Director Strategic Initiatives

Description

JOB TITLE:                     Director of Strategic Initiatives
SALARY RANGE:         $117,785 - $150,000
HAY POINTS:                 954
DEPT/DIV:                       Strategic Initiatives
SUPERVISOR:               Chief Strategic Initiatives
LOCATION:                   2 Broadway
HOURS OF WORK:    9:00 am - 5:30 pm (7 1/2 hours/day)               

SUMMARY:

The Director of Strategic Initiatives identifies, executes, and coordinates strategies across the MTA family that improve effectiveness, efficiency, and service quality. Initiatives led by the director are essential to achieving MTA’s targets for recurring savings that are a cornerstone of the MTA’s Financial Plan. This position will address key operational, strategic or policy issues by instilling best practices and leveraging modernization opportunities. The selected individual must be able to garner cooperation and support from both senior executives and agency/ department experts.

Continuous improvement across the MTA is essential for fostering a culture of high performance and excellence and cultivating it is one of the foundational duties of this position. The work of the director should result in strategies and programs that upgrade MTA business practices in both service delivery and administrative operations support functions.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work on high-profile initiatives for MTA executive leadership and senior operating agency leaders to improve MTA’s economic efficiency, service quality and overall performance.
• Work with the newly consolidated departments to structure and then mine data available through MTA's databases to identify areas of opportunity for more efficient or cost-effective operations, in service of the operating agencies or other HQ departments.
• Lead headquarters and interagency working groups to execute projects critical to reshaping MTA into a more innovative and cost-effective agency.
• Lead efforts to implement ‘best practices’ (e.g., human resource and financial processes, operational work processes, workers compensation management, staff availability management, procurement and IT management in HQ and agency decision-making processes, particularly about responsibly managing operational and administrative costs.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Strong interpersonal skills with an established record of successfully completing projects by obtaining group consensus and cooperation among people with no direct reporting relationship to the position.
• Excellent quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills, together with demonstrated proficiency in business case development and implementation planning.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with the talent to discern different contexts and audiences and to reach consensus on strategy.
• Demonstrated skills in redesigning administrative and operational business processes.
• Must be able to follow through with implementation in a complex organization and assess need for adjustments to achieve success.
• Demonstrated skills in redesigning administrative and operational business processes.
• Must be able to follow through with implementation in a complex organization and assess need for adjustments to achieve success.  Demonstrated skill in working with labor partners on achieving common goals.
• Must be capable of building a strong and successful network, developing new relationships, and influencing decision makers.
• Demonstrated leadership skills in team and/or group settings, including team process and staff development skills.
• Ability to prioritize among competing needs and opportunities and manage multiple projects at the same time.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

REQUIRED 

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent),
• A minimum 7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in consulting, finance, administration, or public transportation agency.
• A minimum of 2-5 years managerial experience in a large corporate or government organization with responsibility for identifying, analyzing, and implementing new business practices and strategies.

PREFERRED:

• Master’s Degree preferred. 

OTHER INFORMATION:

Pursuant to the New York State Public Officers Law & the MTA Code of Ethics, all employees who hold a policymaking position must file an Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure (FDS) with the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (the "Commission")             

Equal Employment Opportunity

MTA and its subsidiary and affiliated agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers, including with respect to veteran status and individuals with disabilities. 

The MTA encourages qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, including military service members, to apply.