Description

Position at Metro-North Railroad
POSTING NO.
6933
JOB TITLE:
Director of Operations Training
DEPT/DIV:
Operations Support and Organization Resiliency
WORK LOCATION:
Grand Central Terminal
FULL/PART-TIME
FULL
SALARY RANGE:
$122,014.00 - $160,143.90
DEADLINE:
Until filled
This position is eligible for teleworking which is currently one day per week. New hires are eligible to apply 30 days after their effective date of hire.
Metro-North Railroad reserves the right to remove this posting before the Application Deadline.
Opening:
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 to its employees.
Position Objective:
This position is responsible for supporting the Chief Operations Training Officer, in the overall management of the Department. The position plays a key role in ensuring effective training and development support to client departments, prioritizing goals, and initiatives, overseeing staff, and participating in long-term strategic planning. Ensures effective change management across the Department and with clients, in alignment with Department and Agency goals. As assigned, the position also provides consultation to client departments and Operations Training staff in identifying and/or implementing appropriate strategies to address needs. Takes the lead in department-wide initiatives, including coordinating across the Department and the Agency. Represents the Department at agency-wide or interagency meetings and forums. The position backfills all responsibilities of the Chief Operations Training Officer as needed and handles special projects/initiatives and other responsibilities as assigned.
Responsibilities:

• Work with client departments to foster productive working relationships and ensure effective training support in response to client department and Agency needs. Supports the Chief Operations Training Officer in the oversight of operations training and programs and initiatives, as well as performance management, organizational leadership review, and succession planning.
• Provides leadership in key department-wide and/or agency-wide initiatives, including coordination with other departments and Operations Training staff. Advises on initiatives and activities that promote maximum staff effectiveness. Supports the Chief Operations Training Officer in organizational design and development initiatives, including job re-design and organization restructuring. As needed, may represent the Agency and/or department at meetings, inter-agency forums, and special committee assignments.
• Provide oversight and consultation to client departments and Operations Training staff, including in identifying and implementing appropriate strategies to address needs.
• Participate in department-wide prioritization of goals and initiatives, as well as longer-term strategic planning. Monitor team progress to ensure department goals are realized and identify, recommend, and implement changes as necessary.
• Act as a backup on all responsibilities of the Chief Operations Training Officer as needed, and handle other responsibilities as assigned.
• Provide leadership to Operations Training staff by fostering a climate of collaboration, problem-solving, and teamwork for all stakeholders that support the corporate mission, value, long-range goals, and departmental initiatives; facilitate synergy and enhance employee development; establishing a culture of respect, integrity, trust and open communication and ensure employees feel supported and empowered to perform at their best to ensure trainees leave with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to support Metro-North's goals of safe and reliable service.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
Must have demonstrated ability in the following core competencies:
Leadership and Communications

• Provide strategic leadership and execution in training, organizational design, and development of organizational and employee competencies.
• Play a key role in Department-wide strategy development and implementation; contribute to the management team's strategic decision-making.
• Align and integrate learning and performance with organizational goals and strategies.
• Create and monitor key success indicators against business outcomes.
• Display excellent thought leadership and consultative skills.
• Demonstrate success working across businesses by building a foundation of communication and partnership; obtain commitment and action from others without direct authority.
• Demonstrate strong planning, organizational, analytical, and communication (verbal, written, presentation) skills.
• Demonstrate strong project management skills with the ability to take projects from concept to completion with adherence to deadlines, preferably in a technical, operating, and/or operations support environment.
• Demonstrate strong staff and resource management skills.
• Demonstrate excellent organizational and coordination skills with the ability to manage and progress multiple competing priorities.
• Encourage and implement a team culture and climate of continuous learning.
• Exhibit strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and foster teamwork.
• Effectively lead and manage a diverse staff in a complex operating environment.
• Work various shifts and locations as required.

Technical Training Expert

• Create and deliver effective and efficient training processes and services tailored to unique business needs, in line with strategic goals.
• Manage people and training-related costs.
• Ensure internal and external customer focus.
• Apply information technology appropriately to rapidly deliver quality training products and services.
• Provide working knowledge of automated Human Resources and learning systems (including TIMS, KRONOS, and LMS)

Performance Consultant

• Develop and align strategies with business and serve as an inside consultant for line management.
• Assist line managers in solving organizational, personnel, and change-related issues.
• Foster systems thinking, customer focus, and continuous learning.
• Strategically manage workforce development
• Keep current with business trends, rules/regulations, and the training implications.
• Change priorities while meeting deadlines.

Change Agent

• Understand the organizational culture and what is effective and ineffective.
• Demonstrate project planning skills and meet deadlines even as priorities change.
• Institutionalize change capability within the organization.
• Help line managers to lead and facilitate change.
• Act as a consultant in organizational effectiveness.
• Enhance management development.

Training Competencies

• Design, develop, implement, facilitate, evaluate, and measure training and development activities.
• Apply knowledge of adult learning principles.
• Forecast MNR training needs.
• Identify and correct unsafe conditions and work practices and emphasize the importance of safety to others.
• Analyze performance problems and implement solutions.
• Actively partner with management to identify training and development needs.
• Develop and maintain a network of contacts with third-party vendors and business partners.
• Provide working knowledge of multiple human resources disciplines including organizational change, employee relations, diversity, and performance management.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in, Education, Organization Development, Transportation, Engineering, or another related field. Demonstrated equivalent experience, education, and/or technical credentials, including a minimum of four additional years of related experience, may be considered in place of degree.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant experience, including developing training, delivering training, management development, and/or establishing and implementing effective strategic and business planning goals for a large and diverse organization.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience managing people, preferably a large, dynamic team.

The following is/are preferred, but other satisfactory combinations of relevant experience, education, and/or technical credentials will be considered:

• Experience working with a unionized workforce.
• Experience managing training and development initiatives in a technical, operating, and/or operations support environment, preferably in railroad operations.
• Direct experience in operations, including railroad operations.

Other Information
This position is safety-sensitive and subject to toxicological testing.
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").
Employees driving company vehicles must complete defensive driver training once every three years for current MNR drivers; or within 180 days of hire or transfer for an employee entering an authorized driving position.
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.