Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) · 1 month ago
Director, LinkUS Program Controls
Central Ohio Transit Authority is seeking a Director for the LinkUS Program Controls who will provide strategic leadership in developing and overseeing program-level controls for high-capacity transit corridor projects. The role involves managing budgeting, financial controls, risk mitigation, and performance measurement to ensure successful project delivery.
RailroadTransportation
Responsibilities
Lead the development and implementation of program-level control systems to support corridor planning, design, right-of-way (ROW) acquisition, utility coordination, procurement and construction
Implement and maintain program controls tools (e.g., Primavera P6, SAP, Oracle, Unifier, e-Builder, Procore), coordinate data across design, procurement, and construction teams
Lead a centralized controls team and coordinate closely with corridor-level project controls, finance, procurement, risk management, and executive leadership
Manage budgeting and financial controls for the LinkUS Program, providing leadership through planning, design, and capital delivery phases; and
Ensure integration of cost controls, schedule management, and earned value analysis to support effective project delivery and performance
Monitor progress against approved baselines and oversee the tracking and analysis of change orders and cost variances across the LinkUS program
Lead the identification and assessment of program risks, develop and maintain contingency budgets, and facilitate risk workshops, including FTA OP40-style reviews
Evaluate potential impacts and advise executive leadership on mitigation strategies to minimize risk exposure and ensure program success; and
Establish key performance indicators (KPIs), including cost-to-complete, schedule adherence, estimate at completion (EAC), and risk exposure. Develop and deliver monthly and quarterly performance dashboards
Deliver training and ongoing support to project teams to ensure consistent application of controls standards
Provides leadership to assigned COTA staff and project teams, as needed
Collaborate with the FTA regional office to support Small Starts and New Starts funding applications. Assist in ensuring compliance with FTA requirements and help substantiate cost estimates and contingency levels
Qualification
Required
Requires a bachelor's degree in business administration, finance or a related field
Minimum of five to seven (5-7) years' experience managing program controls in large-scale infrastructure (preferably transit) projects
Experience integrating cost, schedule, and risk at capital program level required
Preferred
PMP/EV certification preferred
Benefits
Medical, Vision, Dental, Supplemental and Life Insurance
Paid Parental Leave
Employee Discounts
COTA Bus Pass
Wellness Initiatives
On-Site Chair Massage
On-Site Health Coach
Tuition Reimbursement
Student Loan Repayment Program
Public Pension through OPERS & Ohio Deferred Compensation
Company
Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)
Central Ohio’s Mobility Solutions Provider. We connect communities every day with affordable transit options that open doors to opportunity for all.
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$1.7MKey Investors
U.S. Department of Transportation
2020-12-28Grant· $1.7M
Leadership Team
Recent News
2026-01-06
2025-10-09
2025-08-27
Company data provided by crunchbase