Division Manager or Manager, Fare Integration

The Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), formerly the Regional Transportation Authority, was created by the Illinois General Assembly and Governor JB Pritzker to make transit across northeastern Illinois work for riders as one regional transit system. NITA is seeking to fill a critical role with the newly formed Division Manager or Manager, Fare Integration position for the Capital Programming & Planning department.

The incumbent reports to the Director of Planning & Performance and leads the development, coordination, and implementation of NITA’s regional fare policy framework as outlined in the NITA Act. This position serves as NITA’s principal technical and policy resource on fare structure, farebox recovery strategy, equity analysis, and the integration of fare payment systems across the three operating divisions. The Division Manager will play a central role in the region’s transition to a unified fare system by 2030, working closely with CTA, Metra, Pace, the NITA Board, and external stakeholders to build a regionally coherent, financially sustainable, and equitable fare system.

NITA sets regional fares, service standards, and schedules across the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra, and Pace; plans and funds regional capital investment; and oversees the performance and finances of the three Service Boards serving riders across Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties.

As of September 1, 2026, NITA has expanded authority under Public Act 104-0457. People who join NITA now will help build the systems, policies, and partnerships that shape regional transit for years to come.

As NITA’s unified fare requirements and duties are determined through the transition process, this position will lead their team and coordinate with the transit agencies and partners to deliver a more unified fare system for riders.

Accountabilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead the design and ongoing refinement of NITA’s regional fare policy framework, including fare structure recommendations, transfer policy, discount and subsidy programs, and multi-modal pass products.
• Develop analytical models to assess the revenue, ridership, and equity impacts of proposed fare changes across CTA, Metra, and Pace.
• Serve as NITA’s program manager for the integrated regional fare system required under SB 2111, coordinating with CTA’s Ventra platform, Metra’s ticketing infrastructure, and Pace’s payment systems toward a unified, interoperable architecture by 2030.
• Manage vendor relationships, interagency agreements, and technology roadmaps in coordination with NITA IT, legal, and procurement staff.
• Develop and track a detailed implementation plan with milestones, risk registers, and contingency frameworks; report progress to the NITA Board and operating divisions on a regular cadence.
• Coordinate with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and other external stakeholders to ensure program alignment with federal requirements and funding eligibility.
• Conduct Title VI and environmental justice analyses for all proposed fare changes, ensuring NITA’s fare policies do not disproportionately burden low-income, minority, or transit-dependent riders.
• Develop and maintain regional fare equity framework drawing on ridership data, demographic analysis, and peer benchmarking to inform policy recommendations.
• Track the performance of existing fare discount and subsidy programs (including reduced-fare programs, employer pass partnerships, and subsidized programs targeting low-income riders) and recommend improvements. Coordinate efforts and priorities with NITA’s Office of Disability Policy and Planning.
• Participate in strategies for engaging riders, advocacy groups, and community stakeholders in the fare integration…