Transit Section Manager - ZE

Salary

$ - $ Annually

Location

Seattle, WA

Job Type

Career Service (Exec)

Job Number

2026MT26404

Department

MTD - Metro Transit

Division

General Manager

Opening Date

02/24/2026

Closing Date

3/10/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

FLSA

Exempt

Bargaining Unit

Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines

Full- or Part-Time

Full Time

Summary

THIS OPPORTUNITY IS OPEN ONLY TO CURRENT KING COUNTY EMPLOYEES

Why King County Metro?

King County Metro is a national leader in sustainability, equity, and innovation. We are committed to creating a clean, resilient, and inclusive transit system that connects people and strengthens communities. Joining Metro means being part of a mission-driven organization that values collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

We offer a competitive executive compensation package, hybrid work flexibility, and an opportunity to shape the future of public transportation in the Pacific Northwest.

King County Metro is transforming how we deliver service; creating cleaner air, quieter streets, and more sustainable transportation that communities can count on. We're leading one of the most ambitious zero-emission fleet transitions in the nation, moving toward a 100% zero-emission fleet across all modes: 1,400 buses, 2,300 light- and medium-duty vehicles, and water taxi fleet. This transformation reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves air quality, and supports healthier communities, and will reshape how Metro delivers service, designs facilities, and partners regionally to advance climate action, equity, and operational excellence.

We are seeking to fill (1) one career-service position for a Zero Emissions (ZE) Transit Section Manager to lead this dynamic and complex program. The Zero Emissions Transit Section Manager role, also referred to as the Program Director, oversees the planning, investment, and implementation of Metro's fleet decarbonization strategy. The Program Director will guide over $2 billion in capital and operating investments-including new facilities and base conversion efforts, battery electric bus, light, medium and heavy-duty fleet transition, charging infrastructure, software technology, and operational processes and workforce development-to ensure a successful and equitable transition to a clean transportation future.

About the Role
The ZE Program Director leads the Zero Emissions Core Team within the General Manager's Office. The Program Director has 5 direct reports and 5 matrixed staff from across the department. The ZE Core Team is responsible for developing and coordinating zero emissions strategies and providing program oversight on zero-emissions investments, infrastructure and technology investments, operational deployment, policy development, reporting, change management and communications related to fleet decarbonization.

This position plays a pivotal role in shaping the agency's long-term fleet and facilities strategy and works closely with King County leadership, utilities, manufacturing and regional partners. The ideal candidate is a strategic systems thinker and is a collaborative, people-centered leader who thrives in complexity, communicates with clarity, and can move large initiatives from concept to delivery.

Job Duties

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work. As a Zero Emissions Transit Section Manager, you will:

• Align leaders around a shared vision and strategy for Metro's zero-emission transition, ensuring service planning, fleet deployment, facility design, workforce development, and utility partnerships function as an integrated system to achieve 100% zero-emission operations.
• Drive integrated program delivery through cross-functional leadership, directing the Zero Emissions Core Team and coordinating with operations, mobility, capital, finance, safety, technology, employee services, government relations, and communications around clear priorities, roles, and outcomes.
• Provide strategic oversight and influence for major investments, shaping more than $2 billion in capital and operational projects-including new battery-electric bus bases, facility conversions, and all fleet modes-to enable zero-emission service.
• Build partnerships and influence policy, securing funding and collaborating with utilities, jurisdictions, community organizations, elected officials, and industry leaders to enable large-scale clean energy and mobility investments.
• Advance operational readiness, performance, data analytics, and scalability, guiding pilots, testing, phased implementation strategies, and complex, high-risk initiatives that require long-range planning, disciplined execution, and cross-organizational coordination.
• Champion equity, governance, and risk management while creating public value, applying ESJ principles, strengthening collaborative decision-making structures,…