Associate, Rolling Stock Strategy & Analysis

JOB TITLE:

Associate, Rolling Stock Strategy and Analysis

DEPT/DIV:

Rolling Stock

SUPERVISOR:                    

Chief of Rolling Stock Program

WORK LOCATION:

2 Broadway

HOURS OF WORK:

9:00 am - 5:30 pm (7.5 hours/day) or as required

FULL/PART-TIME

FULL

SALARY RANGE:

$77,059 - $96,324

DEADLINE:

Until filled

This position is eligible for telework, which is currently one day per week. New hires are eligible to apply 30 days after their effective date of hire.

Opening:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America's largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut. The MTA network comprises the nation’s largest bus fleet and more subway and commuter rail cars than all other U.S. transit systems combined. MTA strives to provide a safe and reliable commute, excellent customer service, and rewarding opportunities.

Job Summary:

The incumbent will support the Rolling Stock Program's efforts to draft technical specifications that optimize TCO, align reliability incentives with manufacturers, and position the MTA as a more attractive customer to OEMs and suppliers. The incumbent will support the creation of total cost of ownership models for select MTA fleets. As a result of the data and derived analysis, the incumbent will support efforts to realize savings and optimize the total cost of ownership, including how the MTA might adjust technical specifications in future RFPs or operationalize plans to realize maintenance or other lifecycle savings. The incumbent will value aftermarket parts, maintenance, and support agreements by connecting the output of a desk exercise to the reality of the operating environment. The incumbent will also support the other goals of the strategy and analytics function within the Rolling Stock Program, including building accurate forecasts for fleet replacement and expansion needs, modeling project financing costs, and tracking industry trends for new materials and approaches.

Responsibilities:

• Support interdepartmental and interagency working groups to execute projects critical to reshaping MTA into a more commercially-minded Rolling Stock asset manager. Projects assigned to the strategy and analytics team have a large quantitative and/or process design component. The Senior Manager, Rolling Stock Strategy and Analytics, will have primary responsibility for designing and executing the quantitative/analytical side of each project as well as supporting the project management/implementation side.
• Build total cost of ownership models for select MTA fleets and make recommendations to department leadership.
• Provide data-driven analysis and provide recommendations to inform critical decisions that impact the total cost of ownership for Rolling Stock. Examples include benchmarking operational and support functions, evaluation of historical cost trends, and relevant drivers. Build accurate forecasts for fleet replacement and expansion needs, model project financing costs, and track industry trends for new materials and approaches.
• Conduct financial analysis and business process reviews and provide recommendations for executive leadership to improve commercial outcomes, service quality, and overall performance. Value aftermarket parts, maintenance, and support agreements by connecting the output of a desk exercise to the reality of the operating environment.

Required for All Jobs:

• Performs other duties as assigned
• Complies with all policies and standards
• May be required to work hours outside regular work hours, as applicable
• Observes the work performed by contractors, as applicable
• Reviews invoices and approves them if the work meets contractual standards, as applicable
• Addresses performance issues with the contractor when possible, as applicable
• Escalates issues to other parties when needed, as applicable

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Ability and willingness to learn and apply analytical tools such as Python, R, or SQL as needed.
• Experience working with structured datasets (spreadsheets or data tables) and performing quantitative analysis. Comfort working with structured, relational datasets (e.g., tables with rows/columns, joins, and lookups).
• Ability to break down ambiguous, large-scale problems into concrete, executable tasks. Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills;
• Skills in analytical methods, including probability, statistics, and algorithm design. 
• Excellent quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills, together with demonstrated quantitative skills and proficiency in Excel modeling. Ability to analyze and interpret numerical data with tools such as Excel, Google Sheets, or basic statistical packages
• Clear written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to complete short- and long-term projects effectively and as efficiently as possible.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking capabilities, and problem-solving skills. Strong quantitative reasoning capability.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or comparable applications, i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with all internal levels within a given organization.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and interact well with external agencies.  External agencies may include the Governor’s Office for New York State, the New York City government, elected and other public officials, as well as any staff located at other federal or state agencies or authorities.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a high-profile, high-pressure environment effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with key internal and/or external stakeholders.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Arts/Sciences (BA/BS) or a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience, may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible experience in consulting, finance, engineering, or other highly analytic disciplines.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience performing analytical or quantitative work (including internships, research, consulting, operations analysis, or similar).

The Following is/are preferred:

• A Master’s Degree in business, finance, mathematics, statistics, or other highly analytical discipline may be used to substitute for up to 2 years of work experience.
• Academic or practical exposure to Python, R, SQL, or other analytical programming languages (introductory proficiency acceptable).
• Experience building simple analytical models or performing cost, financial, or benchmarking analysis.

Other Information

May need to work outside of normal work hours (i.e., evenings and weekends)

Travel may be required to other MTA locations or other external sites.

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”).

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.