Sound Transit
Chief Executive Officer

GENERAL PURPOSE:
The Chief Executive Officer plans, administers, directs, oversees, and assumes full responsibility for the activities of the Agency and is accountable to the Board of Directors for the overall performance of the Agency in carrying out Sound Transit’s mission. This position is responsible for developing a positive organizational culture, leading the Agency’s Senior Executive Team (CEO Cabinet) to provide excellent customer service throughout all of its operations and ensuring successful implementation of voter-approved Sound Transit programs. This position provides policy guidance, advice, and counsel to the Sound Transit Board of Directors regarding strategic policy and problem solving and assumes responsibility for implementing policy decisions made by the Sound Transit Board of Directors. This position is also present, visible, and engaged with Sound Transit regional partners, communities and stakeholders and represents the Agency at a the local, regional, state, Tribal, and national levels.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following is a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.
•    Assumes full management responsibility for all activities and operations of Sound Transit to ensure the implementation and achievement of Sound Transit’s mission and goals to build and operate an integrated regional high-capacity transportation system serving the three-county Sound Transit district including commuter rail, light rail and regional bus services and capital facilities.
•    Serves as the leader of the CEO Cabinet, assists in identifying key challenges and opportunities; reports to and interacts with the Board of Directors as necessary and appropriate. Provides leadership to the Agency’s strategic planning processes and ensures effective alignment of all budgeted resources including talent, infrastructure, and funding to the Agency’s mission and the strategic business plan.
•    Builds and maintains a trusted, productive, transparent, and strategic relationship with the Agency’s Board of Directors, internal staff, and the Puget Sound region; supports the Board of Directors in accomplishing its role as the governing body of the Agency.
•    Serves as the key internal leader, attracting, developing, coaching, and retaining high-performance team members; listens, observes, structures, leads, and empowers teams; participates in organizational design, provides guidance to the senior management team on goal alignment of all departments with established overall organizational objectives. Allows senior management space to be creative, solve problems and implement solutions.
•    Oversees and participates in the development and administration of the Agency’s operating and financial budgets; directs, monitors, and evaluates all aspects of the Agency’s fiduciary responsibilities; approves the forecast of funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; approves expenditures and implement budgetary adjustments as appropriate and necessary.
•    Manages the current and trending financial condition, construction, and operations of the Agency; partners with and advises the DCEO, Finance & Business Administration on investments and ongoing options available for ongoing funding.
•    Guides the government, Tribal, and community relations activities for the Agency; establishes working relationships with legislators and congressional representatives to advocate the Agency’s positions and opportunities as needed to deliver on Sound Transit’s commitments and as recommended by the Board of Directors; visits with, participates in, makes presentations and represents Sound Transit to local municipalities, Tribal nations, community groups, and associations on current and planned programs and services.
•    Works with Agency representatives on union negotiations and strategic operations, evaluates and makes recommendations on union proposals/counter proposals, and recommends actions for the Board of Directors to consider.
•    Actively listens, engages, responds to and resolves difficult and sensitive community inquiries and complaints; explains, justifies, and defends Agency programs, policies, and activities; negotiates and resolves sensitive and controversial issues.
•    Works closely with the Board of Directors, elected officials, community partners and staff to align Sound Transit’s goals and establish a single vision for the region around transit and mobility that is rider centric. 
•    The CEO is ultimately responsible for ensuring that a Transit Asset Management (TAM) plan is developed and carried out in accordance with 49 CFR 625. Signs off on the TAM plan, annual performance targets, and other related tasks. Has ultimate responsibility for carrying out the safety management system of a public transportation agency; responsibility for carrying out transit asset management practices; and control or direction over the human and capital resources needed to develop and maintain both the agency's public transportation agency safety plan, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5329(d), and the agency's transit asset management plan in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5326.
•    Champions and models Sound Transit's core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.
•    Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit’s Equity & Inclusion Policy. Empowers Sound Transit’s Employee Led Resource Groups to co-create Sound Transit’s Anti-racist vision and strategy.
•    It is the responsibility of all employees to follow the Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties and responsibilities, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.
•    It is the responsibility of all employees to integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.
•    Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education Requirements: Minimum 4 Year/Bachelors Degree in public administration, business administration, planning, engineering, or a related field or discipline. Masters Degree preferred.

Years of Experience: 15+ years of experience. Experience in the transit industry and/or in public sector agencies is highly desirable. 10 years in senior management, executive level management, administrative and supervisory responsibility.

Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.    

