Product Manager - ORCA; Term-Limited Appointment

Salary range is $78k to $180k, with a midpoint of $129k. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including:

• Health Benefits:
  We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401a - 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457b - up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off:
  Employees accrue 25 days of paid time off annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Employees at the director level and up accrue additional days. We also observe 12 paid holidays and provide up to 2 paid floating holidays and up to 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks of parental leave for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card:
  All full-time employees will receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement:
  Sound Transit will pay up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services.
• Compensation Practices:
  We offer competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity. In addition to compensation and benefits, you'll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues.

This is a Term-Limited role with an anticipated duration of 3.5 years.

This role provides a unique opportunity to be at the cutting edge of transit fare payment solutions, shaping how millions of passengers in the Puget Sound region interact with public transit systems. With a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction, achieving ratings consistently above 90%, the Product Manager will lead efforts in understanding customer needs, developing intuitive payment solutions, and continuously enhancing the user experience.

This position offers the chance to drive meaningful technological innovation, influencing industry best practices and ensuring the ORCA fare collection system remains a leader in transit payment solutions nationwide.

• Lead product initiatives for ORCA, the regional transit fare payment system, from inception through completion, ensuring timely, cost-effective delivery within defined scope and budget.
• Develop and manage product roadmaps, clearly aligning product features with user needs, market trends, and strategic objectives.
• Facilitate regular multi-agency meetings, workshops, and stakeholder engagements across seven Puget Sound transit agencies.
• Drive the product and business planning processes for cross-functional and intra-agency teams.
• Coordinate agile methodologies, including backlog prioritization, sprint planning, sprint reviews, and retrospectives using the Optimal Product Process as a framework.
• Manage vendor and consultant relationships, specifically overseeing the main fare collection system integrator.
• Conduct market analyses, user research, and competitor evaluations to inform continuous improvement of product offerings.
• Provide comprehensive documentation, training, and ongoing support to stakeholders and operational teams.
• Manages ORCA related projects from scope development through project closeout and handover to operations. Develop and execute detailed project plans to be shared with stakeholders, vendors, and other ROOT staff members, defining clear milestones and deliverables.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks and issues, proactively communicating potential impacts and developing solutions.
• Ensures all projects are delivered on-time, within scope, and within budget while maintaining quality.
• Evaluate and optimize operational processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness of fare collection systems.
• Prepare and deliver presentations, status updates, and reports to leadership, stakeholders, and partner agencies.
• Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards across all project activities.
• Collaborate with technical teams to translate business requirements into technical specifications clearly and effectively.
• Actively identify market trends, assess peer products, and integrate user feedback to continuously improve product offerings. They will play a pivotal role in aligning product strategies with business objectives, translating complex technical information into clear and actionable strategies for stakeholders across the organization.
• The role will also encompass traditional project management duties, including detailed project planning, scope management, resource allocation schedule adherence, and risk management to successfully deliver projects within established timelines and budgets.
• Collaboration with multiple transit agencies across the region,…