Director of Safety

Department: Charlotte Area Transit System Department

Salary: $126,009.00 - $181,137.64 Commensurate with Experience

Thank you for your interest in joining the team that keeps Charlotte moving, at a very exciting time for our organization. At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), we’re committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative transit services for our growing community, and we value employees who bring professionalism, passion, and a commitment to public service.

 

This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It’s an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region.

 

Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs.

 

The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.

SUMMARY

The Director of Transit System Safety provides strategic and operational leadership for safety across all CATS modes, including bus, rail, paratransit, construction safety and construction code compliance. Reporting to the CSSO, this role ensures compliance with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), state, and local safety regulations, and oversees implementation of the Safety Management System (SMS) and CATS’ Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP).
This position leads the Safety Management team, including modal safety managers, supervisors, specialists, and training staff, and is responsible for accident and incident investigations, safety compliance, training, construction safety, and video support for investigations. The Director drives a culture of proactive hazard identification, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement across all CATS operations and facilities.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Safety Program Leadership

• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of CATS’ SMS and PTASP.
• Led preparation for FTA audits, SSOA reviews, corrective action plans (CAPs), triennial reviews, special investigations, and regulatory compliance activities.
• Ensure safety compliance for bus, rail, and construction operations in accordance with federal and state requirements.
• Coordinate official agency response to federal and state safety findings, recommendations, enforcement actions, and requests for information.
• Provide oversight of cross-functional safety initiatives and monitoring involving Operations, Maintenance, Capital Programs, Emergency Management, and Quality Assurance
• Establish policies, procedures, and reporting structures to strengthen safety performance.

Incident and Risk Management

• Direct investigations of accidents, incidents, and near-misses, ensuring timely root cause analysis and corrective action.
• Oversee hazard identification and risk assessment processes across all modes.
• Coordinate with Risk Management on hazardous materials management and incident reviews.

Training and Compliance Oversight

• Supervise safety training programs for operators, supervisors, and support staff.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, NFPA, fire codes, and environmental health and safety standards.
• Maintain documentation and certification processes for safety compliance.

Construction and Facility Safety and Code Compliance

• Oversee safety and code compliance for capital construction projects, facility improvements, and other construction-related work.
• Ensure contractors comply with applicable safety requirements, construction codes, permits, approved plans, and CATS standards.
• Conduct or oversee site audits, inspections, and compliance reviews for facilities and projects.
• Coordinate with project teams, contractors, inspectors, and code officials to address hazards, deficiencies, and corrective actions. Leadership and Engagement

• Supervise safety managers, supervisors, and specialists across bus, rail, and construction.
• Build safety awareness through communications, campaigns, and recognition programs.
• Represent CATS with regulators, oversight agencies, and peer organizations on safety matters.

Resource and Budget Management

• Manage safety program budgets, resources, and grants related to safety initiatives.
• Recommend capital safety investments and technology upgrades to improve system safety.

Core Competencies

Transit Safety Leadership: Ability to provide strategic and operational leadership for system safety across bus, rail, paratransit, facilities, and capital project environments, and to translate agency priorities and regulatory expectations into an effective, organization-wide safety program.

• Establishes clear direction, priorities, and accountability for bus safety, rail safety, construction safety, and construction code compliance programs and staff. Aligns safety and code compliance activities with CATS’ mission, operating realities, and long-term system needs.
• Promotes consistent safety and compliance expectations across multiple modes, departments, and work environments.
• Reinforces leadership ownership of safety and code compliance outcomes throughout the organization.

Safety Management Systems and Regulatory Compliance: Advanced knowledge of Safety Management Systems, PTASP requirements, and related transit, occupational, fire/life safety, and construction safety standards, and the ability to apply those requirements in practical, sustainable ways.

• Leads implementation and continuous improvement of SMS and PTASP processes across the agency.
• Ensures safety programs and practices support applicable FTA, OSHA, NFPA, and related requirements.
• Establishes policies, procedures, reporting structures, and documentation standards that support compliance and accountability.
• Maintains readiness for oversight reviews, audits, certifications, and regulatory follow-up activities.

