Metropolitan Transportation Authority · 7 hours ago
Director, Product Development – Pensions
New York, NY
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$183K/yr - $216K/yr
8+ years expThe Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America's largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people. This role is responsible for overseeing the development of product lifecycles from inception through design, build, and ongoing management, focusing on pension administration and IT operations.
Transportation/Trucking/Railroad
Responsibilities
Strong functional understanding of pension administration processes, including benefits, eligibility, and compliance
Applies analytical thinking to assess data accuracy, troubleshoot system issues, and improve operational efficiency
Translates business needs into actionable system enhancements aligned with HR, Payroll, and Timekeeping requirements
Uses data insights to drive process optimization and automation across the pension platform
Defines and owns the product vision, roadmap, and lifecycle for the Oracle PeopleSoft-based pension application
Aligns product strategy with the organization’s pension administration goals, policies, and statutory requirements
Partners with HR business leaders to identify enhancements that improve efficiency and service delivery of pension applications
Oversees the architecture, configuration, customization, and maintenance of the PeopleSoft Pension module and related systems
Ensures data integrity, accuracy, and compliance with public sector pension laws and financial reporting standards
Manages integrations with HR, payroll, and financial systems to ensure seamless data exchange and process automation
Leads system upgrades, patches, and optimization initiatives in coordination with IT and vendor teams
Drives modernization initiatives, including system upgrades to the latest PeopleSoft releases, adoption of fluid UI, and potential cloud migration
Champions automation, self-service portals, and data analytics to enhance pension processing and member experience
Evaluates emerging technologies and best practices in pension administration systems to guide future-state planning
Leads a cross-functional team of PeopleSoft developers, analysts, and functional experts
Collaborates with HR, Payroll, Finance, and external agencies to ensure system alignment with business operations
Communicates project status, risks, and outcomes to executive leadership, governance boards, and public oversight bodies
Establishes processes for monitoring, reporting, and continuous improvement of pension system performance
Maintains strong controls to support transparency, accountability, and accurate pension benefit delivery
Possesses knowledge in an IT discipline critical to IT operations and a broad understanding of related domains (e.g., AI/ML, cloud services, cyber security, penetration testing, architecture, etc.)
Researches and implements new leading market practices
Establishes and enforces enterprise standards and best practices to inform the strategic direction of key IT disciplines such as AI/ML, cloud services, cyber security, penetration testing, architecture, etc
Possesses knowledge of UX principles to guide the development of products that provide a seamless and intuitive user experience
May collaborate with the cybersecurity team to conduct penetration testing and manage White Hat operations to safeguard our software assets
May contribute to the design and implementation of machine learning models and AI strategies to enhance our transportation computing offerings
May assist in the development and management of cloud-based infrastructure, ensuring scalability, security, and performance
Works closely with senior management to execute software development projects that align with the company's strategic goals
May support the software engineering teams, advocating for best practices in coding, testing, and continuous integration/deployment
Oversees the product vision and strategy being implemented into the product development team’s work
Reviews and oversees potential identified and unidentified risks to the product. Supports the development of mitigation strategies
Develops the budget for product initiatives. Oversees that product initiatives are completed on time and within budget
Leads and manages through change, including the ability to adapt to shifting priorities and market conditions
Translates strategies and policies into operational plans, ensuring alignment with company objectives
Directs IT teams, fostering professional growth and ensuring adherence to best practices
Delivers monthly or quarterly results, with performance subject to regular review against targets
Collaborates with IT and business leaders to create and manage product roadmaps aligned with digital strategies
Oversees team compliance with governance processes and adherence to technology architectures and methodologies
Develops and monitors system support processes to maintain product quality and sustainability
Understands customer needs, market trends, and the competitive landscape to inform product strategy and feature prioritization
Contributes to or influences the strategic direction of one or more disciplines within IT
Directs day-to-day operations and motivates team(s) to achieve results; may be responsible for a budget
Oversees product lifecycle, from ideation, definition, prototyping, design, validation & testing, launch, run stage, and eventual product retirement
Records metrics on the sustainability, viability, and quality of delivered products within agreed service targets
Monitors the effectiveness and efficiency of product(s), and develops, proposes, and implements improvement strategies
Oversees team priorities and resource demand/supply; recommends timelines and resources needed to achieve goals and objectives
Attracts, develops, coaches, and retains high-performance team members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility, span of control, and performance
Identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks. These risks may arise from numerous sources (e.g., financial instability, legal obligations, strategic management mistakes, and unforeseen incidents)
Ensures program/portfolio/product and personnel adhere to all organizational policies and procedures, as well as any relevant laws and regulations, including MTA standards, ethical polices and guidelines. Performs periodic recertifications of devices and user usage
Establishes and monitors metrics for organizational performance to ensure alignment with MTA's objectives. Responsible for maintaining dashboards, deploying tools for service optimization, and overseeing usage to enhance monitoring effectiveness
If applicable, identifies and selects vendors and products to be standardized by MTA, and orchestrates the establishment of contracts for their initial purchase and continued procurement. Collaborates with MTA IT Finance, technical teams, Legal, Procurement, specific MTA agency personnel, and vendors to establish contractual agreements and distribution protocols
Performs other duties and tasks as assigned
Observing the work performed by the contractor
Reviews invoices and approves them if the work meets contractual standards
Addresses performance issues with the contractor when possible
Escalates issues to other parties as needed
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's Degree or related fields or equivalent experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience with a minimum of four years supervisory/management experience
Expert in deep understanding of technology
Expert ability to develop and implement enterprise product solutions. Ability to prioritize, handle multitask and work in an agile environment. Ability to quickly learn and understand new technologies
Strong experience in managing projects and initiatives
Strong experience with constant shifting needs and demands of the business Departments
Experience in at least one software engineering methodology, including but not limited to: Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, DevOps, Extreme Programming (XP), Kanban, Lean, Rapid Application Development (RAD)
Experience with the following language(s): Job Specific (e.g., Ruby, Python, Java, C++, COBOL, etc.)
