Program Manager - Standards & Compliance

Salary range is $81k to $176k with a midpoint of $122k. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including:

• Health Benefits: We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401a – 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457b – up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: Employees accrue 25 days of paid time off annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Employees at the director level and up accrue additional days. We also observe 12 paid holidays and provide up to 2 paid floating holidays and up to 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks of parental leave for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card: All full-time employees will receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Sound Transit will pay up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Compensation Practices: We offer competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity. In addition to compensation and benefits, you’ll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues.

GENERAL PURPOSE:

Under general direction of the Deputy Director of Enterprise Standards, the Program Manager-Compliance and Standards supports the coordination, organization, and day-to-day execution of the agency’s standards program, with a focus on Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements.

The Program Manager is responsible for organizing regulatory information, maintaining key program tools and resources, and supporting agency wide compliance readiness. The role serves as a central coordination point for compliance related activities, including organizing documentation, tracking action items, and maintaining clear records to support audits, reviews, and ongoing oversight.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The following duties are 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.

• Manage the day-to-day coordination of the compliance support program.
• Track program tasks, deliverables, and timelines to ensure follow-through and visibility.
• Serve as a central intake point for compliance related requests, documentation, and questions.
• Organize and maintain compliance documentation in a clear and accessible structure.
• Track action items, commitments, and follow ups related to audits, reviews, and oversight activities.
• Ensure documentation and action items are current, complete, and easy to retrieve.
• Emphasizes clear communication, strong organization, and proactive support to help staff understand expectations, access the right information, and demonstrates readiness to meet internal and external requirements.
• Maintain and update a centralized repository of external requirements and related resources.
• Organize complex regulatory information into clear, usable formats for staff.
• Support development and maintenance of tools, templates, and reference materials.
• Develop and maintain trackers, reports, and simple dashboards to support program visibility.
• Compile information to support internal reporting and compliance readiness activities.
• Support preparation and organization of materials needed for audits, reviews, and internal check-ins.
• Coordinate logistics and materials for trainings, workshops, and information sessions.
• Develop clear, plain language communications to support staff understanding of requirements.
• Respond to staff inquiries and connect them to appropriate resources.
• Coordinate across teams to gather information, support alignment, and keep work moving forward.
• Follow up with interest holders to ensure timely completion of tasks and deliverables.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships across teams and departments.
• Support consistent use of program tools, processes, and resources across the agency.
• Ensure data security and compliance with relevant regulations, including data privacy and retention policies.
• 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.
• 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 and Experience: Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business, Communications, Information Systems, or a related field. Three years of experience in program coordination, project management, compliance support; Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Experience in program or project management, including coordinating activities, tracking progress, and supporting delivery across multiple interest holders.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks, priorities, and action items.
• Ability to organize and synthesize complex information into clear, practical outputs.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information in an understandable manner.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships across teams.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating with multiple interest holders.
• Experience in document review and development related to regulatory or compliance environments.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 tools including Excel, SharePoint, Teams, and PowerPoint.
• Adaptability to meet changing demands.
• Preferred Knowledge and Skills:
• Familiarity with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements and programs.
• Experience working in the public transportation sector.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a standard hybrid office environment.
• This position will be expected to work three days per week in the office.
• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

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.