Director - Rail & Mass Transit

Khatib & Alami

India

Ref: KP556-127

Job description / Role

Employment: Full Time

Job Summary

The Director / Senior Manager - Rail & Mass Transit is responsible for all rail and mass transit design activities, including the design of vertical and horizontal alignments, guideways and trackwork for transit (e.g. bus, light rail, heavy rail) projects and the development of rail and transit operations studies (e.g. intermodal studies, transit operations studies), within K&A. The jobholder is accountable for the performance of the Rail & Mass Transit Department across the firm. He is responsible to define and implement the Rail & Mass Transit Department’s strategy, develop and promote the business, oversee delivery, enforce policies and procedures, ensure quality, manage cost, capacity and utilization. The jobholder is also responsible to attract, develop and standardize rail and mass transit design capabilities across the entire firm. He shall stay abreast of the latest trends and developments in the rail and mass transit design space and represent the firm as a specialist in the professional engineering community and international forums.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AREAS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE ROLE

• Lead and manage the Rail & Mass Transit Department towards achieving the Rail & Mass Transit Department targets included in the Transportation Sector business plan
• Oversee design activities for rail and mass transit projects, including the design of vertical and horizontal alignments, guideways and trackwork for transit (e.g. bus, light rail, heavy rail) projects
• Oversee the development of rail and transit operations studies, including station location studies, intermodal studies and highway studies
• Set target budgets for rail and mass transit design projects proposals in coordination with Geography Managers
• Define design delivery model (location of design execution, outsourcing approach etc.) for projects to be delivered by the Rail & Mass Transit Department during the proposal development stage
• Share rail and mass transit design expert knowledge and support in identifying and assessing projects risks during the proposal development stage
• Support the VP / Senior Director - Transportation during the tender participation decision making process, taking into account the Rail & Mass Transit Department’s capabilities, capacities, resource requirements and outsourcing requirements
• Provide input on strategic partners for rail and mass transit design projects during the proposal development stage
• Identify, engage and negotiate with specialty suppliers required for rail and mass transit design projects
• Review and validate design delivery cost estimates for proposals led by the Rail & Mass Transit Department
• Review technical and commercial (excluding margins) Rail & Mass Transit proposal submissions, ensuring technical accuracy and adherence to K&A quality standards
• Prioritize ongoing rail and mass transit design projects, as needed, to optimize capacity utilization and safeguard K&A’s reputation with clients in coordination with the SVP - Infrastructure, the VP / Senior Director - Transportation and Geography Managers, as required
• Review and sign off schedule baseline, project scope, quality plans, budgets and risk plans and calculate and sign off Rail & Mass Transit Department man-hour estimates for the project management plan of projects led by the Rail & Mass Transit Department
• Ensure the assignment of Rail & Mass Transit Department design engineers to projects in coordination with Project Managers, as required by the projects’ scope
• Oversee development of rail and mass transit design and track projects across all design stages (concept design, schematic design, draft final design, tender and construction documents etc.)
• Provide technical advice to Project Managers and design teams during all design stages
• Review and sign off design deliverables prepared by the Rail & Mass Transit Department and ensure correct implementation of quality control measures
• Review and sign off value engineering activities for design deliverables prepared by the Rail & Mass Transit Department
• Ensure that rail and mass transit design project teams support the Quantity Surveying Department with the development of Bills of Quantities and specifications related to the rail and mass transit design scope, as required
• Ensure that rail and mass transit design project teams support Project Managers with input for client clarification requests, update of work programs and man-hour estimates and management of subcontractors and suppliers related to the rail and mass transit design scope, as needed
• Ensure that rail and mass transit design project teams support Project Managers with the resolution of RFIs and design conflicts resolution related to the rail and mass transit design scope during the Supervision stage
• Monitor progress of all ongoing rail and mass transit design projects, and provide support to Project Managers and design staff, as required

Requirements

Qualification, Technical Skills and Competencies Required to Execute this Role

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Engineering or Business Administration is preferred
• PMP certification is preferred
• Chartered Professional Engineering certification or equivalent is preferred
• In depth knowledge of the rail and mass transit design industry
• Sound knowledge of rail and mass transit regulations and design requirements
• Understanding of international engineering standards and codes
• Strong project management skills
• Marketing and sales skills and track record in developing relationships with customers
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and managerial skills
• Proficiency in spoken and written English; French is an advantage

Experience Required to Execute this Role

• 15+ years of experience in rail and mass transit design or proven track record in a leadership position at a design, engineering and project management consultancy firm
• Strong experience and track record in managing large and complex rail and mass transit design projects, including the design of vertical and horizontal alignments, guideways and trackwork for transit (e.g. bus, light rail, heavy rail) projects
• General experience in coordinating with other engineering disciplines typically involved in rail and mass transit projects such as architectural design, structural design, drainage, signaling, traction power design, etc.
• Experience with rail and transit operation studies, such as station location studies, intermodal studies and highway corridor studies
• Exposure to global best practices and trends in the Architecture, Engineering and Planning Industry, in particular related to rail and mass transit

About the Company

Khatib & Alami, a multidisciplinary urban regional planning, architectural and engineering consulting company, offers clients an integrated approach toward the ever-increasing need for reliable project delivery systems. In-house expertise and the continuous recruitment of bright and innovative professionals enable us to meet the challenges of development with due consideration to environmental protection, social and economic characteristics of society. In close concert with clients, we have been able to consolidate factors that make the resultant project coincide with the client's vision within the time frame and budget set out for implementation.

K&A started its consulting services in Lebanon and extended the areas of its professional activities in accordance with the growth of its experience, and its human and financial resources. The company operates in various countries including Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman, State of Qatar, State of Kuwait, Kingdom of Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Sudan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Belgium, Gabon and USA. K&A employs around 4,000 professionals and technicians. Since 1984, K&A has continuously ranked among the top 100 International Design firms as published by Engineering News Record (ENR). K&A has also obtained the ISO 9001:2000 certification for its Quality Management System (QMS).

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