Hybrid Deputy Director of Transit Technology, Rail en Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, MA

About the Department

The Deputy Director of Rail Technology will manage, operate, and maintain systems that monitor rail transit service, provide dispatching tools to operations staff, and are foundational to real-time service information for MBTA riders. They are responsible for ensuring that the MBTA is using high-quality, modern tools to empower front-line operations staff and manage transit service in real-time. 

This position reports to and works closely with the Senior Director of Transit Technology. Key responsibilities include service management tools for front-line staff (e.g., the Glides and Orbit dispatch apps), data integration across multiple adjacent systems (e.g., train control, schedules, asset management, rider information), and coordination of capital projects to modernize rail service technology. The Deputy Director coordinates closely with other Technology Innovation staff and contractors, as well as staff in MBTA Operations, Plans & Schedules, Vehicle Engineering, Information Technology, and others on regular system operations and aligns with strategic MBTA initiatives.   

Position Duties

• Responsible for service management systems used by rail transit dispatchers, field supervisors, motorpersons, and other operations staff to deliver high-quality transit service. These tools are sometimes called Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) or Computer-Aided Dispatch / Automated Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) systems. They allow for real-time monitoring, decision-making, and communication
• Establishes processes to ensure those systems meet a high standard for quality, availability, user support, security, modularity, and other best practices
• Ensure systems respond to evolving operational needs of the MBTA
• Decide how systems will be maintained and delivered (e.g., in-house technology staff, procurements)
• Coordinates with other departments’ capital projects MBTA-wide to deliver a maintainable, efficient, and effective technology architecture for these systems

Strategic Implementation

• Provide input into MBTA and departmental strategic planning processes to ensure the long-term quality of technology for MBTA riders and operations staff
• Review artifacts of strategic planning, to help refine them and identify unrealistic goals
• Help cross-functional teams think and act strategically towards goals and outcomes
• Proactively consider risks to team goals and outcomes, and escalate them as necessary
• Identify and prioritize opportunities to serve emergent MBTA and stakeholder-objectives

Stakeholders

• Maintain regular meetings and workflows with key program stakeholders
• Identify risks to stakeholder relationships and the need for investments in relationship-building
• Facilitate collaboration between teams and their stakeholders, balancing a positive vision with a strategic lens.
• Represents the MBTA with external stakeholders (e.g., public, private, academic, and other companies/institutions) to ensure the Authority is aligned with and driving industry best practices in the rapidly evolving transportation technology space

Vendor Management

• Hold vendors accountable to performance expectations, including by monitoring performance data and organizing relevant meetings
• Ensure use of vendors aligns with MBTA priorities, architecture, and strategy
• Review and approve vendor invoices as well as other routine documents and requests

Finance & Procurement

• Create and communicates analyses and artifacts that are inputs into both cyclical and one-off financial requests
• Manage routine finance processes such as capital forecasting
• Work with departmental internal ops team to manage procurement processes, including drafting RFIs/RFPs, creating evaluation criteria, and decision-making for vendor selection.

People Operations

• Draft job analyses and job descriptions for program staff (e.g., project managers, program managers)
• Provide inputs into job requirements for other functions working within the program (e.g., software engineers, designers, and product managers)
• Organize hiring panels, interview processes and facilitate decision-making about candidate selection
• Identify staffing gaps or needs for the outcomes owned by the program
• Managing or assist in onboarding of new team members
• Administer performance review processes for program staff

• Responds to each inquiry, whether from a customer, vendor, or co-workers in a professional and courteous manner.  
• Upholds the right and interest of the Authority while building an effective relationship with employees.  
• Assists in the management of a workforce by ensuring the fair and consistent application and strict adherence to the rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable) and policies of the Authority including the EEO, Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment and Anti-Retaliation policies.  
• Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned
• Available on-call to respond to emergencies outside of normal business hours (as part of a rotating on-call schedule)
• As a member of TID leadership, this role is responsible for leading, practicing and upholding TID’s working agreements, which are essential to the department’s success.

Additional responsibilities may include focus on one or more departments or locations.   See applicable addendum for department or location specific functions. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Five (5) years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience in Technology, Transportation Operations, and/or Transportation Scheduling and Planning.
• One (1) year of leadership experience 

• Experience with coding, scripting, or databases.

• Experience working with train control, CAD/AVL, ITS, or other transit dispatching or real-time technology
• Experience with product or project management practices in a technology company or civic technology (e.g., public sector digital team) context 
• Experience managing vendors or outside consultants

• Experience with GTFS, real-time APIs, or other open mobility data standards 

Preferred Experience and Required Skills

• Master’s degree in Transportation Planning, Computer Science, Engineering, Economics, Urban Planning, Data Science, Public Administration, or a related field 
• Public procurement experience 
• Consulting or management experience 

Job Conditions

• Adhere to rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable) and policies of the MBTA including the EEO, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and anti-retaliation policies.
• Ability to pass a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, background screening, and the MBTA’s medical requirements, including a physical examination and drug and alcohol screening. 
• Have a satisfactory work record for the two (2) years immediately prior to the closing date of this posting, including overall employment, job performance, discipline, and safety records (infractions and/or offenses occurring after the closing of the posting and before the filling of a vacancy may preclude a candidate from consideration for selection). 

Supervision

• Direct supervision of up to 5 employees or contractors.
• Indirect supervision of up to 15 employees or contractors who work on systems or teams under the responsibility of the Deputy Director. 

Minimum Education              

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Available to work as per assignment by the MBTA twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week as directed by supervisory staff for severe weather conditions, emergencies or any other circumstances that may potentially impact service or the safety of service

Other Qualifications

• A High School Diploma or GED with an additional seven (7) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor's degree requirement.
• An associate degree from an accredited institution and additional three (3) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor's degree requirement.
• A master's degree in a related subject may substitute for two (2) years of general experience.
• A nationally recognized certification, or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for one year of experience