Hazard Identification, Investigation, and Risk Management: Ability to identify hazards, assess risk, direct investigations, determine root causes, and implement corrective and preventive actions that reduce exposure and strengthen system safety.

• Oversees hazard identification, reporting, and risk assessment processes across modes and facilities.
• Directs investigations of accidents, incidents, near-misses, and other safety events with attention to root cause and system factors.
• Uses risk-based thinking to prioritize mitigation strategies, corrective actions, and safety investments.
• Strengthens organizational learning by converting findings into process, training, and control improvements.

Construction Safety and Construction Code Compliance: Advanced knowledge of construction safety management, applicable construction codes and standards, plan review, permitting, inspection, testing, commissioning, and project acceptance requirements, and the ability to lead consistent application of those requirements across CATS capital projects and facilities.

• Establishes construction safety and code compliance expectations for project teams, design consultants, contractors, inspectors, and other responsible parties.
• Ensures project designs, construction documents, construction activities, and completed work are reviewed and inspected for conformance with applicable codes, permits, approved documents, contractual requirements, and CATS standards.
• Coordinates with authorities having jurisdiction, code officials, design professionals, contractors, and internal project teams to resolve code interpretations, deficiencies, nonconforming work, and project acceptance issues.
• Maintains accountability for permits, reviews, inspections, testing, certifications, corrective actions, compliance records, and closeout documentation.

Training, Safety Culture, and Workforce Engagement: Ability to build a proactive safety culture through communication, training, coaching, and visible leadership engagement that strengthens awareness, accountability, and safe work practices.

• Ensures safety training programs support employee readiness, role clarity, and regulatory requirements.
• Promotes safety awareness through communication campaigns, reinforcement strategies, and leadership engagement.
• Builds shared ownership of safety by engaging managers, frontline employees, contractors, and project teams.
• Uses training and communication as tools to prevent incidents and strengthen operational discipline.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Influence: Ability to work effectively across operations, maintenance, capital projects, risk management, and external stakeholders to embed safety into agency decision-making and resolve issues in complex operational settings.

• Builds effective working relationships with leaders and staff across multiple departments and disciplines.
• Coordinates with capital project teams, design consultants, contractors, code officials, authorities having jurisdiction, regulators, and partner agencies on safety planning, design and construction reviews, inspections, permitting, code interpretations, and issue resolution. Gains cooperation on corrective actions, mitigation measures, and safety priorities in environments with competing demands.
• Represents CATS credibly on transit safety and construction code compliance matters with regulators, code officials, authorities having jurisdiction, contractors, and external partners on transit safety matters with oversight agencies and external partners.

Leadership of People, Programs, and Resources: Ability to lead managers and specialized safety staff, establish performance expectations, and direct budgets, staffing, and program resources in support of risk-based priorities and organizational needs.

• Sets standards for leadership, responsiveness, technical quality, independence, documentation, and accountability across bus safety, rail safety, construction safety, and construction code compliance functions. Develops staff capability and supports effective supervision, succession readiness, and professional growth.
• Aligns staffing, technology, and budget resources with the most significant safety risks and operational priorities.
• Oversees multiple safety and code compliance programs while maintaining appropriate coordination, technical independence, and focus on long-term capability and performance improvement..

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Public transit construction safety principles, practices, and risk controls across bus, rail, paratransit, facilities, and capital project environments. Safety Management Systems (SMS), Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) requirements, and related FTA oversight expectations.
• Applicable OSHA, NFPA, fire/life safety, environmental health and safety, and construction safety laws, regulations, standards, and practices.
• Applicable building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, accessibility, fire/life safety, and other construction codes and standards relevant to transit facilities and infrastructure.
• Hazard identification, risk assessment, incident investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective action methodologies.
• Safety training principles, adult learning considerations, certification tracking, and compliance documentation practices.
• Safety audit, construction-site inspection, code compliance review, document review, testing verification, and field observation methods in operational and capital project settings.
• Public-sector program management, budgeting, grants, and resource planning related to safety initiatives and investments.
• Cross-functional operating environments in which safety must be integrated with service delivery, maintenance, construction, and organizational priorities.
• Construction permitting, plan review, inspection, testing, commissioning, occupancy approval, project acceptance, and closeout processes.
• Roles and responsibilities of authorities having jurisdiction, code officials, design professionals, contractors, construction managers, inspectors, and project owners in establishing and documenting construction code compliance.
• Construction documents, specifications, submittals, design changes, field modifications, nonconformance reports, corrective actions, and other records used to verify code and contract compliance.

