Safety Management System Lead — Risk & Compliance

Octa, LLC; Orange, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 117,000 - 161,000; Full time

Job summary

OCTA in Orange County seeks a highly experienced Safety Management Systems Program Manager to lead the SMS/PTASP efforts, ensure regulatory compliance, and promote a proactive safety culture across the agency.

The role partners with management and regulatory agencies to implement improvements, analyze safety data, and drive risk mitigation. A bachelor’s degree and substantial related experience are required for this exempt management position.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 7+ years of related program management experience; ten years preferred.
• At least three years of direct experience with a Safety Management System, Quality Management System, or Environmental Management System; five years preferred.
• Strong knowledge of safety management principles, hazard identification, risk assessment, mitigation, and continuous improvement.
• Experience with regulatory compliance oversight and interpreting safety-related requirements.
• Experience conducting compliance audits, assessments, or inspections.
• Ability to develop and implement preventive and corrective action strategies.
• Strong analytical skills with experience evaluating and presenting safety data, statistics, and trends.
• Experience developing and delivering employee training.
• Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively at all organizational levels, including executive leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders, build collaborative relationships, and promote a positive safety culture.
• Experience with FTA, CPUC, Cal/OSHA, Federal OSHA, or similar regulatory requirements is highly desirable.
• A related master’s degree is desirable

Responsibilities

• Serve as OCTA’s SMS/PTASP subject matter expert and lead agency-wide SMS efforts.
• Direct planning, implementation, oversight, and continuous improvement of SMS programs.
• Provide guidance to departments on complying with FTA SMS requirements.
• Lead SMS committees, meetings, and PTASP compliance initiatives.
• Develop and oversee hazard identification, safety risk assessment, mitigation, and monitoring activities.
• Analyze safety data and trends to identify risks, evaluate mitigation efforts, and support decisions.
• Perform and document audits, assessments, and inspections to evaluate SMS/PTASP implementation and compliance.
• Identify preventive and corrective actions to address hazards and health risks.
• Develop and deliver required SMS training and promote training across the organization.
• Ensure compliance with SMS configuration management and document control requirements.
• Communicate SMS performance, risk trends, mitigation activities, compliance status, and issues to leadership.
• Represent OCTA as SMS/PTASP SME in meetings and program activities.
• Build collaborative relationships across the agency and promote a strong safety culture.

Skills

SMS/ PTASP leadership

Regulatory compliance

Audits & inspections

Data analysis & trends

Training development

Stakeholder influence

Communication & presentation

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Master’s degree desirable

Job description

OCTA in Orange County seeks a highly experienced Safety Management Systems Program Manager to lead the SMS/PTASP efforts, ensure regulatory compliance, and promote a proactive safety culture across the agency.

The role partners with management and regulatory agencies to implement improvements, analyze safety data, and drive risk mitigation. A bachelor’s degree and substantial related experience are required for this exempt management position.