Assistant Deputy Director - Cmc Systems

Job ID: 5145
Business Unit: Metro-North Railroad
Location: New York, NY, United States
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Department: Crew Management Administration
Date Posted: Dec 22, 2023
Description
POSTING NO:
514 5
JOB TITLE:
Assistant Deputy Director - CMC Systems
DEPT/DIV:
Operations
WORK LOCATION:
GCT
FULL/ PART-TIME :
FULL
SALARY RANGE:
$ 98,205.00 - 1 28 , 893 . 80
DEADLINE:
January 12 th , 2024.
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.
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.
Position Objective :
The position will serve as primary contact and represent the Metro-North Crew Management Administration (CMC) in the implementation and maintenance of the new Crew Dispatching and Management System (CDMS) as well as the daily oversight and
maintenance of the existing Crew Management System (CMS). Liaise with the I.T. Project Management Office (PMO) and their vendor on the solution design, configuration, development, training, internal and parallel dry run testing, and final rollout of the new CDMS. Liaise with senior leadership on the progress of the project and coordinate subject matter experts to be assigned to the project as needed. Support and guide the CDMS project in the following major phases: mobilization and planning, design and configuration, development, testing (unit-, factory acceptance-, integration-, parallel-, performance-, and user acceptance testing ), implementation, rollout, training, and support. Oversee the planning and forecasting of train crew workforce demands to ensure effective and efficient utilization of T&E employees. Develop and ensure timely implementation of scheduling and other long-term workforce planning programs that align with special schedules, collective bargaining agreements , and budgetary initiatives.
Responsibilities :

• Manage, coach, train, lead, and supervise a team of internal staff towards the fulfillment of departmental goals. Work closely with Senior Staff to define, elicit, and enumerate CDMS and departmental objectives and strategies regularly .
• Oversee the application design, development, and testing process to ensure that CMC needs are being met with new products, submitting change requests to the I.T. PMO as appropriate. Identify future enhancements, document technical specifications for enhancements , and coordinate testing and implementation of enhancements. Work with MTA I.T. and vendors to address any software maintenance issues post-deployment.
• Working jointly with I.T. PMO, coordinate with other CMC Managers, various Metro-North Departments (Training, Licensing, Capital Trainmasters, Planning, etc.) , and MTA Departments (Labor Relations, Payroll, Human Resources, Hearings and Investigations, Payroll) to ensure CDMS design and workflow are workable, and delivered software meets their needs. Assist I.T. and vendor in interpreting requirements and other business processes utilizing interdisciplinary knowledge of railroad transportation operations and infrastructure knowledge and experience.
• Serve as the Workstream Lead for all CDMS to prioritize features, oversee the development team, and drive value-add from the CMC's perspective.
• Work with CMC Management, software vendor, and I.T. PMO to design the CMS/CDMS cutover plan(s) as to minimize risk and impact on real-time operations.
• Guide to vendors to support the transfer to a new CDMS platform. Review and provide feedback on all documentation submitted by the vendor to ensure accuracy. Perform tests to detect non-obvious random or systematic errors.
• Oversee the day-to-day functions of the current Crew Management System, support changes to meet operational needs, and work with IT and/or vendors to ensure continuity of functions to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
• Support field operations as needed, internally and in coordination with Track 25 and the Planning Department , any extra T&E crews needed to support service disruptions based on qualifications, and hours of service.
• Oversee the vendor performance in terms of meeting CMC needs, adhering to schedule, and quality of work, and providing regular feedback to I.T. PMO and senior leaders on project progress. Coordinate with I.T. PMO on all task items to ensure project milestones are completed. Work with I.T. Application Developers for integration of other existing or future systems.
• Oversee the development of end-user training materials and participate in end-user training and solution deployment. Manage the Organizational Change Management (OCM) process and liaise with MTA HQ as necessary to ensure that OCM serves CMC and Metro-North's best interests and is aligned with the long-term organizational strategic plan.
• Lead coordination with Capital Project Managers and Line Superintendents to effectively organize required Capital work schedules/assignments for crew book. Oversee the process and compliance with staffing train and engine employees to cover regularly scheduled assignments, planned/unplanned absences, increases/decreases in Capital Flag work, and changes to assignments for special/holiday schedules.
• Oversee the development and daily provision of ad-hoc and morning operational reports. Work with other CMC managers to implement or enhance these reports as necessary. Maintain long-term data storage for historical record purposes. Perform long-term trending analysis of CMC data as required by senior management. Develop, implement, and modify both short and long-term reporting on labor costs, including vacations, holidays, vacated train assignments, guarantee and relief days, etc.
• Provide coverage and support to other CMC managers to meet daily operational needs.
• Provide supervision and guidance to the CMC Workforce.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications :
Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Knowledge of Collective Bargaining Agreements, Operating Rules (MNR & NORAC), Federal Rules regarding the operation of trains and equipment, Federal Hours-of-Service Rules, line operations , and equipment programs.
• Working knowledge of application development using agile methodology (or similar model) • Strong planning, time management , and organizational skills. • Broad-based and interdisciplinary knowledge of passenger railroad transportation operations and infrastructure ( e.g., schedules, equipment inspections, Control Points, CTC, crewbases , dispatching, emergency management, flagging, track outages, etc.)
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to organize and direct the activities of subordinates and others.
• Must possess quantitative and analytical skills. Must have working knowledge of statistical methods and the ability to use statistical software packages to perform data analysis for quality control purposes.
• Strong oral and written communication skills to effectively communicate with all levels within the organization and external agencies.
• Knowledge of passenger railroad organizational structure, departmental functions, and business processes. • Proficient in Microsoft Office or similar.
• Must be proficient in Crew Management System (CMS) (or become proficient in six months)
• Must be proficient in TrainPlan Scheduling System or similar, (or become proficient in six months
• Ability in Excel to organize, format , and calculate data with formulas. Ability to develop SQL queries in MS Access or equivalent. Ability to develop scripts or macros to execute batch processes.
• Must be flexible to work late evenings and weekends.

