Application Administrator II

Department: Charlotte Area Transit System Department

Thank you for your interest in joining the team that keeps Charlotte moving, at a very exciting time for our organization. At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), we’re committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative transit services for our growing community, and we value employees who bring professionalism, passion, and a commitment to public service.

 

This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It’s an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region.

 

Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs.

 

The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.

SUMMARY

The Application Administrator II performs advanced professional work administering, configuring, supporting, and improving technology applications used by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). This position is responsible for maintaining reliable system operation while exercising independent judgment in system configuration, troubleshooting, and implementation activities.
Under general direction, the Application Administrator II serves as **one of the primary technical resources** for assigned transit applications, including Vontas OnRoute and GIRO HASTUS. The role works with operational teams, IT, and vendors to support system administration, integrations, upgrades, enhancements, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.
Application Administrators II may be assigned to specialized technology domains depending on organizational needs, including operational transit applications, fare technology platforms, or other technology environments supporting CATS operations.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Application Administration and System Ownership Support

• Provide application administration, configuration, troubleshooting, and ongoing support for Vontas OnRoute and GIRO HASTUS, coordinating with vendors and internal technical teams as needed.
• Configure system parameters, workflows, permissions, and integrations consistent with organizational standards.
• Monitor system health and proactively identify performance or reliability concerns.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and coordinate resolution of system issues.
• Recommend configuration improvements supporting operational efficiency.

User and Stakeholder Support

• Serve as a primary technical contact for assigned application users.
• Analyze user requirements and recommend system solutions or configuration changes.
• Provide training and guidance to users on system functionality and best practices.
• Support access management and role-based security controls.

Implementation and Enhancement Activities

• Lead portions of system upgrades, implementations, or enhancement initiatives.
• Participate in requirements analysis and solution design activities.
• Coordinate testing, validation, and deployment activities.
• Evaluate impacts of changes to operational workflows and business processes.
• Work with Transportation Operations, Maintenance, and business users to document workflows, analyze system gaps, gather requirements, and recommend application improvements.

Vendor Coordination and Technical Liaison

• Coordinate directly with vendors to resolve technical issues and implement system improvements.
• Review vendor recommendations and assess operational impacts.
• Monitor vendor performance related to assigned systems.
• Escalate risks or performance concerns appropriately.

Documentation and Knowledge Management

• Develop and maintain technical documentation and operational procedures.
• Ensure configuration changes are documented and traceable.
• Contribute to organizational knowledge repositories.
• Support standardization of documentation practices.

Continuous Improvement and Analysis

• Analyze system performance and recommend improvements.
• Identify opportunities to automate processes or improve system utilization.
• Support adoption of best practices in application administration.
• Participate in organizational process improvement initiatives.
  

Note on Specific Assignments:

Application Administrators may be assigned to specific technology domains depending on organizational needs. Assignments may include, but are not limited to:

• Operations Applications (e.g., scheduling, CAD/AVL, operational systems)
• Fare Collection Technologies
• Customer Information or Digital Systems
• Other operational or enterprise technology platforms supporting CATS services.

Assignment specialization does not change classification but may influence daily duties and required technical expertise.

Core Competencies

Technical Proficiency and System Administration:

• Ability to independently administer complex application systems.

• Applies advanced troubleshooting techniques.
• Maintains system stability and performance.
• Implements configuration changes responsibly.

Analytical Problem Solving:

• Ability to analyze operational and technical issues and recommend solutions.

• Evaluates system impacts and alternatives.
• Identifies root causes of problems.
• Applies structured analysis methods.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Ability to work effectively with users, vendors, and technical teams.

• Builds strong working relationships.
• Communicates technical solutions clearly.
• Balances stakeholder needs with system constraints.

Accountability and Quality Focus:

• Ability to maintain high standards of accuracy and reliability.

• Ensures configuration integrity.
• Maintains documentation accuracy.
• Supports organizational standards.

Communication:

• Ability to communicate technical information effectively across audiences.
• Documents processes clearly.
• Provides user guidance.
• Shares information proactively.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Application lifecycle management practices.
• System configuration and integration concepts.
• Software testing and troubleshooting techniques.
• Change management practices.
• Operational or enterprise technology environments.

Skill in:

• Diagnosing and resolving application issues.
• Coordinating technical activities with vendors.
• Analyzing user requirements.
• Developing system documentation.
• Communicating technical concepts effectively.
• Vontas OnRoute, MDT hardware, and IVLU configurations
• GRIO Hastus
• Genfare farebox integration
• APC systems such as IRMA 6 and IRMA Matrix
• Real-time passenger information systems

Ability to:

• Exercise independent judgment in system administration decisions.
• Manage multiple assignments simultaneously.
• Translate business needs into system configurations.
• Work collaboratively across departments.
• Maintain professional relationships with stakeholders.

Supervision Given to:

No direct reports, but may provide guidance or task coordination for Application Administrator I

Salary: $89,552.00 - 111,940.00 Commensurate with Experience

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Information Systems, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Seven (7+) years experience supporting or administering business or operational applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering enterprise or operational technology systems.
• Experience participating in system implementations.
• Experience with transit planning, scheduling, and CAD Applications / Systems.
• Experience working with vendor-supported platforms.
• Public-sector or transit technology experience.

Working Environment and Physical Demands

• Work performed primarily in an office environment with periodic visits to operational or technical facilities.
• Will require interaction with transit operations environments, control rooms, or field technology locations.
• Requires sitting, standing, walking, and use of computer equipment.
• Occasional work outside normal work hours will be required during system implementations.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.

Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.

Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.

The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or on the basis of actual or perceived gender as expressed through dress, appearance, or behavior.

Our culture is to serve the community honorably.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job.

You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby, where self-service application kiosks are available. They are located in our office at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. We are open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (EST), excluding official City holidays.

For questions about your application or the hiring process, please email [email protected]

The City of Charlotte is committed to making our services and programs accessible to all. Upon request, auxiliary aids, written materials in alternate formats, language access, and other reasonable accommodations or modifications will be provided. To make a request, please fill out the Innovation & Technology ADA request form or call 704.336.4120.

BENEFITS

The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees.

Click here to learn more about the City of Charlotte’s benefits.

The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.