Job Description

The Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corporation (Citilink) Seeks an Experienced and Progressive Leader

To Serve as General Manager/Chief Executive Officer

Description: The General Manager/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of Citilink (Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corporation) and is responsible for providing visionary leadership, strategic direction, and executive oversight of all agency operations. Reporting directly to the Citilink Board of Directors, the CEO ensures the organization fulfills its mission of Linking People to Life by delivering safe, reliable, financially responsible, and customer-focused public transportation services.

The CEO is responsible for balancing long-term strategic planning with daily operational excellence while fostering a culture of safety, accountability, innovation, transparency, and continuous improvement. This position provides executive leadership, direction, and oversight for all agency operations and activities, including Operations, Maintenance, Human Resources, Finance, Safety & Security, Planning, Marketing, Customer Service, Information Technology, Procurement, and Capital Projects.

The CEO serves as the primary representative of Citilink with elected officials, government agencies, regional partners, community organizations, labor representatives, the media, and the public. The position requires exceptional executive leadership, sound financial stewardship, labor relations expertise, political acumen, and extensive knowledge of the public transportation industry.

Salary Range: Expected hiring range: $160,000 - $185,000 depending on qualifications, education, and experience..

Why Citilink: Citilink connects people across Fort Wayne and Allen County to work, education, health care and everyday life. Northeast Indiana is the fastest growing regions in the country. The agency has an opportunity to strengthen the service riders rely on today while developing new private and public partnerships and ways to meet changing travel needs.

The next CEO will lead that work with a tenured and committed team. Fort Wayne offers the energy of a growing city and the relationships of a close-knit community. For a leader who wants to see the results of their work in people’s daily lives, Citilink is a meaningful place to lead.

General Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership to achieve the goals approved by the Board of Directors.
• Develop and implement long-range strategic plans that support organizational growth, service improvements, fiscal sustainability, and community mobility.
• Foster a culture built on safety, accountability, innovation, transparency, fairness, teamwork, and exceptional customer service.
• Serve as the chief advisor to the Board of Directors.
• Keep the Board fully informed regarding agency performance, financial condition, strategic initiatives, risks, and emerging opportunities.
• Develop and execute strategic initiatives that improve public transportation throughout Fort Wayne and Allen County.
• Lead organizational change initiatives that improve efficiency, customer experience, employee engagement, and financial sustainability.
• Serve as chief financial steward of the agency.
• Develop, recommend, and administer the annual operating and capital budgets
• Provide executive oversight for all transit operations to ensure safe operations, reliable service, on-time performance, ADA compliance, customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, asset management, emergency preparedness, service planning, and continuous operational improvement.
• Promote a safety-first culture throughout the organization by ensuring compliance with all applicable safety regulations and standards, including Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP), Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Drug and Alcohol Program regulations, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Develop productive working relationships with ATU Local 682 while maintaining positive employee relations throughout the organization.
• Lead and participate in collective bargaining negotiations.
• Serve as the primary spokesperson for the agency.
• Provide clear, transparent, and timely communication with employees, passengers, community members, Board of Directors, the union board, media, community stakeholders, government officials, and funding agencies.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of public transportation operations and service delivery.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and employee development skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with strong interpersonal skills and able to speak publicly before groups.
• Visionary executive leadership.
• Strong business and financial acumen.
• Extensive knowledge of public transportation systems.
• Strategic planning expertise.
• Strong labor relations and collective bargaining experience.
• Political awareness and governmental relations experience.
• Federal grant administration knowledge.
• Public procurement expertise.
• Organizational change leadership.
• Crisis management and emergency response experience.
• Data-driven decision making.
• High ethical standards and integrity.
• Collaborative leadership style.
• Ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Commitment to customer service excellence.
• Commitment to a safety-first workplace culture.
• Ability to analyze data, and create data and financial reports

Job Qualifications:

• Required:
• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Transportation, Planning, Finance, Engineering, Organizational Leadership, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible executive leadership experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years directing complex organizations with significant budgetary and personnel responsibilities.
• Experience managing public funds and developing annual operating and capital budgets.
• Experience working with governing boards or elected officials.
• Preferred:
• Master's degree in Public Administration (MPA), Business Administration (MBA), Transportation Planning, Organizational Leadership, or related field.
• Executive leadership experience within the public transportation industry.
• Experience with unionized workforces and collective bargaining.
• Experience with Federal Transit Administration grant programs and regulatory compliance.
• Certified Public Transit Manager (CPTM), Certified Transit Executive (CTE), or other applicable executive leadership certifications.

Equivalent combinations of education, training, and experience demonstrating the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.

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