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

•    A visionary leader who drives results, holds people accountable, empowers those around them to lead, is a solutions-oriented problem solver.
•    An executive who is adaptable, willing to grow, sincere, inclusive and treats everyone equally and fairly, and is a people person with a positive attitude.
•    Manage boldly, bravely, and responsibly.
•    Ability to set and take steps to achieve the long-term vision and goals for the Agency.
•    A leader who operates with integrity, builds support, is trustworthy, collaborative, transparent and sensitive to the diversity of Sound Transit’s employees and community. 
•    A unifier who can push back and stand firm in maintaining a regional system focus. 
•    An executive who will continue the current progress being made and successes being achieved.
•    Advanced principles and practices of government and legislative processes, public administration, and local government administration.
•    Best practices in working with local, county, state, Tribal, and federal government officials including appointed and elected office holders.
•    Planning and executing successful ballot initiatives and institutional grants.
•    Understanding of the local cultural and political landscape for the Agency’s public transportation planning and operations.
•    Knowledge and experience with public transit and transportation or other large complex operating environments. 
•    Understanding and willingness to learn more about the cultural sensitives of the people, communities, Tribal Nations, and the uniqueness of the Puget Sound region.
•    Willingness to partner with traditionally underrepresented communities and groups to ensure Sound Transit is providing equitable opportunities for employment, operational support, and service to other stakeholder and community groups. 
•    Laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations affecting public transportation.
•    Strategic long-term fiscal planning and cost management, financial management, and information management systems required to operate a high-capacity transit system.
•    Economic, political, social, environmental, and psychological factors related to the provision and use of public transit.
•    Planning, designing, and managing public transit projects; running campaigns for public approval of bonding and taxation.
•    Advanced principles and practices of program development and administration.
•    Knowledge of and experience leading:
          •    The operations, services, and activities of a regional transit authority.
          •    Principles and practices of governmental budget preparation and administration.
          •    Principles of supervision, training, and performance evaluation.
          •    A team of executives to lead their respective departments with transparency, collaboration, and focus on customer centric solutions that are outcomes-oriented to deliver on Sound Transit’s mission.
          •    Continuous improvement efforts for large public agencies.
          •    Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers.
•    Collaborative, transparent, visionary partner to the Board of Directors in developing policy that can be executed by Sound Transit’s leadership and employees. 
•    Partner with, listen to, and engage with community representatives, employees, labor, customers, business partners and other key stakeholders and address organizational issues, concerns, and needs.
•    Manage and direct a comprehensive regional transit authority with coordination with the Board of Directors, CEO Cabinet departments, divisions, consultants, and associated staff.
•    Meet with, engage, negotiate, and effectively partner with local jurisdictions and agencies, utilities, contractors, and community groups.
•    Lead, motivate, engage, empower, and positively influence staff, drawing upon superior interpersonal and management techniques and demonstrating a consistent commitment and ability to observe, listen to, learn from and work with diverse work groups and individuals.
•    Foster a positive and progressive culture in a customer service environment.
•    Delegate appropriate authority and responsibility.
•    Apply appropriate oral and written communication techniques to various individuals ranging from Agency employees, contractors, the general public, elected officials, community leaders, and local, state, and federal agencies.
•    A proven leader with high emotional intelligence to understand complex situations and circumstances who can lead and unite people and groups towards a common goal or vision.
•    Prepare and administer large capital projects and the associated complex budgets.
•    Analyze problems, project consequences of proposed actions, identify alternative solutions, and implement recommendations in support of goals; bring other partners, stakeholders, employees to the table to identify best practices; be open minded and willing to follow direction of others when needed.
•    Makes decisions/judgments on problems and opportunities that are strategic, often unprecedented, and impact broad segments of the organization. 
•    A leader who is willing and capable of accepting criticism and taking responsibility and works to find ways to mitigate or alleviate negative impacts from challenges. 
•    Research, analyze, and evaluate new service delivery methods and techniques.
•    Analyze and review budgetary information to determine the impact on the Agency; prepare clear and concise administrative and financial reports.
•    Interpret and apply applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations.
•    Ability to translate complex information to distilled, simplified communications for audiences with diverse levels of technical expertise to understand and navigate new and complex concepts.
•    Use a variety of professional management and/or technical concepts in accordance with Agency objectives to solve complex problems in creative and effective ways.
•    Work effectively under pressure, meet deadlines, and adjust to changing priorities.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Salary range is $450,000 to $650,000, with a midpoint of $550,000. More information on compensation and benefits can be found at: www.soundtransit.org.

TO APPLY:

Sound Transit has engaged Krauthamer & Associates (K&A), a retained executive search firm, to assist with the Chief Executive Officer recruitment. To request more information or to submit a resume and cover letter, please contact: Gregg Moser, Partner at K&A at gmoser@kapartners.com. If interested in applying for this opportunity, please submit a resume by close of business on January 20th, 2025.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.