| Location | Chicago, IL |
The final salary will depend on the candidate's qualifications. Those with 8 years or more of required experience can expect offers up to the midpoint of the salary range. Metra provides full pay ranges so candidates can consider their growth potential.
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Qualified veterans who meet the minimum requirements will receive outreach during the recruitment process in accordance with Federal and State laws, including the Illinois Veterans Preference Act. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview or job offer. The most qualified candidate will be selected.
Metra is one of the largest and most complex commuter rail systems in North America, serving Cook, DuPage, Will, Lake, Kane, and McHenry Counties. The agency is linking communities in Northeastern Illinois by providing safe, reliable, and efficient commuter service.
Information Technology is divided into four sections: Enterprise Applications, Railroad Applications, Network Services and Systems Development. The Enterprise Applications team is charged with implementing and supporting applications used enterprise-wide at Metra, such as the new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and HR, Payroll and Timekeeping systems. The Railroad Applications team is charged with implementing and supporting applications used to support Metra's Transportation, Mechanical, and Engineering functions. The Network Services section has two distinct groups: IT Support and Network Operations. IT Support maintains and supports the agency's personal computers as well as computer aided design (CAD) systems for the Engineering Department and point-of-sale terminals. Network Operations builds and maintains the servers and storage that are replacing the agency's mainframe, the data network, e-mail system and disaster recovery capabilities. Systems Development develops, maintains, and supports all application systems built in-house, across all business functions.
Reporting to the CIO, the Senior Director, Infrastructure and Network Services is the enterprise authority for network, data center, cloud connectivity, and infrastructure resiliency-accountable for secure, reliable, and compliant service delivery for ~4,000 users, ~4,000 endpoints, and 350+ locations in a 24x7x365 operating environment. The role holds final decision rights for infrastructure architecture/standards, owns availability, disaster recovery, and continuity outcomes, and serves as executive incident leader for major events impacting mission-critical services. This position directs a $10M+ annual capital/operating portfolio, governs strategic vendors/telecom partners, and drives multi-year modernization road maps that reduce enterprise risk, strengthen cybersecurity posture, and enable organizational performance objectives.
The primary duties include: Enterprise Infrastructure Strategy & Architecture Authority: Establish and enforce enterprise infrastructure reference architectures and standards across network, data center, cloud connectivity, and platform services. Serve as final design approval authority, balancing risk, resilience, cost, and performance; institutionalize architecture governance and technical debt management. Define multi-year capability road maps aligned to executive priorities; translate road maps into funded, sequenced programs with measurable outcomes. Service Reliability, Resilience & Continuity Ownership (SLA/OLA/DR): Own availability, performance, capacity, and resiliency outcomes for mission-critical infrastructure services operating 24x7x365 supporting ~4000 users, ~4000 endpoints across~350 locations. Establish and govern service targets (SLA/OLA), reliability engineering practices, resilience metrics, and service assurance reporting. Accountable for disaster recovery strategies, continuity architectures, and restoration readiness (testing, exercises, fail over validation). Enterprise Risk Leadership & Security-by-Design Governance: Embed cybersecurity and compliance requirements into infrastructure designs, operations, and vendor deliverables; ensure audit readiness and control effectiveness. Partner with SOC to manage infrastructure risk exposure, vulnerability remediation posture, and regulatory obligations. Define and enforce infrastructure policies/controls (e.g., segmentation, privileged access, secure configuration baselines) aligned to industry best practices. Operational Excellence (ITSM) & Major Incident Executive Leadership: Lead the infrastructure operating model using ITSM disciplines (incident, problem, change, configuration, knowledge) to improve stability and reduce repeat events. Act as executive escalation leader and incident commander for major incidents; drive post-incident root cause, corrective action, and systemic prevention. Govern change risk, release readiness, and operational maturity across distributed environments and vendor towers. Enterprise Program Delivery & Modernization Execution: Oversee large-scale modernization and life cycle programs (refresh, expansion, cloud connectivity evolution, data center strategy) ensuring integrated delivery across teams and vendors. Ensure platforms meet current and future business demand while improving reliability, security, and operational efficiency. Provide executive-level reporting on delivery status, risk, dependencies, and service outcomes. Promote safe work practices and maintain and foster a safe work environment. Perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.
Metra is a railroad employer subject to the provisions of the Railroad Retirement Tax Act, not the Social Security Administration.