Skill in:

• Leading bus safety, rail safety, construction safety, and construction code compliance programs in complex multimodal operating and capital project environments. Implementing and strengthening SMS, PTASP, hazard management, and corrective action processes.
• Directing investigations, analyzing incidents, and identifying practical, risk-based mitigation strategies.
• Conducting or overseeing safety audits, construction-site inspections, plan and document reviews, code compliance reviews, testing and commissioning verification, and project closeout reviews. Developing and supporting safety training and communication programs for varied audiences.
• Building effective working relationships with operations, maintenance, capital project teams, design consultants, contractors, code officials, authorities having jurisdiction, regulators, and partner agencies. Using data, trends, and findings to inform priorities, resource allocation, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Managing staff, budgets, and program resources in a way that aligns with operational risk and agency priorities.
• Communicating clearly and credibly on technical, regulatory, and operational safety matters. Interpreting and applying construction codes, safety standards, permits, approved plans and specifications, contractual requirements, and related technical documents.
• Evaluating designs, construction activities, field conditions, and completed work for safety and code compliance implications.
• Coordinating with authorities having jurisdiction, code officials, design professionals, project managers, contractors, and inspectors to resolve hazards, code deficiencies, nonconforming work, and conflicting requirements.
• Establishing documentation, escalation, corrective-action, and closure processes for construction safety and code compliance findings.

Ability to:

• Provide effective leadership for a comprehensive transit system safety program.
• Integrate safety requirements, risk controls and construction code compliance into planning, design, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning, project acceptance, operations, and maintenance decision-making. Exercise sound judgment during incidents, investigations, and other high-visibility or time-sensitive situations.
• Exercise sound judgment in interpreting code requirements and resolving conflicts among regulatory requirements, approved designs, contract documents, field conditions, operational needs, and project constraints.
• Distinguish between occupational and construction safety responsibilities, design and construction code compliance responsibilities, and the responsibilities assigned to project teams, contractors, design professionals, and authorities having jurisdiction.
• Hold managers, employees, consultants, project teams, and contractors accountable for timely correction and documented closure of safety hazards, code deficiencies, and nonconforming work.
• Identify systemic safety issues and translate findings into practical improvements.
• Influence leaders, employees, and contractors to support consistent safety practices and accountability.
• Balance regulatory compliance, operational realities, and long-term risk reduction in decision-making.
• Maintain effectiveness in field, office, and incident-response settings.
• Represent the agency professionally with safety regulators, code officials, authorities having jurisdiction, contractors, design professionals, oversight agencies, and external stakeholders on safety and construction code compliance matters regulators, contractors, and external stakeholders on safety matters.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in safety, engineering, transportation, occupational health, or related field.
• 8 years of progressively responsible experience in transit or transportation safety, including supervisory experience.
• FTA Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program (PTSCTP) certification.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in public administration, safety, or related discipline.
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or equivalent credential.
• Experience in multimodal transit safety program management.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.

Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.

Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.

The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or on the basis of actual or perceived gender as expressed through dress, appearance, or behavior.

Our culture is to serve the community honorably.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job.

You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby, where self-service application kiosks are available. They are located in our office at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. We are open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (EST), excluding official City holidays.

For questions about your application or the hiring process, please email [email protected]

The City of Charlotte is committed to making our services and programs accessible to all. Upon request, auxiliary aids, written materials in alternate formats, language access, and other reasonable accommodations or modifications will be provided. To make a request, please fill out the Innovation & Technology ADA request form or call 704.336.4120.

BENEFITS

The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees.

Click here to learn more about the City of Charlotte’s benefits.

The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.