Performance Management Specialist

Bison Rail Systems is a railroad engineering and construction firm serving transit agencies and rail properties across multiple U.S. states. Our workforce includes remote and home-based professionals as well as field employees working on-site at active transit properties.

This role coordinates the internal side of a new performance management program. Working alongside an external consultant, you will translate best practices into forms, processes, and training that fit both office-based and field-based employees. You will coordinate development through Q4 2026, help launch the program company-wide on January 1, 2027, support the first quarterly review cycle, and hand the program off to the HR team by April 2027.

Success means every employee, from design engineers working from home to craft and field staff on rail projects, understands how they are evaluated, and every supervisor is equipped to run fair, consistent reviews.

Program design (Q4 2026)

• Serve as the day-to-day internal point of contact for the external consultant; track the project plan, schedule meetings, and keep deliverables on deadline.
• Gather input from leadership, HR, project managers, and field supervisors to define performance expectations, competencies, and rating criteria.
• Develop the annual performance review form and the quarterly evaluation form, ensuring they work for both remote/office roles and field/on-site roles.
• Align forms and criteria with company values, job descriptions, safety expectations, and client/transit-property requirements (e.g., safety compliance, roadway worker protection, quality standards).
• Draft the program policy, guidelines, rating definitions, review calendar, and escalation process.
• Coordinate legal and compliance review to ensure the program is consistent across states and with any applicable union or collective bargaining agreements.
• Work with HRIS/IT to configure forms and workflows in the performance system, or set up a practical alternative (fillable forms, mobile-friendly access) for field employees.

Rollout and communication (Dec 2026 – Jan 2027)

• Build the communication plan: announcements, FAQs, employee guides, and timeline notices for all employees.
• Ensure field employees without regular computer access receive information through supervisors, job-site briefings, printed materials, or mobile options.
• Launch the program company-wide effective January 1, 2027.

Supervisor training

• With the consultant, develop training on setting goals, giving feedback, documenting performance, conducting quarterly check-ins and annual reviews, and avoiding rating bias.
• Deliver training to all supervisors and managers in multiple formats: live virtual sessions, in-person sessions at offices or project sites, and recorded/self-paced modules.
• Create job aids, conversation guides, and sample completed forms.
• Track training completion and provide follow-up coaching where needed.

Launch support and handoff (January – April 2027)

• Act as the go-to resource for employees and supervisors with questions about the program.
• Monitor completion of quarterly evaluations; send reminders and report status to leadership.
• Review completed evaluations for consistency and quality; identify calibration needs.
• Collect feedback after the first quarterly cycle and recommend improvements to forms, process, and training. Before the assignment ends, hand off all materials, documentation, and an ownership plan to the HR team so the program runs smoothly without this role.

Key Deliverables and Timeline

All design work is completed in Q4 2026 so the program can go live on January 1, 2027.

Timing

Deliverable

October 2026

Project plan with consultant; stakeholder input sessions; program framework and competencies

November 2026

Draft annual and quarterly forms; program policy and guidelines; legal/compliance review; supervisor training materials

December 2026

Final forms loaded in system (or distributed); supervisor training delivered; employee communications sent

January 1, 2027

Program launches company-wide

Q1 2027 (by end of March)

First quarterly evaluations completed; completion reporting; feedback review

April 2027

Handoff to HR: program documentation, training materials for new supervisors, lessons learned, and recommendations for the year-end annual review

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 2-3 years of HR experience, including at least 2 years designing or administering performance management programs; OR a Master's degree in Organizational Development, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Human Resources, or a related field in lieu of experience.
• Experience or graduate coursework in developing evaluation forms, rating scales, and competency frameworks.
• Ability to design and deliver training to supervisors and employees, both virtually and in person.
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Familiarity with HR compliance and confidentiality requirements across multiple U.S. states.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to write clearly for both office and field audiences.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office/Google Workspace and HRIS or performance management software.

Preferred

• Experience in engineering, construction, rail, transit, or another field-based or safety-sensitive industry.

Experience supporting a distributed workforce that includes remote employees

• Experience supporting a distributed workforce that includes remote employees and on-site field crews.
• Familiarity with union environments or collective bargaining agreements.
• SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, PHR/SPHR, or a training/OD certification.
• Experience launching a new HR program company-wide, including change management.

Work Environment and Travel

• Primarily remote, working closely with HR leadership, the external consultant, and supervisors across multiple states.
• Travel up to [25%] to company offices and active project sites, especially during the December 2026 training period.
• Site visits may require completing transit-property safety orientation and wearing required PPE.
• Q4 2026 is a fast-paced, deadline-driven period; some flexibility in schedule may be needed to reach field supervisors on different shifts.