Assistant Vice President, Deputy Project Executive

Job Summary

The Assistant Vice President, Deputy Project Executive, Signals & Train Controls is responsible for the overall management and delivery of complex Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) and associated head-end train control projects from project definition, planning, design, and procurement through systems integration, testing, commissioning, operational acceptance, and closeout for the business unit in the MTA Construction & Development (C&D) Delivery Department. This position is responsible for project management activities in the Project CEO capacity to ensure project delivery is safe, efficient, on schedule, within budget, and per project documents, contractual requirements, and relevant policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines.

The Assistant Vice President, Deputy Project Executive, monitors project status, mitigates risk, and resolves project issues, consulting with and providing recommendations to senior management for critical issue resolution.  This position coordinates project delivery activities with C&D and operating agency personnel and manages staff, contractors, consultants, and agency forces to safely and efficiently execute capital projects.

Responsibilities

The Assistant Vice President, Project Executive, is responsible for successfully managing and mentoring staff to deliver complex capital projects. Coordinate project activities through project close-out. Monitor project performance against established baselines and pursue opportunities for improved performance.

Identify project issues and risks and ensure timely resolution and mitigation.

Provide overall leadership and accountability for the successful delivery of complex Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) and associated train control projects throughout the full project lifecycle, from planning and design through procurement, implementation, testing, commissioning, operational acceptance, and closeout.

Manage and monitor overall project scope, schedule, budget, risk, quality, safety, contractual performance, and key milestones against established baselines. Identify variances and drive corrective actions and recovery strategies as necessary.

Lead and coordinate the design, procurement, development, integration, testing, deployment, and commissioning of ATS systems, ensuring technical activities remain aligned with overall project objectives and operational requirements.

Manage key ATS interfaces and project dependencies, including integration with CBTC, signaling/interlocking systems, ATO, communications/DCS, control-center infrastructure, radio systems, PA/CIS, and other operational systems.

Establish clear project priorities, responsibilities, milestones, and deliverables across internal teams, contractors, consultants, system suppliers, and other project participants, and hold responsible parties accountable for performance and commitments.

Identify and actively manage technical, schedule, cost, commercial, contractual, operational, and stakeholder risks and issues, ensuring timely mitigation, resolution, and escalation. Provide recommendations to senior management and facilitate executive decisions on critical issues, changes, and competing priorities affecting project delivery.

Oversee and coordinate system integration, testing, commissioning, cutover, and operational readiness, ensuring dependencies across systems, contracts, and stakeholders are properly planned and managed prior to revenue service.

Manage project implementation and cutover activities to minimize impacts to MTA operations and the riding public, including coordination of access, outages, service changes, operational support, and contingency planning.

Coordinate project activities with MTA C&D, operating agency staff, Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Safety, Quality, Procurement, Contracts, contractors, consultants, and other internal and external stakeholders.

Coordinate with MTA operating agency stakeholders to ensure required technical reviews, approvals, resources, access, training, procedures, operational support, and readiness activities are in place to support project delivery and completed in accordance with the project schedule.

Ensure project activities comply with applicable technical requirements, design criteria, safety and quality standards, codes, regulations, policies, procedures, and contractual requirements.

Ensure safety and quality are integrated throughout project delivery. Coordinate with Safety and Quality Management and oversee the development and implementation of applicable project management, quality, testing, commissioning, cutover, and work plans.

Work collaboratively with Development, Contracts, Department of Subway, and other departments throughout the project lifecycle, including development of project scope, requirements, design criteria, procurement packages, evaluation of bids/proposals, negotiations, change orders, and contractor/consultant evaluations.

Provide overall management of contractor, consultant, and system supplier performance, including staffing, schedule, deliverables, contractual obligations, change management, and resolution of performance issues.

Review and approve contract invoices and other project charges in accordance with established procedures and ensure expenditures are appropriate, properly allocated, and consistent with project progress and contractual requirements.

Ensure effective project controls, document control, configuration management, and records retention throughout the project lifecycle, including the quality, completeness, accuracy, and traceability of project documentation.

Manage the preparation and presentation of project status reports, executive briefings, dashboards, presentations, forecasts, risk assessments, recovery plans, research, studies, and other project documentation for senior management and key stakeholders.

Manage project reporting and coordinate responses to audits, inquiries, and oversight reviews from MTA and external oversight organizations.

Lead, manage, mentor, and develop project staff, including staff selection, coaching, training, performance management, and evaluation. Foster a professional environment that promotes ownership, accountability, collaboration, proactive problem-solving, continuous improvement, and employee development.

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Computer/Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and/or a related field.

Must have a minimum of fourteen (14) years related experience, including at least ten (10) years in the management of Head End Train Control Systems programs/projects such as Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) in a large, multi-faceted organization.

Significant experience delivering major ATS modernization, replacement, expansion, or upgrade programs for a large urban rail/transit system.

Significant experience leading the overall management and delivery of large, complex ATS, train control, signaling, or other systems-intensive transit capital projects through the full project lifecycle, from planning and design through procurement, implementation, testing, commissioning, and closeout.

Demonstrated ability to take end-to-end ownership of project scope, schedule, budget, risk, quality, safety, and contractual performance, proactively identifying issues and implementing corrective and mitigation actions to achieve project objectives.

Strong understanding of ATS and its interfaces with CBTC, signaling/interlocking systems, ATO, communications/DCS, control-center systems, and other operational systems, with the ability to manage technical dependencies and integration risks across multiple contracts and stakeholders.

Proven experience managing contractors, consultants, system suppliers, and multidisciplinary project teams, including monitoring performance, resolving issues, managing changes, and holding responsible parties accountable for contractual commitments and project milestones.

Demonstrated experience coordinating system integration, testing, commissioning, cutover, and operational readiness activities while managing dependencies and minimizing impacts to active rail operations.

Proven ability to provide strategic project leadership and executive-level communication, effectively coordinating with senior management, operating departments, Engineering, Procurement, Contracts, contractors, consultants, and other stakeholders to drive decisions, resolve critical issues, and successfully deliver the project.

Experience managing ATS software-intensive systems through requirements development, design, software development, systems integration, testing, commissioning, deployment, and operational acceptance.

Professional Engineer, PMP, or CAPM Certifications are preferred.

Significant experience in project management for major Signals and Train Control, CBTC/PTC projects with highly complex systems preferred.

Experience leading and managing contractors, subcontractors, or vendors.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Demonstrated ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with stakeholders at all internal levels within the organization.

Demonstrated ability to work in a high-profile, high-pressure environment effectively.

Must have focus and ability to deliver on results, organizational effectiveness, and continuous improvement.

Must be a proven leader as a change agent and creative/innovative thinker to align business goals with solutions to drive process improvements.

Must possess excellent team-building, listening, problem-solving, and prioritization skills.