Job Information
MTA Assistant Deputy Director – Standards, Specifications and Agreements in Various, United States
Assistant Deputy Director – Standards, Specifications and Agreements
Job ID: 10143
Business Unit: Metro-North Railroad
Location: Various, United States
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Department: Force Account Project Mngmt
Date Posted: Jan 14, 2025
Description
POSTING NO.
10143
JOB TITLE:
Assistant Deputy Director – Standards, Specifications and Agreements
DEPT/DIV:
Maintenance of Way (MofW)
WORK LOCATION:
New York, NY
FULL/PART-TIME
FULL
SALARY RANGE:
$ 107 , 570.49 – $ 139 , 971.24
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 ensuring that no third party’s activities ever impede the railroad’s ability to operate, to provide on-time passenger and freight rail service, and to expand operations as required by the economy. Performs this function through oversight of the processing, review and approval of project plans, agreements and entry permits for contractors, municipalities and 3rd parties for development along the railroad right-of-way and other railroad facilities. Manages the revision and correlation of standard plans, and resolves all real estate, insurance, engineering and legal issues associated with the above. Investigate and confirm Metro-North Railroad (MNR) property lines. Monitors current railroad industry standards for benchmarking in License and Permit fees, rents and other charges through various means including established professional relationships. Works closely with the Capital Engineering, Operating Capital, Procurement and Legal Departments, as well as other departments both at MNR and at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Headquarters, to provide timely and accurate railroad property lines and ownership data for use in the planning and execution of department decisions and actions.
Responsibilities:
PERMITS, LICENSES & CONSTRUCTION
Provide management oversight of the MNR Entry Permits Program. Expedite, approve and issue railroad permits to outside 3rd parties seeking entry to MNR property in a timely and efficient manner.
Develop, coordinate , and prepare transmittals and force account estimates on behalf of MNR departments for engineering proposals, entry permits, license agreements, easements , and maintenance programs for 3 rd party construction projects on or adjacent to MNR property.
Ensure MNR’s requirements and specifications for construction standards, entry permits , and utility crossings are provided to outside Engineering Firms, Utilities , and 3rd parties. Keep Engineering records, valuation maps, drawings , and document files up to date. Integrate new or newly found surveys and agreements.
Explore, discover , and investigate all background data for various proposed and existing construction projects that impact the public and railroad operations, to include: Stations / Parking Lot, Pedestrians Footbridge, Bike & Rail Trails, etc. Personally originate draft comments and provide them to the Operations Department in the name of the Vice President – Maintenance of Way. Oversee and coordinate all MNR, MTA Headquarters, and Connecticut DOT senior management reviews , and comments, and prepare the final documents for department head signature.
Accept and approve for submittal to MTA insurance paperwork submitted by third parties for Entry Permits and License Agreements. Identify problems with submittals. Communicate and explain deficiencies and work with the applicants and their brokers to resolve the issues.
Manage the Utilities’ (Con Ed, etc.) use of MNR bridges and tunnels, to carry their utility lines (gas, water, electric, communication, etc.) over roads, rivers , and other obstacles, and under mountains and city streets. Work with Capital Engineering on bridge replacement and repair projects to identify and resolve new or relocated utility crossings. Issue MNR licenses to the utilities and impose rental payments.
Oversee the coordination required to establish MNR Force Account support and supervision of third-party organizations needing to do construction work adjacent to, over , or under MNR property. Memorialize the agreements by writing the Force Account Agreement between MNR and the third party and send it to MNR’s Legal Department for official issuance to the third party.
CONTRACTS
Oversee and manage the coordination with Legal, Risk Management , and other MNR departments for all contracts and agreements necessary to protect MNR’s interests related to sale of property or the construction by state and local government agencies, and/or 3rd party firms and utilities. Based on the results of this coordination, develop the final recommendation for signature by the appropriate senior MNR official.
Benchmark Permit and License Agreement rates and other provisions with other freight and commuter railroads. Write MNR policy, incorporating industry best practices, and coordinate final drafts with the MNR Legal Department.
Write fact and experience-based opinion briefs for use by the Legal Department to be used as evidence in support of the Legal Department’s actions.
Assess and identify legal issues with pending permit, easement and license actions, and provide reviews to the MNR Legal Department. Oversee the resolution of potential legal issues with the requesting organization and the MNR Legal office.
REAL ESTATE
Research and collect all information regarding third party license requests and ascertain potential impacts on MNR’s operations. Determine the appropriate permissions that MNR will grant the license requestor, write the legal language required for the permit and prepare the legal documents. Provide these documents to the MNR Legal Department for the addition of boiler plate language and final approval.
