Senior Director -Track Outage Coordination

Description

Position at Metro-North Railroad

Job Title: Senior Director - Track Outage Coordination

Department: Service Design

MTA Agency: Metro-North Railroad

Primary Location(s): New York, NY

Salary Range: $165,489- $206,861

Regulated/Safety Sensitive: Non-DOT Regulated/Not Safety Sensitive

Union Affiliation: Non-agreement

Closing Date (if applicable): Until Filled

Shift (if applicable):

Title 55-a (yes or no): Not Applicable

Other: Telework eligible

ABOUT THE AGENCY

MTA Metro-North Railroad is a dynamic organization, operating out of the jewel of New York City, Grand Central Terminal. We provide service to over 86.5 million customers, traveling in and out of New York and Connecticut. A subsidiary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Metro-North Railroad is one of the busiest commuter railroads in the nation. MTA Metro-North Railroad strives to provide a safe and reliable commute, excellent customer service, and rewarding opportunities for its employees.

Metro-North Railroad reserves the right to remove this posting before the Application Deadline.

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Director will provide strategic oversight of both the Track Outage and Analysis group and the Schedule Strategies and Terminal Planning functions. This role is accountable for the comprehensive review and final approval of all track outages systemwide, ensuring that each request meets established operational, safety, and planning requirements prior to authorization. As the designated decision-maker, the Senior Director will exercise sound judgment in evaluating outage requests, balancing service reliability, infrastructure needs, and organizational priorities.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Chair the weekly Track Outage Meeting, establishing and enforcing a standardized process for the review, analysis, and approval of outage requests in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders. Oversee the pre-meeting reconciliation process to ensure all track outage requests are validated, aligned, and ready for formal review. Lead the integration of annual and monthly planning cycles into the weekly track outage process to ensure alignment, continuity, and operational efficiency. Identify and resolve conflicts among competing outage requests during the planning phase, elevating critical issues to the Executive Leadership Team for resolution as needed. Utilize current service schedules to assess and analyze proposed track outages, ensuring alignment with available service windows and operational constraints. Provide leadership and direction to the team responsible for compiling weekly track outage requests from Maintenance of Way (MoW), Construction & Delivery, and the I&C Group. Oversee the end-to-end process for issuing both draft and final approved track outage schedules, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and timely communication. Partner with Maintenance of Way (MoW) and Service Design/Production to develop supplemental outage programs supporting routine activities such as track patrols, signal work, power maintenance, and inspections. Establish and implement electronic submission and approval workflows to streamline and standardize the track outage request process. Oversee the development and implementation of comprehensive dashboards to track outage requests and approvals, as well as develop and monitor performance metrics for Schedule Strategies and overall outage planning activities to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
• Provide strategic direction to all departments on the planning and execution of right-of-way inspections, ensuring an optimal balance between inspection requirements, track outages, and service delivery priorities.
• Coordinate daily with departmental stakeholders to monitor work progress, address emerging needs, and adjust outage plans as necessary to maximize productivity and operational efficiency. Oversee the development of detailed, subdivision-level outage plans for each Maintenance of Way (MoW) department, ensuring alignment with systemwide priorities and resource availability. Serve as a 24/7 on-call authority to provide guidance and clarification on outage scope, requirements, and operational considerations, ensuring timely decision-making and issue resolution.
• Ensure Capital Projects and Maintenance of Way (MoW) initiatives are fully supported throughout design and construction phases by defining track outage windows and providing strategic input on outage phasing. Direct and support the Terminal Projects and Strategies function in analyzing track outage impacts using both current and future service schedules to inform planning decisions. Serve as the primary liaison between the Operations Control Center and Service Design to facilitate the review and approval of both short-term and long-term track outage plans. Act as the departmental liaison for Construction & Delivery (C&D) contracts, providing critical input throughout all phases of project development-from preliminary design through final baseline-across various delivery methods, including design, design-build, and design-bid-build.
• Provide oversight and strategic direction for both long-term and monthly track outage planning processes, ensuring timely updates and effective communication to all tenant railroads.
• Select, develop, and motivate staff and provide career development for team members. Provide effective coaching and counseling. Manager team and individual performance. Create a professional environment that respects individual differences and enables staff to develop and contribute to their full potential.
• 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

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Required:

• Must have the ability to work closely and cooperatively with senior officers of departments and divisions to achieve common goals.
• Demonstrated ability to lead the development and implementation of operating plans and strategic business initiatives.
• Must have good quantitative abilities to be able to analyze operational and financial reports and statistics and be able to prepare concise and insightful reports in a timely manner to Senior Management.
• Must have familiarity with craft agreements and work practices common in Transportation and Engineering departments.
• Must have familiarity with budget management and reporting.
• Strong project management, coordination, and multitasking skills.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong Leadership skills with the ability to develop, motivate, and foster teamwork.
• Strong ability to exercise a reasonable level of independent judgment and decision making
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and planning skills with attention to detail.
• Must be able to work in a high-profile/high-pressure environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with all levels in the Company and outside agencies.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, etc.) and/or comparable applications.
• Ability to be on call 24/7 based on operational needs.

The following is/are preferred: None

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's Degree in Arts/Sciences (BA/BS) Business, Engineering, Transportation Management, Technology or related field. Demonstrated equivalent experience, education, and/or technical credentials to include four (4) additional years of related experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Minimum 12 years working with a transportation organization with a minimum of five (5) years of experience in Operations, Capital Programs, Engineering, and/or Planning.
• Minimum 10 years of experience managing staff, program and/or process.

The following is/are preferred: None

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Required: None

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").
• Final salary is determined experience, skillset, and alignment with compensation practices. The posted range reflects expected compensation and may be updated as market or business needs evolve.
• Employees driving company vehicles will be subject to License Monitoring and must complete defensive driver training once every three years for current MTA drivers; or within 180 days of hire or transfer for an employee entering an authorized driving position.
• To be eligible for consideration for a new role, current MTA employees must complete at least one year of service in their current role prior to applying. Additionally, eligibility to interview is contingent upon maintaining a satisfactory record of job performance, attendance, and disciplinary conduct.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/ADA DISCLAIMER

MTA and its subsidiary and affiliated agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers and encourage qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, including military service members, to apply.

If you seek a reasonable accommodation for a medical condition or disability, or for a religious practice or observance, to participate in the job application or interview process, please notify your MTA representative once you have been contacted regarding the role.

HOW TO APPLY:

For Internal Applicants: Log in to the My MTA Portal, click on the My Job Search tile, select the Careers link, search for the desired position, click Apply, and follow the on-screen instructions.

For External Applicants: Visit www.mta.info, click the "Careers" link located in the footer under the "The MTA" section, then click on "See All Open MTA Positions". Search for the desired position, click Apply, and follow the instructions.