Preferred Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
The selected candidate will be required to gain the following knowledge within 6 months:

• Knowledge of both ACRE 1 & ACRE 9 Collective Bargaining Agreements, MNR Operating Rules, and Familiarity with Physical Characteristics of MNR .
• Knowledge of Transportation Line operations, and equipment programs.

Required Education / Experience :

• Bachelor's Degree in Transportation, Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Public Administration, or another related field. Demonstrated equivalent education, experience , or technical credentials may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum of seven years of progressively complex experience in a Transportation Operations, Engineering, Maintenance-of-Way, or Maintenance-of-Equipment environment with emphasis on service delivery.
• Minimum of three years' experience managing a staff, projects, and/or processes.

Preferred Education/Experience/Training:

• Master's Degree in Transportation, Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Public Administration, or another related field .
• Project management, database administration, systems testing, or systems development experience is recommended.
• In-depth knowledge of mainframe systems or equivalent operating systems is preferred.
• Experience in statistical and quantitative data analysis is preferred.

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").
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.
Selection Criteria
Due to the competitive nature of the selection process, not all qualified candidates who meet the minimum requirements for the position are guaranteed an interview. To be selected for a position, one must meet the following criteria: (1) satisfy the minimum requirements listed in the job posting, (2) if applicable, successfully pass a written and practical exam, (3) satisfy a background investigation (including but not limited to, employment, education, and criminal history), and (4) pass a verbal interview. Metro-North may also require the applicant to undergo a physical ability test, and, if the Company extends a conditional offer, may require him or her to undergo a medical examination, which may include toxicological testing. Failure to pass any step within the hiring process will result in the disqualification of your application.
Additional Criteria for Current Employees: Current Metro-North employees must be in active service to be eligible for consideration. Agreement Employees applying for a position outside of their present craft are required to have worked in your current union for at least one (1) year preceding the Application Deadline to be eligible to apply for a posted position and have completed the agreed upon formal training commitment, including on-the-job training or lock-in requirement, if applicable (for example Signal Trainee, Foreman-In-Training, etc.). If you are transferring to another craft, you may be required to forfeit your seniority in your present union. Non-agreement employees must have worked in their current position for a minimum of one (1) year preceding the Application Deadline. Along with a background investigation (including but not limited to, employment, education, and criminal history), employees are also subject to an internal investigation, which includes an evaluation not limited to discipline records and performance assessments.
We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package. If interested, please apply online at www.mta.info
H ow T o A pply :
Qualified applicants can submit an online application by clicking on the 'APPLY NOW' button from either the CAREERS HOME page or the JOB DESCRIPTION page.
For instructions on completing the online application, go to the MTA intranet site and click on the PeopleSoft Information hyperlink. From there select the User Guides hyperlink to gain access to the "Viewing/Applying for Jobs Online" guide under the Recruiting section of the page.
Equal Employment Opportunity
MTA and its subsidiary and affiliated agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers, including 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.