Senior Performance Manager (O&M Metro)

SYSTRA is one of the world's leading engineering and consultancy groups specialising in public transport and sustainable mobility. With over 10,300 employees, SYSTRA's mission is to design safe and sustainable transport solutions to bring people together, develop social inclusion and facilitate access to employment, education and leisure throughout the world.

For 65 years, the Group has been working alongside cities and regions to contribute to their development by creating, improving and modernising their infrastructure and transport systems, throughout the life cycle of their projects. SYSTRA is involved from the earliest stages of design through to the testing, deployment and maintenance phases. The company provides all its services in over 80 countries worldwide and generates 74% of its turnover internationally. With its new services, SYSTRA supports its clients and partners in their digital, ecological and energy transition, in order to invent the mobility of tomorrow.

Context

Currently, we are bidding for the Project Management Services of a metro project in its operation & maintenance phase in Riyadh. The position of Senior Performance Manager is a key position in this opportunity. Potential start date for this opportunity is January 2026.

 

The Senior Performance Manager will lead the performance management and improvement strategy for the Project Management Services (PMS) scope of the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) of the Metro project. The Senior Performance Manager ensures the delivery of KPI-driven operational excellence, continuous improvement, and the achievement of contractual targets for service quality, reliability, and efficiency.

Missions/Main Duties

• Develop, implement, and manage effective performance management frameworks and processes to monitor, analyze, and report on all contractual and operational KPIs relating to the O&M PMS scope.
• Lead cross-functional teams to identify, prioritize, and execute performance improvement initiatives that enhance safety, service reliability, customer satisfaction, and efficiency.
• Establish and manage data collection, monitoring, and reporting systems (including the use of dashboards and business intelligence tools) to provide timely and accurate insights on operational and service delivery performance.
• Prepare detailed performance reports for internal management and client stakeholders, highlighting trends, risks, and recommendations for improvement.
• Responsible for measuring each of the O&M Contractor’s KPI performance and must be capable of evaluating and adjusting performance where and when required
• Work closely with Operations, Maintenance, Asset Management, HSSQE, and client representatives to ensure a unified approach to performance management and compliance with project requirements.
• Investigate performance deviations, conduct root cause analysis, and coordinate corrective and preventive actions.
• Support the implementation of best practices and continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma).
• Support internal and external audits, ensuring readiness and follow-through on recommended improvements.
• Lead performance-related communications and workshops, promoting a culture of transparency, accountability, and innovation.
• Ensure full alignment with contract requirements for performance, including the calculation, validation, and substantiation of performance-related incentives and penalties.
• Participate in client and regulatory meetings as the subject matter expert for performance management matters.

Profile/Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Business, Transport Management, or a related field. Advanced degree is preferred.
• Minimum 15 years’ relevant experience in performance management, with at least 7 years in a senior role within metro/rail O&M or transport environments.
• Deep experience with performance management methodologies, KPI development/tracking, process optimization, and data analytics in large, complex projects.
• Strong knowledge of contract management, preferably within a PPP or performance-based O&M environment.
• Hands-on experience implementing performance improvement frameworks (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, etc.).
• Exceptional skills in data-driven decision making, analytics, and reporting tools (advanced Excel, Power BI, etc.).
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to achieve performance objectives.
• Superior organizational, leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience in the Middle East/GCC metro sector is an advantage.
• Fluency in English required; Arabic is a plus.

Systra is an equal opportunities company; this position is open to all applicants.