Job ID: 7791

Business Unit: Metro-North Railroad

Location: New York, NY, United States

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Department: VP Operations Office

Date Posted: Jun 14, 2024

Description

POSTING NO.

7791

JOB TITLE:

Director, Operational Data Science & Systems

DEPT/DIV:

Continuous Improvements

WORK LOCATION:

420 Lexington Avenue, 10 th Floor

FULL/PART-TIME

FULL

SALARY RANGE:

$ 122 , 014.00 - $1 60 ,1 43 . 9 0

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 hire date.

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 its employees with a safe and reliable commute, excellent customer service, and rewarding opportunities .

Position Objective:

Develop and implement data-driven solutions to improve the efficiency, safety, and reliability of the railroad's operations. Metro-North Railroad (MNR) is pursuing major upgrades of the asset and transportation management system that will provide a significant improvement in available data to pursue predictive and prescriptive analytics. This position will establish the vision, processes, and team to provide MNR with actionable data analytics at all organizational levels.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement, this position is responsible for recruiting , mentor, and lead a team of data analysts and work closely with other departments to identify areas for improvement, develop analytics tools and techniques, and present recommendations to senior management.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and implementation of analytics projects to improve railroad operations, such as train schedules , crew management, and equipment maintenance.
• Manage and develop a team providing guidance, training, and coaching to ensure high-quality work output.
• Collaborate with MNR and MTA departments to develop integrated analytics solutions that align with the company's strategic goals. Partner with MTA/IT to design the optimal data architecture for leveraging Enterprise Asset Management and operations data for real-time and life-cycle decision-making .
• Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure operational performance, such as on-time performance, ridership, and maintenance costs. Design and develop dashboards and reports to provide insights into operational performance, monitor KPIs, and track progress against goals.
• Use advanced analytics techniques, such as machine learning and predictive modeling, to identify trends and patterns in operational data and develop insights that inform decision-making . Ensure data quality and integrity and help develop data governance policies and procedures with MNR/MTA stakeholders to maintain the accuracy and consistency of operational data.
• Manage Metro-North Railroad's operational interface with MTA/IT on all MNR data systems. Leads MNR team and department stakeholders in implementing Agile to achieve efficient results.
• Champion a sensor-based, data-driven operation and partner with departments to implement these solutions in current and future systems.
• Stay abreast with the latest trends and best practices in data analytics, transportation, and railroad operations, and apply this knowledge to improve the railroad's operations. Represent the company in industry associations and conferences to stay current with industry trends and best practices. Build relationships with external partners and vendors, such as software and technology providers, to ensure the railroad has access to the latest tools and technologies.
• Direct and control operating expenses and cost control measures. Ensure compliance with corporate policy and with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrated leadership of a team with the ability to foster teamwork and self-motivated employees.
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated problem-solving , analytical , and administrative skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including excellent presentation skills with the ability to effectively communicate with Senior Management, MNR Departments, MTA HQ's, Government and Community officials.
• Complete understanding of descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics.
• Experience with process mining or engineering.
• Business Intelligence, data management , and data mining experience.
• Working experience with varied and complex data sets building extract to transform load processes using scripting language.
• Experience with data-centric tools and technologies. Such as data lineage, dictionaries, and common data access.
• Experience with curating, organizing, and classifying data.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and manage complex projects in a fast-paced atmosphere.
• Excellent ability to coordinate the work and resources of several departments to accomplish shared goals.
• Excellent ability to define and direct data analysis projects. Understand the interplay of operational KPIs, data, and techniques to collect, and impact .
• Working knowledge of MS Office, and/or comparable applications.
• May be required to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Following is/are preferred:

• Familiarity with SQL, Python, Cognos, PowerBI , Tableau, R, CPLEX, Hexagon, Bentley Linear Analytics, ESRI, and other systems used to analyze data.
• Familiarity with union agreements and previous leadership of union personnel.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Data Science , Business Administration, Transportation Engineering, Computer Science, Statistics, Computational Mathematics, or related field. Demonstrated equivalent experience, education and/or technical credentials to include four (4) additional years of related experience may be considered in place of a degree.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience with increasing responsibility in a business environment with knowledge of transportation, project management, technology and/or related fields.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience managing a diverse workforce.

Other Information

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.