Program Manager (Regional Coordinator)

DEFINITION

Under direction of the Director of Land Use, Planning and Asset Control, the Regional Program Manager performs advanced professional and program management work in the governance, coordination, and advancement of the District’s regional, corridor, and shared-project portfolio. The position serves as the District’s lead coordinator for multi-agency projects and external commitments involving state agencies, San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), LOSSAN rail corridor agency (LOSSAN), local jurisdictions, utilities, partner railroads, and other public or private entities whose actions affect District assets, right-of-way, service delivery, or capital program priorities.

This position is responsible for internal and external collaboration, as well as tracking and reporting on regional project milestones, external commitments, interagency action plans, corridor initiatives, agreement tracking, and executive-level updates. It ensures that these efforts are effectively integrated with the District’s project delivery, land use, real estate, maintenance, grant strategy, and operational functions. The position ensures that externally driven projects and commitments are accurately translated into internal work plans, schedules, decision packages, and risk mitigation actions.

The Regional Program Manager plays a collaborative role in representing District interests by facilitating coordination across District functions and fostering alignment with internal teams and external partners. The position emphasizes gathering input, building consensus, and supporting the resolution of cross-functional challenges to advance shared priorities. This position relies on strong cross-functional engagement to help align District activities with external milestones, funding commitments, and partner expectations. The Regional Program Manager contributes to identifying potential issues, supporting coordinated approaches to complex interagency, access, land use, right-of-way, and project coordination matters, and helping develop practical, collectively informed solutions.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This position is distinguished by its program-level ownership of the District’s regional and shared-project coordination function. The Regional Program Manager is expected to operate with broader autonomy, represent the District directly in regional forums, support development of policy-based communications, shape coordination strategy for complex and multi-party initiatives, support outreach initiatives, and provide executive-level decision support on issues that affect schedule, funding, access, and delivery readiness.

The Regional Program Manager serves as a subject matter lead on regional project coordination, corridor commitments, and interagency implementation strategy. The position is accountable for integrating external obligations with internal capital delivery and operational realities, and for leading cross-departmental coordination to address issues, challenges, and develop alternative strategies for issue-resolution without relying on formal direct supervision authority.

Supervision Received and Exercised

This position reports to the Director of Land Use, Planning and Asset Control and works in close coordination with the Director of Capital Projects and Delivery, Director of Maintenance of Way, Manager of Project Delivery, Land Use staff, Grants, Finance, and other operational and support functions. The position does not necessarily exercise formal supervisory responsibility over permanent staff, but is expected to lead cross-departmental teams, direct coordination activities, manage consultants or contract support when assigned, and function as the District’s primary internal organizer for regional/shared-project implementation.

Working Conditions

Normal working conditions for this position are in both an office and field setting. Business travel may be required periodically between District sites, governmental agencies, consultants’ facilities, municipal offices, and other locations as required. The incumbent may be required to attend regional and public meetings before or after normal working hours.

Essential Functions

• Leads the District’s coordination with state agencies, SANDAG, LOSSAN, other MPOs, local jurisdictions, partner railroads, utilities, developers, and other external agencies on regional, corridor, and shared projects affecting District operations or assets.

• Maintains the master calendar, milestone tracker, action log, commitment register, and risk log for regional and shared-project initiatives, ensuring that deadlines, dependencies, and internal response requirements are visible and actively managed.
• Coordinates internal District responses and positions across Planning and Land Use, Capital Projects and Delivery, Maintenance of Way, Real Estate/ROW, Grants, Finance, Legal, Operations, and other stakeholders as required.
• Represents the District in interagency coordination meetings, technical working groups, corridor planning forums, and project development sessions, and communicates District positions in a clear and timely manner.
• At regular intervals, develops, manages, and updates executive summaries, briefing materials, decision memoranda, status reports, and presentation materials related to regional commitments and shared projects.
• Identifies external obligations, access constraints, land use conflicts, real estate requirements, utility issues, resourcing concerns, environmental requirements, and operational impacts early and develops practical mitigation, escalation, or recovery strategies.
• Supports the development, negotiation, and administration of interagency agreements, memoranda of understanding, coordination protocols, right-of-entry terms, and other instruments needed to advance regional and shared initiatives.
• Ensures external project commitments are aligned with internal delivery readiness, railroad access windows, maintenance constraints, real estate requirements, and funding/programming requirements before the District commits to schedule or scope.
• Coordinates grant and programming inputs associated with regional projects, including schedules, supporting documentation, scope narratives, interagency milestones, and follow-up actions.
• Leads the integration of external partner requirements into internal project development activities so that District staff, consultants, and leadership have a consistent understanding of commitments and constraints.
• Maintains organized records of correspondence, agreements, schedules, maps, meeting outcomes, and other program documentation in District systems of record.
• Supports dispute resolution and issue escalation between the District and external agencies or project partners and recommends action options to management.
• Monitors consultant work products and contract support assignments related to corridor studies, regional coordination, agreements, and project development activities when assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Education/Experience

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, urban or regional planning, transportation, engineering, project management, business administration, real estate, or a related field.

Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in regional program management, project delivery coordination, interagency coordination, transportation planning, capital project development, real estate/right-of-way coordination, or related public infrastructure work.

Public sector, transit, freight rail, or other regulated infrastructure experience is preferred. A combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.

Certificates/Licenses

• Possess and maintain a California driver’s license, Class C, and a satisfactory driving record for the last five years.
• Maintain compliance with the District’s policy regarding Conflict of Interest and Ethics.
• Professional certifications such as PMP, AICP, IRWA, or similar credentials are desirable but not required.

General Requirements

• Expert knowledge of public-agency project coordination, interagency processes, capital project development, land use and right-of-way issues, and regional transportation planning and programming concepts.
• Ability to analyze complex schedule, funding, access, and partnership issues and develop practical, executable solutions.
• Strong leadership, project coordination, facilitation, and communication skills, including the ability to influence outcomes across departments and agencies without direct supervisory authority.
• Ability to prepare executive-level correspondence, memoranda, reports, and presentations.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to work with project controls, document management, mapping, or scheduling systems.
• Ability to represent the District effectively in interactions with municipalities, planning agencies, consultants, utilities, contractors, and the public.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee must possess the ability to use the phone and computer for extended periods, manual dexterity to complete clerical functions and work with office equipment, and lift equipment up to 25 pounds on a daily basis. The employee must be able to hear, see, and communicate verbally to exchange information. The employee must be able to physically travel between District locations and other destinations, work in evenings when required, and negotiate a variety of different and irregular terrain as is typical along a railway right of way or construction environment.

Machines / Tools / Equipment

• Ability to operate a personal computer and Microsoft Office Suite programs with an emphasis on Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment, including copier/scanner and telephone.
• Ability to carry and operate a District-issued mobile device.