Roadway Worker Protections (RWP) Program Manager

King County; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

King County Metro Transit’s Rail Division is seeking a Roadway Worker Protections Program Manager (PPM III) to lead a high‑impact, cross‑agency program aligned with FTA requirements. You will partner with Sound Transit and Rail teams to implement RWP initiatives across multiple base locations and a hybrid work environment.

Your role emphasizes strategic program management, equity integration, and safety compliance, with collaboration across leadership, operations, and safety units to deliver

Qualifications

• Three (3) years of project or program management experience including initiating, planning, executing, and closing out projects.
• Ability to manage a wide variety of needs within a program or project, including setting priorities, meeting deadlines, organizing work assignments, and maintaining strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrated experience managing and leading change, ensuring program/project execution and quality while successfully managing and mitigating risk.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including policy and procedure documentation.
• Experience collaborating with a diverse group of technical and non-technical staff, including leadership.
• Experience facilitating meetings and presenting complex information clearly.
• Knowledge of equity and social justice principles and ability to integrate them into programs.
• Advanced skills with Microsoft Office, including SharePoint, Excel, Word, and Teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Roadway Worker Protections program development and maturation across King County Metro and Sound Transit.
• Coordinate with senior leadership and interagency partners to advance projects and ensure successful outcomes.
• Maintain effective stakeholder relationships and provide updates to leadership and sponsors.
• Manage cross-location work spanning multiple Rail facilities and remote/work-from-home components.
• Support training, change management, and communications related to RWP.
• Ensure compliance with Federal and state safety policies and program governance.
• Document control and content management for RWP policies and procedures.
• Monitor program effectiveness and adjust resources as needed.

Skills

Project management

Change management

Communication

Equity and social justice

Stakeholder engagement

Policy writing

Leadership

Collaboration

Public sector experience

Microsoft Office

Tools

SharePoint

Excel

Word

Teams

Job description

Roadway Worker Protections Program Manager (PPM III)

King County Metro Transit’s Rail Division has an exciting opportunity for a Roadway Worker Protections Program Manager (PPM III). This Program Manager role will lead high-impact and broad-reaching programs and projects related to Roadway Worker Protections in alignment with Rail strategic priorities that support growth, strengthen partnerships, improve operations, and advance safety.

Reporting to the Senior Program Manager in the Rail Division’s Performance Strategy Team, you’ll collaborate with Sound Transit and our internal Rail teams to implement this cross-functional program, related projects, and initiatives aligned with the FTA’s Roadway Worker Protections safety requirements. Your work will play a key role in advancing a culture of safety across the organization.

About Metro Transit's Expanding Rail Division

King County Metro's Rail Division manages and maintains Sound Transit's Link Light Rail, a growing network spanning 60 miles and serving 38 stations across the Puget Sound region. Together with Metro's extensive fixed-route bus system and mobility services, the Link Light Rail system is the backbone of an integrated regional transit network that gives people real freedom of movement. As Puget Sound transit agencies work together to build a seamless, connected system, our light rail system plays a central role in expanding access, reducing barriers, and ensuring that everyone across our region can get where they need to go.

Joining Metro's Rail Division means joining an organization that is shaping the future of public transportation in the Pacific Northwest and setting the standard for modern rail operations nationwide. This is a division that values strategic thinking, collaborative leadership, and a deep commitment to the people we serve, both our riders and our teams. Whatever your role, your work here contributes to something that matters, a light rail system that thousands of people count on every day.

Are you an out of state applicant considering a career opportunity in Washington State? Explore career opportunities with King County Metro Rail and learn more about living and working in the Puget Sound region here.

This recruitment may immediately fill up to one (1) twelve-month Special Duty Assignment/Term Limited Temporary position. In addition, this selection process may be used to generate an eligibility pool for future Career Service, Special Duty Assignment, and Term Limited Temporary vacancies that may occur in this classification within this workgroup. The eligibility pool will be retained for 12 months from the date of posting and may be used at the discretion of the hiring authority.

Who May Apply

This position is open to King County employees and the general public.

