About this role
Your success is a train ride away!
As we move America’s workforce toward the future, Amtrak connects businesses and communities across the country. We employ more than 20,000 diverse, energetic professionals in a variety of career fields throughout the United States. The safety of our passengers, our employees, the public and our operating environment is our priority, and the success of our railroad is due to our employees.
Are you ready to join our team?
Our values of ‘Do the Right Thing, Excel Together and Put Customers First’ are at the heart of what matters most to us, and our Core Capabilities, ‘Building Trust, Accountability, Effective Communication, Customer Focus, and Proactive Safety & Security’ are what every employee needs to know and do to be most impactful at Amtrak. By living the Amtrak values, focusing on our capabilities, and actively embracing and fostering diverse ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives, together we will honor our past and make Amtrak a company of the future.
Job Summary
The Manager, Work Planning (Central Division) is responsible for leading and managing initiatives that support work planning and resource coordination across Amtrak’s portfolio of Central Division maintenance and construction projects. This position is part of Amtrak’s IPRC group (Implementation, Planning, & Resource Coordination) within the Capital Delivery Department.
The IPRC Central Division representative is responsible for the intricate planning and coordination process for multi-discipline (Track, Communications & Signals, and Structures) track outages/curfews, commercial power outages that have the potential to impact railroad operations, and labor forecasting for major in-house maintenance and construction, major Capital Delivery projects, and third-party projects on the Chicago and Michigan Subdivisions of Amtrak’s Central Division.
Essential Functions
- Develop and maintain a coordinated and comprehensive long-range track outage/curfew forecast that balances the needs of major project-driven projects, critical railroad maintenance, and third-party external projects, and ensure the forecast is incorporated into the appropriate Seasonal Service Plan(s).
- Lead the development of Amtrak labor support forecasts (in-house direct labor and/or support of third-party construction) for Life of Project. Assist the project teams with refining of their access plans for building on/around the active railroad.
- Collaborate with peers in other groups (Project Management, Construction Management, Transportation, Service Planning, Engineering System Offices, Capital Project Teams, Division Maintenance, etc) to develop a comprehensive outage/curfew and labor support plan based on projected Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and Annual Grants (AG).
- Lead quarterly regional resource reviews with Senior Leadership.
- Support the SPORT (Service Planning and Outage RoundTable) process for Central Division.
- Implement labor resource allocation guidelines in coordination with relevant internal departments and ensure adherence to guidelines in labor resource allocation decisions.
- Analyze challenges, problems, and process breakdowns to ensure that lessons learned are used to improve work planning and project delivery practices; identify efficiencies and present recommended improvement opportunities to various levels of management
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required OR equivalent combination of training, education and relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Plus
- 7 years prior relevant experience required
- 9+ years of relevant experience preferred
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education, training and/or relevant experience.
- Plus 9 years of relevant work experience.
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Transportation, Construction Management, or closely related field
Working Knowledge and understanding of:
- Working knowledge of Amtrak’s Central Division territory, particularly the Chicago Subdivision and Michigan Subdivision, along with Metra commuter operations, and connecting host freight carrier territory.
- Amtrak’s network, service, infrastructure, and train fleet.
- Amtrak’s current Track and Time process.
- Theories, principles, and practices of passenger railroad systems design, construction, operations, and maintenance.
- Railroad infrastructure and components, including track, structures, communications, signals, and electric traction systems.
- Amtrak-maintained territory and operation.
- Amtrak’s process for developing Seasonal operating plans and train manuscripts.
- Collective Bargaining Agreements for labor work forces.
- Role of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR)
- Metra commuter operations and freight operations for the various carriers in the Chicago region.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Fundamental knowledge and understanding of:
- Railroad operations and/or maintenance and construction of railroad infrastructure.
- Railroad labor functions by craft (C&S, Electric Traction, Track, B&B/Structures).
Skills and Abilities:
- Utilize strong critical thinking and analytical skills to optimize usage of planned track outages/curfews and establish/refine project implementation planning processes and long-range work plans and schedules.
- Familiar with Microsoft Office suite, including Excel, Power Point, and Word; familiarity with Microsoft Project and Visio.
- Ability to communicate clearly and concisely in verbal and written form, including the ability to articulate complex issues, and effectively interact with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
- Effectively manage time, set priorities, and achieve results in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- Ability to motivate and support people across the organization to work collaboratively; maintain a teamwork environment; work diplomatically across teams with varying objectives; solicit alternative points of view and objectively articulate the strengths and weaknesses of various options to reach an informed decision.
- Identify problems and develop and implement solutions; facilitate effective conflict resolution; network with internal and external stakeholders and leverage relationships to resolve complex project issues; exercise judgment and creativity in making decisions.
- Understand, interpret, and apply applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, budgets, contracts, and labor/management agreements.
Environmental Conditions/Physical Demands
The salary/hourly range is $113,200.00 – $146,664.00. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, etc. Depending on an employee’s assigned worksite or location, Amtrak may consider a geo-pay differential to be applied to the employee’s base salary. Amtrak may offer additional incentive and pay programs to recognize and reward our employees, including a short-term incentive bonus based upon factors such as individual and company performance that is commensurate with the level of the position.
Health and Wellbeing
Financial and Retirement
Work and Family Life Support
Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
401K with Employer Match
Generous Paid Time Off
Wellness Programs
Railroad Retirement Benefits
Paid Caregiving Days and Backup Care
Health Savings Account
Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness
Fertility and Family Building Benefits
No-cost Personal Health Advocate
Student Loan Assistance
Adoption and Surrogacy Assistance
Medical Plan Opt-out Credit
Tuition and Education Reimbursement
Paid Family Leave
Life Insurance
Rail Pass Privileges
Short- and Long-term Disability Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
No-cost Financial Advisor Sessions
Commuter and Flexible Spending Accounts
Learn more about our benefits offerings here.
Requisition ID: 167411
Work Arrangement: 06-Onsite 4/5 Days Click here for more information about work arrangements at Amtrak.
Relocation Offered: No
Travel Requirements: Up to 25%
You power our progress through your performance.
We want your work at Amtrak to be more than a job. We want your career at Amtrak to be a fulfilling experience where you find challenging work, rewarding opportunities, respect among colleagues, and attractive compensation. Amtrak maintains a culture that values high performance and recognizes individual employee contributions.
Amtrak is committed to a safe workplace free of drugs and alcohol. All Amtrak positions requires a pre-employment background check that includes prior employment verification, a criminal history check and a pre-employment drug screen.
Candidates who test positive for marijuana will be disqualified, regardless of any state or local statute, ordinance, regulation, or other law that legalizes or decriminalizes the use or possession of marijuana, whether for medical, recreational, or other use. Amtrak's pre-employment drug testing program is administered in accordance with DOT regulations and applicable law.
In accordance with DOT regulations (49 CFR § 40.25), Amtrak is required to obtain prior drug and alcohol testing records for applicants/employees intending to perform safety-sensitive duties for covered Department of Transportation positions. If an applicant/employee refuses to provide written consent for Amtrak to obtain these records, the individual will not be permitted to perform safety-sensitive functions.
In accordance with federal law governing security checks of covered individuals for providers of public transportation (Title 6 U.S.C. §1143), Amtrak is required to screen applicants for any permanent or interim disqualifying criminal offenses.
Note that any education requirement listed above may be deemed satisfied if you have an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Amtrak is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/color, to include traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions, such as lactation), national origin/ethnicity, disability (intellectual, mental and physical), veteran status, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, genetic information, citizenship or any other personal characteristics protected by law.