Advise and provide counsel to the senior management of the MNR Legal, Corporate & Public Affairs Departments, MTA Headquarters and Real Estate Departments, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation Property Management Department about real estate and property issues. Work directly with local governmental organizations from the municipality to the federal level. Personally resolve real estate and/or project disputes / issues and adjudicate construction project proposals.
Resolve issues stemming from decommissioned utilities (power, sewer, water, etc lines) on MNR property. Coordinate with the operations, infrastructure investment and Real Estate departments of the service utilities (i.e. Consolidated Edison, Eversource etc.) and with the MTA Real Estate’s property management consultant. Manage the entire decommissioning process.
Coordinate with, and support, GIS positions in long term planning to maintain accuracy and currency of GIS, updating as necessary. Must be able to accommodate changes to GIS positions’ work schedule on short notice to visit locations within the Metro-North Operating Territory to verify conditions as required to broaden the scope of the database. Work directly with the MNR Surveyor to incorporate any surveys recently performed or acquired.
Address the impact on Railroad property and/or operations of proposed municipal actions announced in hearing notifications. As the MNR deputy, resolve any issues with the municipality. For issues requiring higher level impact, formulate an action plan and coordinate it with MNR’s Executive Leadership Team, legal counsel , and the MTA Real Estate Office.
GENERAL
Research and respond to questions and issues from a variety of internal and external sources which may not fit into the above three categories to either provide an answer or a reasonable course of action.
Oversee and manage the digitization of hard copy records and the organization of digital records related to MNR entry permits, I&C projects, and MNR construction permitting.
Maintain currency in Railroad Operations and cross train in construction management practices to support other department members.
Investigate, coordinate and resolve MNR Customer Service Department issues pertaining to real estate boundary disputes, impact of railroad operations on local communities, etc.
Review Accounts Receivable Trial Balances regularly to confirm Force Account balances are sufficient to address remaining Entry Permit work and alert I&C to rising debit balances.
Required Qualifications:
Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
Demonstrated understanding of how a railroad works and what it requires to operate unimpeded.
Familiarity with passenger and freight rail transportation operations.
Familiarity with MNR territory, or ability to acquire this knowledge within three months of hire.
Extensive knowledge of rail transit entry permits and crossing agreements.
Strong familiarity with construction practices of an operating rail system.
Knowledge of federal, state and local laws and regulations (i.e. Railroad Law 93, Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) New York State/International Building Codes, FELA) applicable to Railroad Operation and land ownership.
Knowledge and understanding of valuation maps, and knowledge of how to use them for resolving legal and real estate issues.
Ability to coordinate and oversee actions of multiple departments for task completion (Matrix management).
Demonstrated ability to handle numerous, complex and disparate tasks simultaneously with frequent interruptions.
Demonstrated initiative as evidenced in taking on responsibilities over and above the job description.
Originate, map, identify resources and construct new initiatives for completing tasks .
Familiarity with coordination of work with outside vendors/contractors.
Excellent understanding of Legal terms and processes as they apply to Real Estate and Tort Litigation.
Working knowledge of the insurance requirements and documentation applicable in a Railroad environment.
Well-developed comprehension of what a contract is and how it works.
Working knowledge of business accounting practices especially Accounts Receivable.
Strong Customer Service skills.
Knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word and Excel) or comparable applications.
Excellent written and oral skills.
Working understanding of GIS and its application in a railroad or other transportation mode environment.
Strong document and internet research skills.
Experience in researching land title documents.
Strong project management skills.
Must have a valid driver’s license.
Strong competency in Railroad Operating and Safety practices.
Ability to perform site visits along any part of MNR’s Operating Territory in New York and Connecticut in all weather conditions to photograph and/or video site conditions and/or otherwise document them.
Required Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s Degree in a science or related field with a minimum of seven (7) years of demonstrated experience in reading and interpreting, site plans, real estate plots, tax parcels, railroad valuation maps , and engineering drawings.
Understanding of how a Railroad Maintenance of Way Department functions and is organized (Track & Structure, Power, and Communications & Signal) .
A minimum of five (5) years of experience working on, or with, an operating railroad (passenger, freight, or transit), in a managerial position dealing with operational and/or real estate or construction matters.
A minimum of five (5) years of experience in record keeping (“Hard Copy”) and database management (Software) or equivalent training/education.
A minimum of five (5) years of experience managing a professional staff/diverse workforce and/or projects.
The following is/are preferred, but other satisfactory combinations of relevant experience, education, and/or technical credentials will be considered:
Degrees in Engineering, Engineering Technology , or Construction Management are preferred.
Knowledge of CAD or a comparable application .
Knowledge of American Railway Engineer Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) standards and practices concerning clearances and construction.
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.