Manager, Project Administration

Job Description

The final salary will depend on the candidate's qualifications. Those with 8 years or more of required experience can expect offers up to the midpoint of the salary range. Metra provides full pay ranges so candidates can consider their growth potential.

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Qualified veterans who meet the minimum requirements will receive outreach during the recruitment process in accordance with Federal and State laws, including the Illinois Veterans Preference Act. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview or job offer. The most qualified candidate will be selected.

Metra is one of the largest and most complex commuter rail systems in North America, serving Cook, DuPage, Will, Lake, Kane, and McHenry Counties. The agency is linking communities in Northeastern Illinois by providing safe, reliable, and efficient commuter service.

Grant Management & Corporate Quality Assurance is divided into three primary sections: Grant Administration, Project Implementation, and Corporate Quality Assurance. Grant Administration includes the Grant Applications and Grant Reimbursement teams. Grant Applications coordinates program-level information for each project and submits applications for capital, operating, and demonstration grants to appropriate funding agencies. Grant Reimbursement requests reimbursement from funding agencies for capital expenditures, closes out capital project grants, performs monthly and annual reconciliations of reimbursements to capital expenditures, and provides information for audits and funding agency reviews. Project Implementation administers approved project budgets, scopes, and schedules, obligates funding for contracts, provides financial oversight and reports project progress to the funding agencies. Corporate Quality Assurance administers Metra's Quality Assurance oversight program to ensure compliance with the Federal Transit Administration's Quality Management System and to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Reporting to the Director, Project Implementation, the Manager, Project Administration oversees staff responsible for the financial and administrative management of capital projects; ensures effective execution of budgetary processes and compliance with federal, state, and local requirements; presents project administration data to internal and external auditors; and monitors grant and project closeouts, including the financial distribution of project commitments and expenditures.

The primary duties include: Manage and mentor staff to ensure effective execution of capital project administration deliverables; monitor team workload, assess pending priorities, and ensure timely execution of high priority tasks; coordinate staff schedules and ensure adherence to departmental procedures, company policies, and organizational objectives. Work with Information Technology (IT) to develop new data reports and utilize existing reporting tools to monitor work progress and identify discrepancies in project budgets, grants and closeouts of project commitments and expenditures related to Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) competitions. Oversee staff responsible for investigating discrepancies and ensure they collaborate with the appropriate departments to achieve timely and accurate reconciliation; review staff work to confirm proper execution of reconciliation processes and provide developmentfocused feedback to support continuous improvement. Monitor the capital project budget to identify linked grantfunded projects and determine which projects and grants are ready for closeout; assign Project Administrators to collaborate with internal financial departments to complete all required steps for closing contracts and projects in support of grant closeout activities. Ensure staff adhere to all project administration documentation and retention requirements, including third-party contracts, force account estimates, budget revisions, railroad funding agreements, funding agency concurrences, real estate acquisitions, and fixed-facility agreements. Approve time off, coordinate staff schedules, fill vacancies as necessary, and ensure compliance with departmental and company policies and objectives. Decide/implement staffing decisions, performance evaluations, and performance improvement, disciplinary, and/or termination procedures. Make recommendations regarding hiring, performance evaluations, disciplinary and/or termination procedures. Promote safe work practices and maintain and foster a safe work environment. Perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Metra is a railroad employer subject to the provisions of the Railroad Retirement Tax Act, not the Social Security Administration.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, economics, finance, business administration, public administration, or related field, or in lieu of a degree any combination of education or experience that equals four (4) years in accounting, budget, or project administration.
• In addition to #1, must have six (6) years of experience in accounting, budget, or public administration, preferably in the railroad, transportation, or related industry.
• Must have three (3) years of supervisory experience that include day-to-day employee management, assigning tasks, providing guidance and training, monitoring performance, dispute resolution, budgeting, hiring, disciplinary and/or termination.
• In-depth knowledge of capital budget management, fiscal management, or financial processes.
• Knowledge related to capital and state grants and Federal Transit Administration circulars 5010 and 4220.
• Knowledge of ERP financial systems for cost control and monitoring, including experience related to issues investigation and resolution.
• Knowledge of state and federal project administration duties, practices, and techniques.
• Working knowledge of developing procedures and training staff.
• Proficient in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel), D365 or similar business management systems.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organization, analytical, and planning skills with the ability to think critically solve and problems.
• Ability to detect and investigate root cause and effectively resolve inconsistencies in the enterprise financial system.
• Ability to lead staff to achieve goals through clear guidance, encouragement, and effective task prioritization.
• Ability to interpret federal grant and third-party contract requirements for capital project implementation.
• Ability to plan and execute movement of budget, obligations, and expenditures within constrained grant funding.
• Ability to stand, walk, and/or sit, for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to operate a vehicle.
• Must be willing to travel within and outside of Metra’s 6-county region.
• Must be available to work flexible hours in the early morning, late afternoon, evenings, or weekends.

Preferred:

• Experience with capital projects support.

Metra employees in an active review period under the current discipline policy or who have documented attendance or performance issues will not be considered and/or selected for this position.

Please note: Regardless of any state laws that legalize marijuana, Metra prohibits applicants and employees’ use or possession of marijuana (or marijuana paraphernalia), or having detectable amounts of marijuana in their bodies, including synthetic and/or non-synthetic substances such as THC for any reason for preemployment screening purposes, while on duty, subject to duty, on Metra property, or in Metra work equipment and vehicles.

Metra is committed to ensuring that our career website and recruiting process are accessible to all individuals. For general assistance, please contact [email protected] . If you require reasonable accommodations to complete this application, participate in interviews, complete any pre-employment testing, or engage in any other aspect of the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to the Reasonable Accommodations Committee at [email protected] .

Metra is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. It is our policy to fill vacant positions with qualified candidates without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, gender identity, disability, or any protected categories, assuming an individual can perform the essential functions of the job with or without accommodation.