Senior Director, Development

Senior Director, Development

The Senior Director of Development is a member of the People team and leads organizational design and enterprise-wide learning strategies for a workforce of approximately 70,000 employees, spanning represented and non-represented populations across administrative and operational functions in a multi-agency environment.

This role is accountable for architecting scalable frameworks, systems, and governance models that align organizational structure with strategic priorities and foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptability. The Senior Director serves as a subject matter expert in Organizational Design and Learning & Development, driving customized strategies for segmented cohorts, leveraging advanced technology platforms, and ensuring measurable impact through robust assessment and tracking methodologies.

Responsibilities:

• Lead an evolving and robust programmatic and communication strategy for leadership development at scale, incorporating segmentation by cohorts (e.g., emerging leaders, mid-level managers, executives) to deliver customized learning experiences, tools, and methodologies in response to short and long-term organizational goals.
• Drive, develop, and execute enterprise-wide leadership development strategies collaboratively across teams and departments, including professional and leadership development, succession planning, and other programs, including executive coaching, to support business objectives and agility across the agencies. Design and deliver programs for various levels of leadership from entry-level managers to C-Suite positions.
• Implement assessment models for staff development and succession planning, ensuring individual development plans (IDPs) and leadership pipelines are informed by data-driven results. Utilize advanced evaluation frameworks to identify readiness, track progress, and strengthen leadership capabilities across all levels of the organization.
• Engage stakeholders across the enterprise to align development initiatives with strategic priorities, fostering collaboration and breaking down silos to ensure enterprise-wide impact, and ensure that programs align with business needs and organizational goals/strategies. Support enterprise-wide change management initiatives and ensure a culture of continuous learning and development. Drive workforce development training and analysis.
• Design and implement ongoing governance, measurement, and tracking tools and frameworks to establish KPIs and measure effectiveness and impact of all learning and development initiatives, leveraging advanced evaluation models (e.g., Kirkpatrick, Phillips ROI, CIPP, LTEM) and aligning measurement frameworks with organizational objectives and business outcomes. Continuously refine methodologies to ensure programs deliver value, provide executive-level visibility, and inform decision-making. Uses data to report out on strategic insights and drive measurable outcomes aligned with business goals and strategic priorities. Defines metrics and key performance indicators, analyzes program effectiveness, and drives continuous improvement.
• Drives a comprehensive project management strategy focused on the development of work plans and driving stakeholder engagement. Ensures the execution and closeout of projects while ensuring that they are completed on time, within budget, and meet organizational business objectives. Identifies, assesses, and mitigates all risks.
• Drives a culture of accountability and change, challenging traditional approaches and focusing on measurable results rather than on activity-based metrics (e.g., enrollment or satisfaction scores), leveraging innovation in learning delivery, AI, digital platforms, and blended learning models to enhance accessibility and effectiveness.
• Directs the delivery of multiple development initiatives and programs, leveraging digital learning platforms and blended solutions. Training programs include all state-mandated training. This includes managing all logistics such as scheduling, stakeholder communications, content development, and vendor communication.
• Drives the selection, development, and robust goal setting and resulting impact of team members within the department, providing career development, coaching, and performance management in line with strategic objectives. Responsible for discipline/termination of employees when necessary. Review the performance of staff. Create a professional environment that respects individual differences and enables all employees to develop and contribute to their full potential.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge of adult learning principles and instructional design.
• Success driving change management principles and methodologies with outcomes in line with organizational priorities.
• Experience developing and leveraging scalable digital tools and processes to drive innovation in communication, support, and program.
• Strong proficiency in leveraging data to derive and share insights that drive impactful and measurable outcomes in line with organizational goals.
• Experience measuring KPIs and other metrics to analyze program effectiveness and drive continuous improvement to demonstrate measurable impact.
• Drives results by leading with vigor, bias for action, and sound judgment.
• Strong strategic thinking and stakeholder management skills.
• Workforce development planning and analysis skills.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate work with internal stakeholders across an organization, including the Executive and Board level.
• 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 thrive and work in a high-profile, high-pressure environment effectively.
• Strong managerial skills to effectively direct a staff of professional and technical employees in implementing the short- and long-term goals and direction for the area of responsibility.
• Demonstrated analytical capabilities and quantitative skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or comparable applications, i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Arts/Sciences (BA/BS) in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Learning & Development, or Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum 10 years of related experience in a large, multi-faceted, fast-paced organization or governmental body
• Minimum 4 years in a leadership/managerial role

The Following is/are preferred:

• Master's degree in Arts/Sciences (MA/MS) in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Learning & Development, or Business Administration

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.