• Evaluates business problems and opportunities, coordinates research and analysis, develops alternatives, and prepares business cases and recommendations to support decision-making.
• Assess operational, financial, customer, organizational, policy, technology, and implementation impacts of strategic alternatives in coordination with appropriate subject-matter experts.
• Identifies and manages project risks, issues, dependencies, constraints, and competing priorities and develops mitigation or escalation strategies as needed.
• Facilitates working sessions, strategic planning sessions, workshops, Kaizen events, and other activities to define problems, evaluate alternatives, develop solutions, and advance implementation.
• Coordinates across DART to obtain subject-matter expertise, data, cost estimates, operational requirements, technical input, and other information needed to evaluate and implement assigned initiatives.
• Develops implementation roadmaps and transition plans and tracks progress, commitments, decisions, risks, outcomes, and assigned actions through completion.
• Develops executive-level reports, presentations, decision-making documents, recommendations, and status updates that clearly communicate issues, alternatives, tradeoffs, risks, and required decisions.
• Supports strategic initiatives involving future mobility, emerging transportation models, partnerships, new service concepts, technology-enabled solutions, and other opportunities, in coordination with responsible departments.
• Coordinates with public agencies, member cities, regional organizations, consultants, vendors, industry partners, and other external stakeholders and supports procurement, budget, funding, Board, regulatory, and approval processes as required.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

Note: An equivalent combination of related education and experience may be substituted for the below stated minimums excluding High School Diploma, GED, Licenses, or Certifications.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Public Administration, Project Management, Transportation, or Urban Planning, or a related field.
• Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in strategic initiatives, business transformation, transportation, program implementation, process improvement, organizational change, or a related field, including experience three (3) years leading complex cross-functional projects or programs.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and related project management, collaboration, process-improvement, and business applications.
• Pass a physical (medical) examination that includes a drug screen.
• Knowledge of project and program management principles and practices, including project scoping, scheduling, budgeting, risk management, resource planning, implementation, and performance monitoring.
• Knowledge of strategic planning, business-case development, process improvement, change management, and implementation planning principles and practices.
• Ability to translate executive direction and organizational priorities into clearly defined projects, work plans, deliverables, timelines, responsibilities, and decision points.
• Ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives involving multiple departments and stakeholders without direct authority over participating resources.
• Ability to identify and define business problems, evaluate alternatives and tradeoffs, coordinate appropriate analysis, and develop practical recommendations.
• Ability to develop business cases, implementation plans, project charters, schedules, budgets, risk assessments, and executive recommendations.
• Ability to identify and manage project risks, dependencies, constraints, resource requirements, and implementation challenges.
• Ability to facilitate working groups, workshops, executive discussions, and other collaborative problem-solving activities.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects and priorities simultaneously while maintaining schedules, deliverables, accountability, and quality.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, problem-solving, project management, facilitation, communication, presentation, negotiation, and organizational skills.

Working Conditions

Works in an environment where there is minimum exposure to dust, noise, or temperature. May be moderately exposed to unpleasant working conditions to include dust, noise, temperature, weather, petroleum products, and chemicals while visiting DART's operating facilities, assuming incumbent is observing all policies and procedures, safety precautions and regulations, and using all protective clothing and devices provided.

Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All employees may perform other duties as assigned.

Equal Employment Opportunity

DART is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, supporting diversity in the workplace. M/F/D/V

Open until qualified applicants are identified.