Senior Manager Succession Planning and Talent Programs

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 Senior Manager of Succession Planning and Talent Programs serves as the operational lead responsible for implementing and managing succession planning processes, talent assessments, career pathing models, and development planning activities that strengthen leadership continuity across the MTA. This role translates established enterprise talent strategies into high-quality, consistent execution by building frameworks, SOPs, tracking systems, and actionable workflows, while ensuring accuracy, follow-through, and measurable program outcomes. The Senior Manager will eventually oversee a small team supporting these processes and collaborate with LEaD and cross-agency partners to drive disciplined, reliable implementation of talent programs.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the end-to-end implementation of succession planning and other assigned talent program processes, success profile alignment, readiness assessments, and risk mitigation activities, consistent with the SOP standards.
• Build, document, and maintain SOPs, workflows, templates, and program documentation that support consistency, compliance, and operational excellence across all talent and succession programs.
• Coordinate execution of development planning steps with HRBPs and the Learning Development and Performance Management teams to ensure successors receive timely development support and aligned interventions as needed.
• Oversee job profile, skills, and development design and implementation milestones aligned with succession planning timeline & workplan, ensuring timely task completion, stakeholder communication, and cross-team coordination to support and prepare employees for the next step along the MTA career journey.
• Coordinate / schedule and facilitate effective in-person or virtual stakeholder meetings across MTA sites, including pre-meeting prep, meeting materials, summaries, metrics, and debrief reporting packets across the agency, People team, and leadership in support of driving succession and talent programs.
• Execute annual and quarterly cycles for data collection, validation, and reporting in partnership with Workforce Development and HR Operations & Analytics team, leveraging HRIS talent modules and Power BI dashboards.
• Select, develop, and motivate direct reports. Provide career development for subordinates. Provide prompt and effective coaching and counseling. Provide input regarding the discipline/termination of employees when necessary. Review staff performance. Creates a professional environment that respects individual differences and enables all employees to develop and contribute to their full potential.
• Travel to MTA locations or other external sites as needed

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent collaboration, communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with all internal levels within a given organization.
• Drives results with strong critical thinking and project management skills with attention to detail and a bias for quality.
• Ability to translate strategy into implementation.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or comparable applications, i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Experience facilitating sessions with senior stakeholders in support of implementing and driving succession and talent development program approaches to drive targeted outcomes and report out on meaningful insights to inform ongoing strategy.
• Demonstrated ability to influence without formal authority and collaborate effectively with different personality styles.
• Developing visually compelling presentations
• Development and synthesis of survey feedback and tracking mechanisms to measure outcomes and report out on impact.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Arts/Sciences (BA/BS) in BusinessAdministration, Education, Human Resources, Organizational Development, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum of 6 years of overall related experience, including a minimum of 2 years within a managerial role in a large, multi-faceted, fast-paced organization or governmental body preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of strong project management or program management and succession planning experience, including but not limited to leveraging assessment tools to identify and develop organizational successors and talent profiles.

The Following is/are preferred:

• Master’s degree in Arts/Sciences (MA/MS) in a related field
• Synthesize large data sets such as workforce analysis data
• PHR or SHRM-CP, Certified in HR or Talent Management related specialty

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.