Senior Director, Rolling Stock Strategy & Analysis

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.

Opening:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America's largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut. The MTA network comprises the nation's largest bus fleet and more subway and commuter rail cars than all other U.S. transit systems combined.

The MTA Rolling Stock Program is responsible for achieving the best value for the MTA's rolling stock acquisitions and ensuring dedicated attention to the acquisition and lifetime costs of these strategic assets. Acquiring and maintaining rolling stock that supports reliable service at the MTA's scale is increasingly data-driven, and the Rolling Stock Program's Strategy & Analysis team is central to that work. 

We expect every team member to understand how data-driven decision-making supports the Rolling Stock Program's mandate. We run A/B tests, launch pilot programs with operations staff, visit field facilities, and work to make sure that each day the MTA delivers on its mission to provide the best transit experience for New Yorkers. 

Position Objective:

Reporting to the MTA's Chief of Rolling Stock, the Senior Director leads the Rolling Stock Strategy & Analysis team. This team is a central pillar working across the entire Rolling Stock Program to forecast fleet acquisition needs and their financing costs, measure total cost of asset ownership, design operational plans to realize lifecycle savings, and size other opportunities for value creation through the acquisition and maintenance of MTA rolling stock assets. 

Acting as a key partner to senior executives across the MTA, the Senior Director fosters collaboration and innovation in support of the Rolling Stock Program's efforts to draft technical specifications that optimize TCO, align reliability incentives with manufacturers, and position the MTA as a more attractive customer to OEMs and suppliers. 

This position oversees the scoping and validation of high-impact initiatives through rigorous analysis and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that proposed solutions and associated implementation plans are practical and aligned with organizational goals. 

Working closely with operating units and HQ departments, the Senior Director ensures the development of realistic implementation plans for approved initiatives and provides sufficient support and tracking through execution. 

The Senior Director provides hands-on leadership to the Strategy and Analysis team, setting priorities, directing and challenging the team's work, and ensuring projects are delivered on time and achieve measurable results. The Senior Director will do this work across the MTA family, including operating agencies, legal, procurement, finance, data, and other departments in support of the Rolling Stock Program's mandate to achieve the best value for the MTA's rolling stock acquisitions and ensure dedicated attention to the lifetime costs of these strategic assets. 

Success in this role is measurable through improved rolling stock commercial outcomes and total cost of ownership optimization reflected in the MTA operating budget. Specifically, the Senior Director will: 

• Lead the team that creates total cost of ownership models for select MTA fleets
• As a result of the data and derived analysis, catalyze efforts to realize savings and optimize the total cost of ownership, including how the MTA might adjust technical specifications in future RFPs or operationalize plans to realize maintenance or other lifecycle savings
• Oversee the valuation of agreements for aftermarket parts, maintenance, and support, ensuring that analysis is connected to plans to realize savings and improve asset availability
• Oversee forecasting of fleet replacement and expansion needs, including project financing
• Oversee analysis of industry trends for new materials and approaches and validation of their feasibility in the MTA operating environment Success in this role will modernize the MTA's approach to rolling stock. 

This team member will be a founding member of a new MTA institution that -- from the time they join until long after they leave -- achieves the best value for rolling stock acquisitions and provides best-in-class tools for strategic TCO management across asset lifecycles.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the Rolling Stock Strategy and Analysis team in identifying and evaluating strategic opportunities to improve rolling stock commercial and operational value. Oversee comprehensive scoping and validation efforts through advanced data analytics and cross-functional stakeholder engagement. Partner with the Chief and senior leadership to ensure the development of robust, high-quality implementation plans for approved initiatives, proactively managing interdependencies across business units to enable seamless execution and measurable impact.
• Set priorities and provide strategic leadership and direction to the Rolling Stock Strategy and Analysis team in managing a diverse portfolio of high-priority initiatives at varying stages of development. Ensure disciplined project governance, effective risk management, and timely delivery of measurable outcomes, escalating major organizational issues to the Chief and other senior executives as appropriate.
• Manage stakeholder alignment around major adjustments to rolling stock technical specifications, specifically shifts to performance-based, rather than design-based, requirements that are available in a competitive marketplace and reduce customization and complexity where possible and beneficial.
• Select, develop, and motivate personnel within the department. Provide career development for subordinates. Provide prompt and effective coaching and counseling. Responsible for discipline/termination of employees when necessary. Review the performance of staff. Create a professional environment that respects individual differences and enables all employees to develop and contribute to their full potential.
•  Oversee initiative performance through rigorous monitoring, outcome-tracking, and executive-level reporting.
• Direct evaluations, including A/B tests and pilot programs, to evaluate operational improvements, new materials, partners, or other variables.
• Ensure the team’s analysis is grounded in MTA operations through field research, including visits to MTA facilities, routes, and direct engagement with operations staff.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to the Chief, supporting broader organizational priorities and initiatives that advance the mission and long-term vision of the Rolling Stock Program.
• Cultivate a high-performance culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability by promoting cross-team knowledge sharing and best practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Complies with all policies and standards
• May be required to work hours outside regular work hours, as applicable
• Observes the work performed by contractors, as applicable
• Reviews invoices and approves them if the work has contractual standards, as applicable
• Addresses performance issues with the contractor when possible, as applicable
• Escalates issues to other parties when needed, as applicable

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Experience working with data analytics and data visualization.
• Substantial experience with structured problem solving and project management.
• Ability to develop PowerPoint-type narratives with heavy data elements to influence and catalyze action by senior executives.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a high-profile, high-pressure environment effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with key internal and/or external stakeholders.
• Must have strong managerial skills to effectively direct a staff of professional and technical employees in implementing the short- and long-term goals and direction for the area(s) of responsibility.
• Demonstrated ability to complete short- and long-term projects effectively and as efficiently as possible.
• Demonstrated analytical capabilities and quantitative skills.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Arts/Sciences (BA/BS) in (various academic majors) or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. 
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in commercial strategy, supply chain, industrial policy, procurement, or transit/transportation sectors.

The Following is/are preferred:

• Master’s degree in Arts/Sciences (MA/MS) Advanced degree (MBA, MPA, JD, or relevant Master's).

Other Information

May need to work outside of normal work hours (i.e., evenings and weekends)

Travel may be required to other MTA locations or other external sites.

According 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 those concerning veteran status and individuals with disabilities.

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