Engineering Work Manager

About FLOW Consortium

FLOW Consortium operates and maintains Lines 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the Riyadh Metro, the largest metro operation and maintenance package in Saudi Arabia and one of the most advanced urban transit systems worldwide. It is a strategic alliance between Hitachi, Alstom, and Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, combining global expertise and proven capabilities to manage high-capacity rail networks. Located in Riyadh, the capital city driving Vision 2030, FLOW works within a complex, integrated environment demonstrating strong coordination, consistent execution, and high operational standards. The consortium is dedicated to providing safe, dependable, and efficient transit services while adhering to world-class operational, governance, and customer experience benchmarks, contributing to Riyadh's sustainable urban mobility.

Job Purpose

The Engineering Work Manager (Permit to Work) is tasked with overseeing and coordinating engineering access and works throughout the operating Metro network. This position ensures that all maintenance, engineering, and project activities are safely planned, authorized, and conducted with minimal impact on passenger services while maximizing network availability and asset reliability.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and control the Engineering Work Management process, including Permit to Work, track possessions, isolations, access control, and engineering work hours.
• Develop and sustain an integrated engineering work schedule to optimize access windows and possessions.
• Assess and approve engineering access requests, work permits, possessions, and isolations, ensuring safety compliance and minimal operational disruption.
• Coordinate access across tracks, stations, depots, tunnels, and system components for maintenance, inspection, testing, and project activities.
• Manage work requirements collaboratively with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Projects, Safety teams, contractors, and clients.
• Lead engineering work planning and possession review meetings, managing conflicting priorities among operations, maintenance, and projects.
• Ensure engineering activities adhere to railway procedures, the Safety Management System, contractual obligations, and client standards.
• Track engineering work progress, reporting on access usage, permit compliance, work completion rates, overruns, risks, and operational impacts.

Key Accountabilities

• Maintain robust governance over engineering works through effective application of EWM and PTW procedures.
• Ensure safe arrangements for possessions, isolations, and access to operational assets.
• Optimize integrated engineering work plans to support maintenance and project demands.
• Minimize interruptions to passenger services and protect network availability during engineering operations.
• Coordinate effectively among internal teams, contractors, and clients to deliver seamless operations.
• Comply strictly with safety, operational, contractual, and regulatory frameworks.
• Regulate contractor and third-party access to operational assets per approved protocols.
• Monitor performance of EWM activities to identify and implement improvements enhancing access utilization and work effectiveness.

Qualifications and Skills

• Proven leadership and stakeholder management abilities.
• Strong skills in planning, prioritization, and making informed decisions.
• Comprehensive understanding of operational and engineering safety principles.
• Capability to evaluate operational risks and balance competing engineering priorities effectively.
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills with multidisciplinary teams.
• Robust problem-solving skills suited to urgent, operational challenges.
• High attention to detail, emphasizing safety compliance and thorough documentation.

Experience Requirements

• At least 8 years’ experience in railway, metro, transport infrastructure, engineering operations, or a related safety-critical sector.
• A minimum of 3 years' dedication to engineering work management, including Permit to Work, access control, possessions, or isolations.
• Practical experience with PTW systems and possession and isolation management in railway contexts.
• Competence in coordinating maintenance, engineering, and project tasks within operational settings.
• In-depth knowledge of railway operational interfaces, safety management systems, and engineering risk mitigation.

Educational Background

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or a technically related field.