Sr. Division Manager - Rail & Transit California

slihrms; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

slihrms is seeking a Sr. Division Manager - Rail & Transit to lead the statewide California Rail & Transit business, reporting to the VP Rail & Transit West.

You will own the regional P&L, drive growth, shape client strategy, and ensure top‑quality project delivery across multidisciplinary teams. The role requires senior leadership with deep rail and transit market knowledge, ability to engage executive clients, and a track record of profitable growth and effective risk management in

Qualifications

• Senior leadership with responsibility for regional P&L and growth in California rail & transit
• Experience in rail, transit, transportation engineering or infrastructure consulting
• Ability to engage executive-level clients and lead multidisciplinary teams
• Develop growth and sales strategies and expand market presence in California

Responsibilities

• Lead the California Rail & Transit business's growth, financial performance, and operational success.
• Own California P&L including revenue, bookings, profitability, backlog, and forecasting.
• Develop and execute annual and long-term business objectives with financial targets.
• Identify risks and lead mitigation strategies; drive profitable project delivery.
• Coordinate with national and regional leadership to convert opportunities into work.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline and pursue market expansion opportunities.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

P&L Management

Business Development

Client Relationships

Project Delivery

Risk Management

Staffing & Hiring

Cross-functional Leadership

Rail & Transit Market Knowledge

Job description

Job Description

Overview

We are seeking an accomplished and growth-oriented Sr. Division Manager - Rail & Transit - California to lead our Rail & Transit business across the state reporting to our VP Rail & Transit West Region. This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for the overall financial performance, growth, client strategy, project delivery, operational performance, and development of our regional business. The Sr. Division Manager will have full accountability for regional P&L performance and will develop and execute strategies that strengthen our position with key California transit and rail clients, expand our market presence, drive profitable growth, and ensure successful delivery of our projects. The successful candidate will combine strong business leadership with demonstrated experience in the rail, transit, transportation, engineering, or infrastructure consulting market. This individual must be equally comfortable engaging executive-level clients, developing growth and sales strategies, managing financial performance, addressing project and business risks, and providing leadership to multidisciplinary teams.

Why Join Us?

• Lead and shape a highly visible Rail & Transit business in one of the country's most significant transportation markets.
• Have substantial influence over business strategy, client development, market expansion, investment priorities, and project delivery.
• Lead relationships with major transportation agencies and industry partners across California.
• Work with multidisciplinary technical and project delivery teams on significant rail and transit programs.
• Take on a senior leadership position with meaningful business accountability and opportunities for continued career growth.

Your role

Business Leadership & Financial Performance

• Lead the overall growth, financial performance, and operational success of the California Rail & Transit business.
• Own California P&L performance, including revenue, bookings, profitability, backlog, forecasting, and overall financial performance.
• Establish annual and long-term business objectives and drive execution against financial and operational targets.
• Maintain strong visibility into pipeline, backlog, project performance, utilization, staffing needs, and business risks.
• Identify emerging financial, operational, contractual, and project risks and lead appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Drive profitable execution of projects and services across the regional portfolio.

Growth, Sales & Market Strategy

• Develop and execute a comprehensive California Rail & Transit growth strategy aligned with broader business objectives.
• Lead regional sales and business development initiatives to achieve revenue and booking targets.
• Build, manage, and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities.
• Identify strategic market expansion opportunities, including new clients, programs, service areas, partnerships, and major pursuits.
• Provide leadership on strategic pursuits, capture planning, positioning, teaming, and key account development.
• Coordinate effectively with national and regional leadership, technical practices, project teams, and business development resources to convert opportunities into profitable work.

Client & Industry Leadership

• Develop and maintain trusted relationships with key rail and transit clients throughout California.
• Serve as a senior representative of the business with clients, teaming partners, industry organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Strengthen relationships with existing clients while identifying opportunities to expand the breadth of services provided.
• Maintain strong awareness of client capital programs, procurement strategies, funding priorities, and emerging market opportunities.
• Promote a client-focused culture centered on responsiveness, technical excellence, successful delivery, and long-term relationships.

Project Delivery & Operational Excellence

• Provide executive oversight of project delivery across the California Rail & Transit portfolio.
• Promote consistent project management, quality, commercial performance, and risk management practices.
• Monitor performance of major projects and intervene proactively when financial, schedule, quality, staffing, contractual, or client issues arise.
• Work with project managers and technical leaders to ensure appropriate staffing and resources are available to successfully deliver commitments.
• Foster collaboration across disciplines, offices, practices, and geographic regions to bring the best available expertise to California projects.

People & Organizational Leadership

• Provide visible leadership, mentorship, and direction to staff, project managers, technical leaders, and project teams.
• Identify staffing and capability requirements based on the business plan and anticipated project pipeline.
• Support recruitment, retention, succession planning, career development, and leadership development.
• Promote collaboration, accountability, inclusion, innovation, safe