Compliance and Safety Manager

Description

The Role

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) Commuter Railroad is looking for a dynamic safety professional to join its executive team as the PATH Safety and Compliance Manager.

You will be responsible for developing the policies and procedures that lead to a continual improvement in safety culture and compliance to facilitate an inherently safe environment for our people and our riders on the 13-mile-long PATH Commuter Railroad system between Mid-Town Manhattan to Hoboken, New Jersey, the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan to Jersey City, New Jersey and from Hoboken and Jersey City to Harrison and Newark, New Jersey.

The purpose of this role is to develop, strategize, lead, mentor and direct transportation subject matter experts in operations, maintenance and renewal of train control, track, construction, and rolling stock assets for safety, compliance auditing and quality assurance.

This includes achieving relevant regulatory and corporate safety and environmental compliance goals that demonstrates PATH’s desire to proactively manage its safety risk exposure through its management of field­ based quality control and safety auditing inspections.

Reporting directly to the PATH General Manager, as a key member of the leadership team, you will be able to demonstrate previous experience in similar industrial environments where corporate and personal safety responsibilities are clearly defined and achieved. You will be able to operate strategically and tactically to ensure PATH meets its safety and compliance objectives. As a strong communicator you will, through your own strong safety leadership at both executive and frontline staff engagement, provide the relevant safety and compliance support and direction for PATH.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide professional safety and compliance support to the PATH GM organization with direct management responsibilities of the PATH System Safety and Environmental Programs Team.
• Strategize, direct, lead, own and account for all activities and deliverables of the Safety and Environmental Programs team while building strong relationships across all PATH divisions on safety leadership development.
• Implement effective governance on all of PATH’s safety and environmental requirements.
• Lead the preparation and undertaking of risk-based monitoring programs, safety audits, quality management inspections, safety action plans, safety accident prevention programs and various safety initiatives throughout all of PATH’s operating environments.
• Lead operational risk reduction initiatives in conjunction with PATH division leadership teams that will aid identifying challenging or hazardous working practice environments.
• Develop corrective actions and risk-based assessments by way of policies, procedures, and training as the output of all inspections and observations from the Safety and Environment and divisional management teams.

• Lead and/or participate in safety related meetings at Port Authority or other key stakeholders (kickoff meetings, progress meetings, design reviews, committee meetings, etc.) by representing PATH leadership while providing input and monitoring overall safety practice across PATH.

• Oversee the timely recording of all safety incidents, accidents, injuries, and fatalities as accurately as possible.

• Act as the lead safety competent person for workforce accidents and environmental incidents including providing expert advice on accident and incident investigation tools, techniques and best practice

• Present Safety data at executive and management cascades to identify causal trends and operational risks to PATH and Port Authority leadership.

• Support the PA Law Department by providing depositions for cases involving the general, public, PATH/PA employees, and contractor

• Manage, select, develop, train, and motivate subordinate staff to ensure departmental and corporate goals are met. Provide career development, counseling, and guidance. Conduct probationary and new hire reviews. Execute disciplinary measures and action plans when appropriate.

• Ensure close operational coordination with the Office of the Chief Health and Safety Officer, Office of Medical Services and Agency Safety Management Teams.

• Develop competence management frameworks for PATH to meet its long-term engineering and operational needs.

• Oversee PATH System Training, ensuring all training requirements are met, this includes, but not limited to new engineer and conductor training, annual crew refresher, track worker safety and all other safety training identified through competence such as OSHA.

• Provide oversight and mentorship to PATH Safety Chiefs and the Principal Accident/Injury Investigator to promote system safety.

• Be available to respond to serious operational incidents that occur outside of normal working hours, and, when necessary, represent PATH System Safety at incident Command Post operations and at PA OEM Emergency Operations Center activations.

• Responsible for coordinating work and resources among all levels of management, across departments both in PATH and the Port Authority, and among agencies to build positive working relationships and accomplish shared goals.

• Lead the co-ordination with PAPD and the PA Office of Emergency Management on the planning and facilitation of mutual aid emergency response drills utilizing both tabletop and full-scale exercises.

• Operate effectively in high pressure situations and exercise a high level of independent judgment and decision making.

Qualifications

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

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Safety Management, Business, Transportation, Public Policy OR a related field or an equivalent combination of education from an accredited college and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree; and
• Ten (10) years of full-time experience with either at least 5 (five) years of field safety auditing and quality control experience or Five (5) Years of recent transportation or heavy industry Field Safety Inspection leadership experience working across multi-disciplined and cross-functional lines.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in safety leadership or positions requiring an equivalent application of safety management systems, methodologies, practices, and skills in a large, multi-faceted, fast­ paced organization or governmental body preferred
• Experience forecasting, developing, and managing Divisional Budgets.
• Candidate must have basic computer skills including familiarity with Microsoft 365 Excel, Word and Outlook.

Desired

• Ten (10) years of experience with demonstrable working knowledge of the federal, state, and local regulations that apply to commuter railroad operations.
• Familiarity of specific safety-related regulations and procedures promulgated by the FRA, the FTA, OSHA, USDOT, the USEPA, NYSDEC, and NJDEP.
• Experience developing, negotiating, and managing contracts related to FRA and OSHA mandated training and PPE procurement.

Ideal candidates will present the following profile:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the FRA49 CFR Part 270, Part 225, Part 217, Part 219, Part 240 and 242 Programs.
• Able to quickly gain a working knowledge of Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) operations that supports the day-to-day operations of commuter rail operations, and the management of incidents, and accidents on rail cars and in and around stations and terminals.
• Working knowledge of New York City and New Jersey fire/life safety practices and codes and fire departments operations responding to and supporting of commuter rail incidents and accidents.
• Demonstrated strategic management skills, including strategic planning, decision-making, organization, project prioritization and management, resource identification and allocation, and project prioritization and management.
• Working knowledge of auditing techniques and the ability to develop operational audit plans. Strong analytical, problem identification and resolution skills. Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to provide direction; coach, develop and motivate staff; and foster teamwork.
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills, written communication skills, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to ensure complete confidentiality whenever applicable.
• Demonstrated experience being flexible and adaptable to change.
• Familiarity with PATH or a similar transportation industry physical characteristics.
• Familiarity with PATH or a similar transportation industry operating rules, equipment, infrastructures, and assets.
• Familiarity with PATH or a similar transportation industry Safety and Operational Rules, Policies and Procedures.
• Familiarity with safety practices encompassing roadway worker protection.
• Familiarity with rail transit assets such as car equipment, safety critical control systems, civil structures, e.g. bridges, tunnels, stations, facilities and track assets.

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.