Senior Manager: Rail Systems📣 Job Ad

About the Role

Parsons Corporation is seeking a Senior Manager: Rail Systems to join a major transportation program in Riyadh. This full-time, client-facing role is embedded within an integrated client–PMC office, focusing on leadership, governance, and integration of all rail systems activities across multiple projects. This is a non-operational position, concentrating on managing and assuring the design and build process on behalf of the client.

Role Context and Responsibilities

The Senior Manager: Rail Systems will provide program-level leadership for rail systems within the PUA function, setting direction and priorities. This involves developing and maintaining rail systems strategies, standards, and technical principles, ensuring alignment with client vision and regulatory requirements. The role oversees signalling and train control, telecoms, SCADA, platform systems, automatic fare collection, security, and other line-wide systems, ensuring solutions are safe, compliant, and interoperable.

Key Responsibilities Overview

• Rail Systems Governance & Strategy: Act as the program-level lead, develop strategies, and provide independent advice to senior client leadership.
• Multi-Project Management: Oversee rail systems scope across multiple projects, coordinate project-level managers, and drive resolution of cross-project issues.
• Technical Assurance & Design Management: Oversee the technical assurance framework, provide senior review of design concepts, and ensure requirements management processes are applied.
• Systems Integration & Interfaces: Provide program-level oversight of systems integration and ensure consistent application of interface management processes.
• Safety, RAMS & Regulatory Approvals: Lead on rail systems safety and RAMS, oversee safety cases, and coordinate with assessors and regulators for approvals.
• Testing, Commissioning & Entry-Into-Service Oversight: Provide program-level oversight of testing and commissioning strategies and review readiness for key program milestones.
• Program, Risk & Change Management: Ensure rail systems activities are reflected in program schedules and risk registers, and manage program-level risks and opportunities.
• Stakeholder, Operator & Third-Party Coordination: Coordinate with internal client stakeholders, future operators, and external entities.
• Leadership, People & Capability Development: Lead and mentor rail systems staff, build capability within teams, and promote best practices.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates should possess a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Telecommunications, Control/Systems Engineering, or a closely related discipline. A Master’s degree in Railway Systems, Transportation Engineering, Systems Engineering, or Project/Program Management is advantageous. Professional registration/chartership and project/program management certification are highly desirable.

The role requires 15+ years of experience in rail systems engineering on major rail programs. Significant experience in a PMC, client organization, or major consultancy with program- or portfolio-level rail systems responsibility is essential. A proven track record in systems integration, technical assurance, RAMS, and safety certification for rail systems is required, along with demonstrated experience in integrated client/PMC environments and leading multi-disciplinary teams and multiple contractors/OEMs. Experience across multiple delivery phases (design, procurement, installation, testing & commissioning, EIS) is mandatory.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Deep technical understanding of rail systems architectures and technologies.
• Strong knowledge of systems engineering, integration, and RAMS processes (including CENELEC norms).
• Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, and influencing skills at senior levels.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
• Highly effective communication and presentation skills.
• Solid understanding of program controls (time, cost, risk).
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and commitment to client outcomes.