Priority Focus of This Role

The priority focus of this role is Program Management of the newly initiated Roadway Worker Protection (RWP) Program that is a partnership between King County Metro and Sound Transit in response to the FTA rule 49 CFR Part 671. During this TLT/SDA, the Program Manager will be expected to outline a plan for the permanent, sustainable and ongoing program management of this FTA-mandated program, as well as guide stakeholder groups through any necessary revisions or improvements identified within the first year of implementation.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has established comprehensive regulations under 49 CFR Part 671: Roadway Worker Protection (RWP) to safeguard Roadway Workers. These regulations define specific requirements for on-track safety, communication, training, and emergency preparedness. On December 1, 2026, Rail will roll out changes designed to ensure the highest levels of trackway safety and compliance, meeting and exceeding all local, state, and federal safety standards. Rail’s commitment to continuous safety improvements is driven by:

• Protecting employees: Without question, the most important reason for improving safety in the trackway is to ensure Rail employees make it home healthy and safe each day. Their safety is our responsibility, and we take it seriously.
• Regulatory compliance: Adhering to safety standards is a legal requirement as well as a moral obligation. We strive to treat local, state and federal requirements as a minimum standard which we continuously improve upon to create the safest conditions possible.
• Operational efficiency: A safe work environment leads to fewer accidents and disruptions, ensuring operations run smoothly and efficiently.

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work.

Key Responsibilities

• Work in partnership with senior leadership in Maintenance, Operations, and Safety Units, line level craft employees, Sound Transit oversight and safety partners, and the Rail Director’s Office Strategy teams (program/project managers, change management, internal communications professionals, data analysts, training professionals) to advance projects, identify needs, assign tasks, and support program and project success.
• Utilize communication skills to develop, nurture, and advance strategic relationships across King County Metro, Sound Transit, and other internal Rail stakeholder groups.
• Use various tools, including project management software and office applications, to manage project timelines and deliverables.
• Apply a lens of innovation and continuous improvement to all programs and projects, with a focus on sustainability and system improvement.
• Serve as a system of support and a critical problem-solver for leadership from across the Rail Division.
• Integrate social justice principles into all projects, while identifying equity impacts of programs, projects, and safety policies on a diverse and large, deskless workforce.
• Manage a combination of in-person and virtual project and program work spanning 4+ base locations across the Link Light Rail service area.
• Support the scheduling and coordination of workshops, meetings, training sessions, and project teams.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Program Management Focus

• Offer recommendations and guidance to leadership on RWP program development and maturation.
• Collaborate closely with sponsors and provide updates to leadership teams and agency partners about changes, needs, resources, policies, etc.
• Provide interagency collaboration to coordinate work across KCM Rail and Sound Transit within the established program governance framework, ensuring clarity of roles, shared expectations, and unified communication. Elevate cross-agency issues, policy questions, or decisions requiring broader organizational alignment through the internal supervisor and sponsor structure.
• Act as central resource capturing and tracking updates to program, requests from internal stakeholders, oversight groups, Training & Learning partners, feedback from frontline staff, and other.
• Support FTA and Washington State Safety Office audits, program reviews, and re-approval submissions by tracking requirements or findings, and managing relationships with stakeholders including Sound Transit Safety, King County Metro Safety Security and Quality Assurance, Rail Safety, Rail Maintenance, and Rail Training & Learning teams.
• Budget tracking and advisement related to RWP resources and needs to senior leaders.
• Sharepoint or website management and/or creation for RWP resources and sources of truth.
• Close collaboration with Rail Training & Learning group on RWP training, documents, necessary related roadway worker trainings, processes/procedures/policies related to documenting.
• Close collaboration with Rail Change Manager and Communications Manager on messaging and behavior change work related to RWP, as well as management of resources and single source of truth.
• Collaboration with Safety partners on questions, policies and procedures that arise from RWP.
• Gather ongoing frontline and subject matter experience input on program effectiveness, identify changes needed, and adjust resources as necessary.

Document Control and Content Management

• Advise and maintain centralized content, including vocabulary and policies, as main Rail resource for RWP requirements that impact controlled documents in all areas of maintenance and operations.
• Participate in Link policy and procedure committees to provide input, quality assurance, maintain awareness.
• Serve as RWP content subject-matter expert for Rail staff updating or creating controlled documents, including tracking awareness, editing, commenting, and revisions that may impact the RWP program approval and/or documents.
• Provide Quality Control and Assurance on procedural document content revisions, including monitoring updates on non-RWP-related documents to evaluate for needed RWP vocabulary or process changes that have not been integrated into existing Rail procedural documents.
• Maintain and revise content of Washington State Safety Office-approved RWP documents, as well as internal Rail documents, including, but not limited to: RWP Change Log(s), RWP Manual, Track Access Guide, Job Briefing form(s), and other RWP-related documents.
• Aligning internal maintenance, operations, and safety groups on RWP policies, expectations and integration into practices and procedures.