Familiarity with the following vendor-specific platforms: Job Specific (e.g., Azure, Windows Server platforms, or Linux)
10+ years of IT leadership experience, with at least 5 years managing enterprise applications
Proven expertise in Oracle PeopleSoft (preferably Pension Administration, HCM, or Benefits modules)
Experience with NYCERS and NYCLERS and familiarity with public sector pension operations are highly desirable
Hands-on knowledge of PeopleTools, PeopleCode, Application Engine, Integration Broker, SQR, BI Publisher, and Oracle Database (SQL/PLSQL)
Strong background in system implementation, upgrades, and modernization initiatives, including PeopleSoft Fluid UI, PUM upgrades, and potential cloud or OCI migrations
Experience integrating PeopleSoft with HR, Payroll, and Finance systems using APIs, web services, and ETL tools
Solid understanding of pension administration processes, benefit calculations, contribution management, and related regulatory requirements
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional technical teams, manage vendors, and align technology strategy with organizational and compliance objectives
Knowledge of network security, including firewalls and enterprise cloud integrations, and experience in systems administration for Linux and Windows OS, as well as virtualization in the cloud
Knowledge of deploying and managing hybrid multi-cloud environments (Azure, AWS, GCP) and on-premises systems
Knowledge of cloud computing, including architecture, development, operations, security, automation, and financial management
Knowledge of infrastructure automation using scripting languages (shell, Python, Ruby, PowerShell) and configuration management tools (Terraform, Chef, Puppet, CloudFormation)
Knowledge of large-scale data center migrations to the cloud
Knowledge of AI/ML solutions and operations
Knowledge of modern AI and ML frameworks and architectures to develop and deploy AI models
Knowledge of software for simulation modeling and analysis of rail systems, such as train performance simulators, traffic management systems, and maintenance management software
Knowledge of evaluating an organization's security infrastructure, IT systems, and protocols
Knowledge of conducting authorized security penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities
Expert leadership in leading change by developing inter/intra team communication and cohesiveness; sustainment of culture and supporting staff during organizational growth/changes
Expert leadership in leading people by working with staff to develop systems to ensure consistent, high-quality project management discipline for all technology-related initiatives and endeavors
Expert leadership in driving results by meeting organizational goals and customer expectations, and making decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks
Expert leadership in business acumen by providing direction on evaluation, selection, implementation, and maintenance of information systems, ensuring appropriate investment in strategic and operational systems
Expert leadership in building coalitions by internally and externally building partnerships with key stakeholders to help achieve the MTA's mission or common goals through influence or negotiations
Demonstrated ability to lead teams, provide coaching, and direct feedback
Expert in active listening, attention to detail, customer service, prioritization, and problem-solving skills
Expert in working independently and strategically
Expert in identifying and analyzing risks and developing effective mitigation strategies
Expert technical knowledge and a diverse skillset to understand various technologies, systems, and potential risks
Expert in critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
Expert in interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with both technical and non-technical peers
Expert in managing multiple projects simultaneously and prioritizing tasks based on urgency and impact
Extensive hands-on experience with related tools
Expert experience with working under pressure and meeting deadlines individually and collaboratively. Thinks logically, assesses problems, and is results-oriented
Expert in identifying complex business and technology risks and associated vulnerabilities
Expert in communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, to interact with team members, customers, management, and support personnel (technical and non-technical)
Expert in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with employees at all levels within the organization, and with both internal and external customers
Preferred
Experience with NYCERS and NYCLERS and familiarity with public sector pension operations are highly desirable
Company
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America's largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people in the 5,000-square-mile area fanning out from New York City through Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Janno Lieber
Chair & CEO
Sam Tabikh, P.E.
Facilities Engineer and Projects CEO
Recent News
Crain's New York Business
2025-10-07
San Francisco Chronicle
2025-10-05
2025-10-04
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