Transit/ Rail Special Projects Mgr- Transportation Spec 4

Team Georgia; Felton (GA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is seeking a Transit Special Projects Manager & Rail Development Specialist to develop rail capital programs and manage transit projects. The role includes oversight of subrecipients, contract administration, and ensuring compliance with state and federal requirements.

The position involves coordinating with consultants, reviewing grant applications, managing budgets, and supervising project timelines across rail and transit initiatives within Georgia.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and two years of related experience
• Associate’s degree in a related field and three years of related experience (or one year at position equivalent)
• Under agency qualifications: degrees in urban/rural transportation planning or related fields; 3+ years in transportation planning/project management
• Experience managing state or federal programs; data collection/analysis for transportation reports; regulatory compliance
• Experience using Excel, databases, and similar tools to analyze information and communicate results

Responsibilities

• Develop rail capital program applications and manage grant-related processes
• Oversee transit funding programs and contracting processes
• Monitor project scopes, budgets, and schedules; ensure timely completion
• Coordinate with subrecipients and consultants to ensure regulatory compliance
• Conduct site visits and review invoices and audits; support procurement and contracting

Skills

Transportation planning

Project management

Regulatory compliance

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Associate’s degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Databases

Spreadsheets

Job description

JOB SUMMARY:

Under limited supervision, provides expert level professional support in one or more of the following areas: OMAT, maintenance, construction, intermodal, planning, utilities, surveying, environmental or traffic. May also serve as a lead worker providing training to lower-level staff.

POSITION SPEFCIFIC DUTIES:

Under limited supervision in the Division of Intermodal, the Transit Special Projects Manager & Rail Development Specialist performs work of moderate to considerable difficulty in the development of rail capital program of projects and other work to support the Rail Program. The position will also support the Transit Program by assisting with the management of special projects, including transit subrecipient oversight and management. The time to cover these responsibilities will vary, with an expected 30% of time spent on Rail responsibilities and 70% spent completing Transit related assignments. The Transit Special Projects Manager & Rail Development Specialist reports to the Transit Program Manager, with a dotted reporting line to the Rail Program Manager.

Rail Development Specialist Duties:

• In coordination with any Consultants and Stakeholders, develop applications for Federal discretionary grants for State shortline rail projects.
• Provide technical and program reviews of applications received for State GFRP grants.
• Review railroad annual reports for accuracy and completeness including annual payment calculations. Work with the Railroad operators to correct any errors or discrepancies.
• Work with the GDOT Railroad operators to create accurate and viable CIP programs to assist GDOT in seeking appropriate funding levels.
• Assist with compiling, reviewing, and producing documents needed to comply with Federal and State audit requirements.

Transit Special Projects Manager Duties:

• Assists with the planning, analysis, administration, and management of Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and other transit related funding and programs administered by GDOT, such as the Transit Trust Fund Program. Assists with the development of the annual Program of Projects and the resulting contracting process.
• Provides oversight, professional support, and project management to assigned transit agency subrecipients, and other transit-related contractors or consultants, to ensure compliance with applicable state, federal and local regulations and requirements.
• Serves as a liaison between the GDOT Transit Program and transit agencies and subrecipients throughout the state.
• Monitors the scope, budget, and schedule for assigned projects and programs to maintain timeliness, mitigate risk, and ensure completion according to program and contract requirements.
• Conducts site visits, provides technical support, manages and monitors annual contracts, reviews and validates monthly invoices, inspects state-owned vehicles and Park and Ride lots quarterly.
• Responsible for other ad hoc projects and duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

++STATE ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS++

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a related field AND two (2) years of related experience

OR

• Associate’s degree in a related field from an accredited college or university AND three (3) years of job-related experience OR one (1) year of experience at position equivalent.

++Agency Specific Qualifications:++

• Completion of an undergraduate degree in urban or rural transportation planning. Consideration will also be given for a degree in public administration, business administration, management or other closely related field.
• 3 years of experience in transportation planning and/or project management.
• 3 years of experience managing a state or federal program.
• 3 years of experience collecting and analyzing data in the preparation of transportation reports and draft documents.
• 3 years of experience in ensuring regulatory compliance to state and/or federal laws and regulations governing contracts, planning, compliance, auditing, and reporting.
• 3 years of experience interpreting technical manuals and applying federal and state regulations as they relate to transportation projects
• 3 years of experience developing and preparing project scopes, project estimates, specifications, and plans.
• 3 years of experience using applications such as spreadsheets, databases, and other tools to analyze, develop and communicate information efficiently and accurately
• 3 years of experience providing internal or external customer service in the performance of job duties and responsibilities

++Agency Preferred Qualifications:++

• Master’s degree in a related field
• 5 years of experience in the management of railroad or transit facilities
• 5 years of grant writing and management experience, developing project budgets and schedules, and reviewing and approving project expenditures.
• Extensive knowledge of railroad and/or transit operations.
• 5 years of experience expressing technical data to individuals and groups effectively.
• 5 years of experience negotiating with project participants and stakeholders to find mutually acceptable solutions.
• 3 years of experience managing and coordinating transportation program planning and project management activities with federal, state, and local governments
• 3 years of experience developing, organizing, and managing public transportation studies, projects, and planning for urbanized and rural areas
• 3 years of experience managing FTA Programs including, but not limited to, Section 5303, 5304, 5307, 5311, and 5339.
• 3 years of experience in ensuring regulatory compliance to state and/or federal laws and regulations and programs governing contracts, planning, compliance, auditing, and reporting.

++Agency Competencies:++

• Demonstrated experience to gather and evaluate information, and identify, analyze and solve problems associated with design, construction, and maintenance projects. Possesses the physical mobility necessary to maneuver over irregular terrain to conduct project inspections and has eye/hand coordination to manipulate required instruments.
• Demonstrated experience making sound and well-informed decisions.
• Demonstrated experience organizing work, setting priorities and determining objectives and strategies to achieve them.
• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to work and communicate with internal and external customers. Demonstrated commitment to providing quality customer service.
• Demonstrated experience to express the Department’s position mathematically in self-created Excel spreadsheets. Demonstrated ability using software applications to work efficiently.
• Demonstrated ability seeing detail in words, numbers and plans quickly and accurately.
• Demonstrated ability to be creative and use available and new information/technology to reason and make decisions on issues concerning projects. Demonstrated ability to monitor and evaluate progress and set personal goals to meet scheduled deadlines.
• Ability to use correct written English to communicate facts, ideas and complex explanations in a succinct and organized manner; expresses ideas and facts to groups and individuals effectively
• Ability to respond positively to changing regulatory environment, learn new policies efficiently, and teach these to local government officialss

Bachelor’s degree in a related field and two (2) years of job-related experience; or an Associate degree in a related field and three (3) years of job-related experience; or one (1) year of experience at position equivalent.

Additional Information

• Agency Logo:
• Requisition ID: TRA05G0
• Number of Openings: 1
• Advertised Salary: $69,800.00
• Shift: Day Job
• Posting End Date: Sep 8, 2026