Assistant Director of Rail Maintenance
Description
Department: Charlotte Area Transit System Department
Salary: $126,009.00 - $181,137.64 Commensurate with Experience
Thank you for your interest in joining the team that keeps Charlotte moving, at a very exciting time for our organization. At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), we’re committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative transit services for our growing community, and we value employees who bring professionalism, passion, and a commitment to public service.
This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It’s an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region.
Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs.
The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.
SUMMARY
The Assistant Director of Rail Maintenance provides senior leadership for CATS’ rail maintenance function and is responsible for the safe, reliable, efficient, and sustainable maintenance of rail vehicles, track, signals, traction power, overhead contact system, and other rail infrastructure and support assets. Reporting to the Director of Rail Operations, this role oversees both Rail Car Maintenance and Maintenance of Way and ensures that maintenance activities, asset stewardship, workforce capability, and operational coordination support daily rail service and long-term system performance.
This position translates Rail Operations strategy and executive direction into effective maintenance practices, performance expectations, resource plans, and organizational priorities across the rail maintenance function. The Assistant Director is accountable for maintenance-related operating results, including asset reliability, equipment availability, inspection and maintenance program effectiveness, safety and regulatory compliance, workforce performance, and coordination with transportation operations and capital activities. The role works through subordinate managers to align vehicle and infrastructure maintenance functions into a coordinated maintenance organization supporting current service needs and future system growth.
The Assistant Director also serves as a key cross-functional leader, coordinating closely with rail transportation, engineering, asset management, safety, quality, procurement, and training to ensure rail assets are maintained in a manner that is operationally sound, fiscally responsible, and aligned with agency priorities. This position requires strong technical judgment, leadership presence, and the ability to balance long-term asset stewardship with the immediate needs of a safety-sensitive operating environment.
Major Duties and Responsibilities
The following duties are standard for this position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the classification.
Rail Maintenance Leadership and Strategic Direction
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Provide leadership and direction for CATS’ rail maintenance function, including Rail Car Maintenance, Rail Inventory and Maintenance of Way.
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Establish maintenance priorities, performance expectations, and operating standards that support safe, reliable, and efficient rail service.
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Translate agency and Rail Operations priorities into practical maintenance strategies, resource plans, and management expectations.
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Ensure rail maintenance activities are aligned with service delivery needs, asset condition priorities, approved budgets, safety objectives, and long-term operational goals.
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Support an integrated maintenance model that connects fleet maintenance, infrastructure maintenance, asset stewardship, safety, and continuous improvement into one coordinated function.
Maintenance Programs and Asset Performance
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Oversee preventive, corrective, inspection, testing, and reliability-centered maintenance programs for rail vehicles and rail infrastructure.
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Ensure maintenance programs support equipment availability, system reliability, safe operations, and state-of-good-repair objectives.
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Monitor maintenance performance using measures such as asset condition, equipment availability, reliability trends, backlog, inspection completion, and other key indicators.
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Direct follow-up on recurring failures, maintenance bottlenecks, or performance gaps and ensure appropriate corrective action is taken.
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Promote disciplined maintenance planning, documentation, standardization, and follow-through across vehicle and infrastructure maintenance functions.
Safety, Quality, and Regulatory Compliance
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Ensure rail maintenance activities are carried out in accordance with applicable safety requirements, agency rules, maintenance procedures, and regulatory expectations.
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Support strong compliance with safety management, quality management, inspection, testing, and documentation requirements affecting rail maintenance functions.
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Partner with Safety, Quality, Compliance, and other internal groups on audits, inspections, investigations, corrective actions, and process improvement initiatives.
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Monitor maintenance-related safety and quality trends and direct action to reduce risk, improve consistency, and strengthen work execution.
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Help ensure maintenance records, procedures, and practices support regulatory reviews, internal accountability, and operational readiness.
Workforce Leadership and Organizational Development
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Lead the rail maintenance organization through subordinate managers responsible for Rail Car Maintenance, Rail Inventory and Maintenance of Way.
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Establish clear expectations for leadership performance, workforce accountability, technical discipline, and management follow-through.
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Oversee workforce planning, staffing support, technical training coordination, succession planning, and leadership development across rail maintenance functions.
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Promote a culture of safety, accountability, craftsmanship, professionalism, and continuous improvement within the maintenance organization.
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Support organizational development efforts that strengthen supervisory effectiveness, technical capability, and long-term bench strength.
Budget, Resources, and Maintenance Support
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Support development and administration of rail maintenance budgets, staffing plans, material needs, and resource allocations.
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Monitor labor, overtime, materials, contract services, and other cost drivers affecting the rail maintenance function.
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Help balance service requirements, asset conditions, maintenance needs, and fiscal constraints in maintenance decision-making.
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Coordinate with procurement, supply chain, and related support functions to help ensure parts availability, materials planning, and effective support for maintenance operations.
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Provide analysis and recommendations to the Director of Rail Operations regarding maintenance risks, resource needs, investment priorities, and organizational support requirements.