Assistant Director, Commercial Development

Description

Port Department Vision and Mission

The Port Department is one of the five-line department businesses of the PANYNJ.  It is responsible for managing the largest port complex on the East Coast and the second largest in the nation.  It operates a highly competitive and dynamic business in a very complex political environment.  The Port is a vital economic engine that provides over 500,000 jobs in the region and nearly $150 billion in economic activity.  

For the past 15 years, the Port has been preparing itself for the growing demand for increased trade resulting in more cargo and for the rapid migration to larger vessels carrying that cargo.  To date, the Port Authority has invested nearly $6 billion in new infrastructure and plans another $1.2 billion investment in the next several years.  Port tenants have also been investing to improve their ability to expand with nearly $2.8 billion of private investment to date and another $1 billion underway.

As a landlord Port, the Port Authority leases property to tenants that operate Port facilities.  Since we do not directly handle cargo, we must influence the efficiency and productivity of the port in more strategic ways.  This necessitates driving policy changes not only with tenants, but with other vital port stakeholders such as ocean carriers, trucking companies, railroads, warehouse and distribution facilities, and others.  Today, the challenges in this area continue to grow.  Improving Port productivity requires a more collaborative approach.  The Port Department has taken a strong leadership role in making the changes necessary to keep the Port of New York and New Jersey highly competitive. 

We must also be mindful that the Port must grow in a sustainable, resilient, safe and secure manner.     

The Port Authority is a unique government body serving both the States of New York and New Jersey and because of the mandate to be financially self-sufficient, increasing revenues while remaining competitive is a major challenge of the Port Department.

Functional Oversight

Reporting to the Port Department Deputy Director, the Assistant Director, Commercial Development provides strategic leadership and ensures the effective coordination and deployment of staff activities in support of Port Leasing and Property Development, Business Development and Industry Relations (Port Marketing); which also includes Port Efficiency and Intermodal Rail marketing and development.  This position is responsible for developing business strategy and for providing guidance to the Director/Deputy Director on the department’s overall business and financial performance.

Responsibilities

• Provides input and guidance for the department’s long-range strategic business planning efforts.
• Provides guidance and recommendations to the Deputy Director and Director on major policy issues for revenue generation and maximization in support of, industrial real estate initiatives, tenant leasing initiatives, and cargo growth strategies.
• Ensures all leases and the utilization of all port facilities is in conformance with business, financial, environmental, and other objectives of the Port Authority.
• Reviews present and future needs of the port facilities and/or agreement structures based on market and industry trends, cargo handling advancements, and organizational priorities.
• Provides oversight of external maritime relations and communications, and customer service and outreach programs.
• Provides strategic guidance to staff responsible for developing leases, managing relations with port partners, promoting the Port to existing and potential customers and coordinating efficient and effective services from port partners (i.e. road, rail and ocean carriers, terminal operators etc.).
• Establishes and implements procedures to protect existing and generate new revenue sources and obtain maximum productivity/facility capacity from expenditures, ensuring that the department generates the maximum net contribution to the Agency.
• Maintains contact with key industry personnel, tenants, public officials (i.e. Federal agencies) and other stakeholders essential to the future of the Port of New York and New Jersey. 
• Supports the identification and development of projects and initiatives that improve the reliability, productivity, and efficiency of the Port, enhances customer service, and improves the truck driver’s experience at the Port.
• Ensures staff compliance with agency policies, procedures, and management initiatives.
• Supports the Director in engaging executive Port Authority leadership, Executive Director, the Board of Commissioners and Board subcommittees around issues, trends, and changes in both the strategic and financial matters of the Port Department.
• The Assistant Director represents the Director and Deputy Director and may act on his/her behalf in their absence.
• Works collaboratively with internal Port Authority Stakeholders, including Finance, Law, Planning, Sustainability, Marketing and Government Relations in support of commercial initiatives.
• Utilizes and builds upon recommendations from the 2050 Port Master Plan to inform strategy and decision making.

Qualifications

Candidates must present the following qualifications to be considered eligible for this position:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in maritime, transportation, business administration, public administration, finance or other related field.  Advanced degree is highly desirable.
• Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible senior level management experience, preferably for an organization comparable to the complexity and size of the PANYNJ.
• Superior leadership abilities acquired through demonstrated record of increasingly responsible jobs. 
• Ability to communicate complex business, technical, financial, legal and political issues.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully managing all aspects of a large, complex organization including leasing, financial, strategic analysis, industry relations, marketing, business development and personnel management.
• Extensive knowledge of port/cargo industry
• Demonstrated experience in managing, leading, and developing a large diverse professional staff, with a proven record of effective team building.
• Demonstrated experience interacting and navigating in a complex organization.
• Demonstrated ability to manage conflict, build consensus, and facilitate problem solving and collaboration among various stakeholders.
• Strong transactional, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and be able to obtain a Transportation Worker’s Identification Credential (TWIC) issued by the US Department of Homeland Security.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should apply to this job by clicking on the "Apply Now" button and submitting a combined cover letter and resume. The Port Authority of NY & NJ welcomes veteran and military spouse applications.

Only applicants under consideration will be contacted.

About The Port Authority:

Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. The agency's network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than twenty three billion in annual wages and eighty billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center site, where the 1,776-foot-tall One World Trade Center is now the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey/Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.