Director Force Account Strategy Oversight

This position is eligible for telework, which is currently one day per week. New hires are eligible to apply 30 days after their effective date of hire.

Summary

The Director, Force Account Strategy & Oversight (Budget) provides strategic leadership and oversight for the development, review, and monitoring of all New York City Transit (NYCT) force account–related budgets and charges that support MTA Construction & Development’s capital program. This role ensures that use of NYCT force account resources that support track access, including diversions (i.e. General Orders), construction flaggers, and work trains, are accompanied with strong budgetary controls, rigorous estimate validation, proactive monitoring of actual charges, and accurate forecasting of program-level support costs. The Director leads initiatives to streamline budget-related processes, improve cost accountability, and enhance transparency across the entire NYCT portfolio of capital projects. The role collaborates closely with MTA C&D Delivery business units, NYCT operating departments, and other stakeholders to ensure that budget decisions, cost reporting, and financial analyses enable effective capital project delivery. This position also plays a key role in building and supervising a growing team of analysts, fostering a culture of accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Budget Planning & Estimate Validation

• Estimate development & validation: Lead the development, review, and approval of cost estimates for NYCT force account labor, equipment, diversions (i.e., General Orders), construction flaggers, and work trains that support capital project execution.
• Financial controls: Establish and oversee strong budgetary controls to ensure estimates are accurate, well‑supported, and compliant with MTA policies, funding requirements, and approved project baselines.
• Standards & consistency: Develop, maintain, and continuously improve standardized estimating methodologies, benchmarks, templates, and financial assumptions to promote accuracy, consistency, and transparency across all MTA C&D capital projects.
• Cross‑functional alignment: Coordinate with MTA C&D Delivery units, NYCT operating departments, and MTA Finance to reconcile estimating inputs, validate financial assumptions, and ensure estimates reflect both operational constraints and project delivery needs.
• Process improvement: Lead initiatives to enhance estimating practices, strengthen data quality across financial systems, and streamline workflows to support timely and reliable estimate production.

Budget Oversight & Monitoring

• Budget tracking: Monitor portfolio‑wide performance of all NYCT force account budgets supporting MTA C&D capital projects, ensuring adherence to approved budgets.
• Variance analysis: Conduct detailed variance analyses to identify deviations between budgeted and actual support costs; determine root causes and recommend corrective actions to maintain fiscal discipline.
• Actuals monitoring: Oversee the review and validation of force account charges, including labor, equipment, and service delivery, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and alignment with authorized project work.
• Budget modification & forecasting: Review and validate proposed budget modifications, re-baselines, and updates based on emerging project needs, spending patterns, operational constraints, or schedule changes.
• Financial reporting: Produce regular and ad‑hoc reports and analysis for C&D and NYCT senior leadership, summarizing key spending trends, risks, cost drivers, and projections across the NYCT force account portfolio.
• Team leadership: Build, supervise, and mentor a team of analysts and managers responsible for budget and cost monitoring, estimates, reporting, and analysis; establish team workflows and performance expectations that promote accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Education and Experience

A Bachelor's degree in Transportation, Urban Planning, Business, Public Policy, Construction Management, Finance/Economics, or a related field.

A Master's degree in public policy, public administration, public affairs, or business administration is strongly desired.

Must have a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in Transportation Planning or Budgeting, Infrastructure, Finance, Planning, or a related field.

Must have a minimum of six (6) years of managerial experience.

Competencies:

Familiarity with the MTA network and/or the MTA Capital Program.

Experience with project planning, scheduling, and/or budgeting.

Familiarity with the MTA's policies and procedures.

Familiarity with federal funding rules and regulations.

Excellent organizational and presentation skills.

Demonstrated supervisory and/or leadership capabilities.

Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or similar applications, i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Preferred:

Familiarity with the MTA operating agencies and their support resource practices, procedures, systems, and/or applications.

Understanding of MTA service delivery, operations planning, and/or maintenance of way operations.

Knowledge of or experience with service diversion planning, flagging operations, and work train and/or shuttle bus operations.

Experience with public‑sector budgeting, forecasting, estimating, or cost control.

Familiarity with MTA budget and timekeeping systems (e.g., IMPACT, PeopleSoft, UTS) and related reporting tools.

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").

Selection Criteria

Based on evaluation of education, skills, experience, and interview.

How to Apply

MTA employees must apply via My MTA Portal. You can submit an online application by logging into My MTA Portal, clicking the My Job Search ribbon, and selecting the "Careers" link. Logging in through My MTA Portal will link your BSC ID number to your job application to identify you as an internal applicant.

Equal Employment Opportunity

MTA and its subsidiary and affiliated agencies are equal opportunity employers, including those 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.