Senior Principal Engineer
About The Position
The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey is seeking a Senior Principal Engineer to lead the Engineering Department’s consultant services programs. The position is part of the Engineering Operations Division within the Operations Division, based at 2 Montgomery St, Jersey City, NJ. Reporting to the Program Director, Professional Services Unit, the role oversees the day-to-day administration and delivery of federal and non-federal consultant services programs that support the Agency’s Capital Plan, Engineering operations, and other strategic initiatives. The role leads a multidisciplinary team managing consultant service agreements and task order programs that provide engineering support across the Engineering divisions. As the department’s subject matter expert in consultant services administration and task order workflows, the Senior Principal Engineer ensures consistency, compliance, and operational excellence throughout procurement and program delivery. The position also supports program strategy, procurement planning, budget oversight, and compliance with funding authorizations, agreement limitations, and task order requirements.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Public Administration, Construction Management, or a related field.
- At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in contract procurement and administration, project or program management, or a closely related field.
- Experience managing projects, contracts, or consultant service agreements valued at $1 million or greater.
- Experience with enterprise business systems such as SAP, AVM, ERP, or similar contract and financial management systems.
- Demonstrated knowledge of procurement, contract administration, and consultant services program management.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to independently manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to communicate effectively with employees at all organizational levels, including executive leadership.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities, with exceptional attention to detail.
- Ability to remain composed under pressure while managing changing priorities and deadlines.
Nice To Haves
- Experience administering task order-based professional services programs for public agencies or large infrastructure organizations.
- Experience managing federal and federally funded consultant contracts, including compliance with applicable regulations.
- Supervisory or leadership experience managing multidisciplinary teams.
- Knowledge of Port Authority procurement regulations, consultant selection processes, and contract negotiation.
- Experience with B2GNow or similar supplier diversity compliance systems.
- Experience developing executive-level reports, dashboards, and performance metrics.
- Experience leading business process improvements and implementing operational efficiencies.
- Professional certifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Construction Manager (CCM), Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM), or similar credentials.
Responsibilities
- Lead administration of consultant services agreements and task order programs from solicitation through award and contract execution.
- Ensure compliance with Agency policies, authorized program amounts, agreement limitations, procurement requirements, and funding restrictions.
- Review and coordinate agreements, award letters, purchase orders, amendments, and related contract documents.
- Resolve complex contractual and administrative issues and promote consistency across Engineering programs.
- Support development and revision of consultant services program authorization documents.
- Oversee MWBE, SDVOB, and other Agency participation compliance using B2GNow and related systems.
- Monitor consultant compliance and reporting requirements throughout the program lifecycle.
- Develop reports and performance metrics for executive management and internal stakeholders.
- Ensure the accuracy and integrity of program data across multiple business systems.
- Serve as the Engineering Department’s subject matter expert for consultant services workflows and business processes.
- Coordinate with Engineering, Procurement, Legal, Finance, and other stakeholders to support efficient program delivery.
- Identify opportunities to improve policies, procedures, workflows, and system utilization.
- Troubleshoot issues involving consultant agreements, SAP, AVM, ERP systems, purchase orders, and related business processes.
- Support strategic planning and implementation of new consultant services initiatives.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team responsible for consultant services program administration.
- Foster collaboration across Engineering divisions and the Procurement Department to ensure timely and compliant procurements.
- Establish priorities, manage workload distribution, and promote continuous improvement within the team.
- Build and maintain productive relationships with consultant firms, internal stakeholders, and executive leadership.
- Represent the Professional Services Unit in meetings, presentations, and cross-functional initiatives.
Benefits
- Competitive benefits package
- Professional environment that supports development and recognizes achievement
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