Project Management Focus

• Serve as Project Manager for necessary revisions, additions, or related RWP projects.
• Advise on the creation and establishment of permanent structure for RWP program management and program sustainment.
• Lead revisions of initial RWP program and documents based on changes to operations or maintenance technologies, alignment, job classifications, or practices.
• Coordinate distribution of RWP resources to agency staff as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Three (3) years of project or program management experience including initiating, planning, executing, and closing out projects to achieve specific goals OR equivalent knowledge/experience to be successful in this role.
• Ability to manage a wide variety of needs within a program or project, including setting priorities, meeting deadlines, organizing work assignments, and maintaining strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrated experience managing and leading change, ensuring program/project execution and quality while successfully managing and mitigating risk.
• Skill in analyzing information, solving complex and analytical challenges, and making recommendations based on analysis.
• Demonstrates clear, concise, and thoughtful verbal and written communication, including ability to write, edit, and revise policy and procedure documents.
• Experience collaborating with and presenting information to a diverse group of technical and non-technical employees, including line-level staff and executive leadership.
• Experience facilitating meetings, leading discussions, and presenting complex information in an accessible manner.
• Political savvy with ability to navigate interests from different groups while maintaining focus on overarching objectives.
• Experience with program development and maturation.
• Knowledge of equity and social justice principles and an ability to effectively integrate and communicate those principles within programs, projects, and initiatives.
• Advanced skills with Microsoft Office, including SharePoint, Excel, Word, and Teams.

Desirable Qualifications

• Familiarity with local transit and mobility systems, including the business model and practices of Sound Transit and/or King County Metro.
• Experience with the public sector, either through consulting or employment within a government agency.
• Experience working in an Operations, Maintenance, or Service Delivery environment with a large, deskless workforce.
• Experience working in a union environment.
• Familiarity with safety management systems or experience working with safety programs.
• Experience working with technical, maintenance, or operational line-level staff.
• Familiarity or experience with change management or continuous improvement.
• Familiarity or experience working in collaboration with Training & Learning experts.

Necessary Special Requirements

• Possession of a valid Washington state driver’s license (or ability to obtain Washington state driver’s license upon hire) or alternate ability to travel to off-site locations.

Application & Selection Process

Applications will be screened to determine whether candidates meet minimum qualifications, and for clarity, completeness, and responsiveness to the application instructions above. Highly competitive applicants may be asked to interview. Formal offers will be finalized after candidates have successfully completed any necessary pre-employment processes, such as reference checks or internal record reviews.

Work Schedule

The Project Program Manager III position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is therefore not eligible for overtime pay.

Hybrid Work

The work associated with this position will be performed predominantly in a hybrid work environment working in the office and at home. The work schedule is normally Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., however there is some flexibility in start and end time. This position may require working a flex schedule as necessary. The work associated with this position will be performed predominantly in a hybrid work environment with a minimum of 3 days on-site at one of our Rail division locations. Employee will have access to shared workspaces at various Rail facilities. Employee must reside in Washington State and within a reasonable distance to their worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Employee will be provided with a Sound Transit issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Location assignment is dependent on workgroup needs. Employees may be assigned to report to any of the following locations:

• Operations & Maintenance Facility (OMF) Central at 3407 Airport Way S., Seattle, WA.
• Operations & Maintenance Facility (OMF) East at 1925 120th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA.
• Maintenance of Way North (MOW-N) at 920 N 137th St Seattle, WA
• Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104
• And any future Sound Transit Link facilities.

Union Membership: This position is represented by PROTEC17.

CLASS CODE / PAY GRADE: 2441300/ 64

Safety Responsibilities for an Employee

• Responsible for understanding this policy and their role in safety.
• Report all safety concerns.
• Follow safety practices and procedures as necessary to maintain a safe work environment and in conformance with applicable regulations, policies and training.
• Report safety and security concerns and ideas to supervisors or anonymously through data collection system.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Ebony Ware, Human Resource Analyst, at [e-mail].

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

KING COUNTY IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) EMPLOYER:

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.