Operational Readiness Manager

Kundlas Consulting Group LLC • New York, NY

5d

About The Position

The Operational Readiness Manager will support MTA New York City Transit’s Department of Subways (DOS) in the CBTC Modernization Program. The role will lead operational readiness and organizational transformation efforts required to transition DOS from conventional signaling systems to a CBTC operating and maintenance environment. The position will coordinate across MTA departments to ensure workforce, processes, resources, training, governance, and operational capabilities are prepared for successful CBTC implementation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Transportation Management, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Extensive experience in transit operations, rail operations, maintenance, or transportation systems.
• Demonstrated experience leading organizational transformation, operational readiness, or change-management initiatives.
• Strong understanding of Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) systems and their operational and maintenance implications.
• Experience developing and implementing operational readiness, transition, or transformation plans.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate across large, complex, multi-layered organizations.
• Experience working with executive leadership, technical teams, operational personnel, and frontline staff.
• Strong knowledge of operational governance, safety requirements, compliance, and program reporting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and stakeholder-management skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting a large urban rail or rapid-transit system.
• Previous experience with MTA, New York City Transit, or another major public transportation agency.
• Experience supporting CBTC implementation, signal modernization, rail systems integration, or similar transportation technology programs.
• Experience developing organizational structures and operating models for centralized rail operations and maintenance.
• Experience conducting workforce, process, resource, skills, and organizational gap assessments.
• Experience coordinating operational readiness with systems engineering, capital programs, testing, commissioning, and transition-to-operations activities.
• Experience developing workforce transition strategies, training programs, operating procedures, and maintenance procedures.
• Knowledge of transit safety management, systems assurance, configuration management, testing, commissioning, and operational acceptance.
• Experience coordinating staffing, budgets, procurement, and funding requirements for major programs.
• Professional certification or formal training in change management, project management, program management, systems engineering, or transportation operations is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of the operational readiness and transformation plan for the Department of Subways’ transition to CBTC.
• Define organizational, operational, maintenance, workforce, technology, and governance requirements necessary to support CBTC operations.
• Identify gaps in staffing, technical capabilities, training, procedures, systems, processes, and resources and develop strategies to address identified deficiencies.
• Establish operational-readiness milestones, deliverables, performance indicators, implementation schedules, and reporting requirements.
• Oversee implementation of the transformation plan and monitor progress against established readiness objectives.
• Coordinate implementation of new operating procedures, maintenance practices, workflows, systems, and organizational structures.
• Coordinate with Operations, Maintenance, Signals and Train Control, Information Technology, Finance, Procurement, Safety, Training, Workforce Development, and Capital Programs.
• Work with leadership to identify staffing, equipment, technology, funding, training, and other resources required to support CBTC operations.
• Ensure operational-readiness activities align with broader MTA and Department of Subways strategic objectives.
• Build and maintain relationships with executive leadership, technical departments, operational groups, program teams, and frontline personnel.
• Communicate organizational changes, operational impacts, implementation requirements, and readiness expectations to affected stakeholders.
• Plan and facilitate workshops, working groups, readiness reviews, coordination meetings, and training activities.
• Support workforce transition and training strategies associated with CBTC modernization.
• Ensure operational-readiness activities comply with applicable MTA policies, procedures, safety requirements, operating standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Integrate operational-readiness activities, risks, milestones, and performance measures into program governance and reporting.
• Support testing, commissioning, operational acceptance, and transition-to-operations activities.
• Develop and maintain readiness reports, dashboards, action-item logs, risk registers, implementation plans, and executive-level reporting.
• Capture lessons learned and incorporate findings into future modernization and operational-readiness initiatives.
• Promote continuous improvement, organizational adaptability, knowledge transfer, and long-term operational sustainability.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior