President & Chief Operating Officer

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) is seeking an experienced, strategic, and operationally focused executive to serve as its President & Chief Operating Officer. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the President & COO is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic direction, operational performance, financial stewardship, regulatory compliance, and safety culture of the organization.

The President & COO provides executive leadership across all functional areas of the company, ensuring safe, efficient, and customer-focused railroad operations while maintaining strong relationships with Conrail’s owners, Norfolk Southern and CSX, customers, regulators, labor organizations, and other key stakeholders.

The successful candidate will possess a demonstrated record of leadership in transportation, logistics, rail, or other complex industrial operations and will be committed to fostering a culture of integrity, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Essential Responsibilities

Executive Leadership

· Provide overall leadership and management of the corporation.

· Develop and execute strategic initiatives approved by the Board of Directors.

· Strategically lead a high-performing executive leadership team.

· Promote a culture centered on safety, ethics, accountability, operational excellence, and employee engagement.

· Establish organizational goals, priorities, and performance expectations.

Operations

· Ensure safe, reliable, and efficient railroad operations across the Conrail system.

· Oversee Transportation, Engineering, Mechanical, Signal, Dispatching, Customer Service, Environmental, and other operating functions.

· Drive continuous improvement in service performance, asset utilization, productivity, and cost management.

Financial & Business Leadership

· Develop annual operating and capital budgets.

· Ensure prudent and responsible allocation of corporate resources.

· Monitor financial performance and implement initiatives to improve efficiency and long-term sustainability.

· Evaluate capital improvement opportunities.

Governance & Compliance

· Ensure compliance with all applicable Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Surface Transportation Board (STB),

environmental, and other regulatory requirements.

· Foster a strong corporate governance and internal control environment.

· Maintain effective enterprise risk management practices.

· Report regularly to the Board of Directors regarding operational performance, financial results, strategic initiatives, and  key risks.

Labor & Employee Relations

· Promote positive labor-management relationships.

· Ensure compliance with employment laws and collective bargaining agreements.

· Champion workforce development, succession planning, and leadership development.

Public Relations

· Serve as the primary executive representative of the corporation.

· Maintain productive relationships with Norfolk Southern, CSX, customers, government agencies, elected officials,  industry associations, and community partners.

· Represent Conrail in industry and public forums.

Qualifications

· Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

· Minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible leadership experience.

· Significant experience leading complex transportation, logistics, railroad, manufacturing, or infrastructure organizations.

· Demonstrated success managing large operating budgets and diverse workforces.

· Strong understanding of safety management systems and regulatory compliance.

· Experience working with or reporting to a Board of Directors.

· Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.

· High degree of integrity, sound judgment, and professionalism.

Preferred Experience

· Executive leadership experience within the freight railroad industry.

· Experience working with unionized workforces under the Railway Labor Act.

· Familiarity with FRA regulations, railroad operating practices, and railroad safety programs.

· Experience interacting with Class I railroads and public agencies.

· Experience leading organizations with multiple stakeholders or joint ownership structures.

Leadership Competencies

· Strategic Vision

· Safety Leadership

· Operational Excellence

· Financial Acumen

· Executive Presence

· Talent Development

· Collaboration

· Decision Making

· Accountability

· Customer Focus

· Ethical Leadership

Compensation

Conrail offers a competitive executive compensation package including base salary, annual incentive opportunity, long-term incentive compensation, comprehensive health and welfare benefits, retirement programs, paid time off, and other executive benefits.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Consolidated Rail Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Conrail is a small railroad with big resources where you can have a rewarding career without sacrificing quality of life.
As a terminal and switching service provider for its owners, CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern, Conrail provides safe and efficient rail service for many local rail freight customers in Detroit, New Jersey and Philadelphia. Customers located along Conrail’s lines in these shared asset areas have access to the nation’s rail network through either NS or CSX.

Although Conrail no longer handles commercial matters for customers, we continue to play a critical role in serving shippers and receivers as an agent for our owners. As a local rail service provider, it is Conrail’s job to make sure that customers’ freight shipments are safely and efficiently moved between their rail sidings and the long-distance freight trains operated by CSX and Norfolk Southern.

Company Description

Conrail is a small railroad with big resources where you can have a rewarding career without sacrificing quality of life.\r\nAs a terminal and switching service provider for its owners, CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern, Conrail provides safe and efficient rail service for many local rail freight customers in Detroit, New Jersey and Philadelphia. Customers located along Conrail’s lines in these shared asset areas have access to the nation’s rail network through either NS or CSX.\r\n\r\nAlthough Conrail no longer handles commercial matters for customers, we continue to play a critical role in serving shippers and receivers as an agent for our owners. As a local rail service provider, it is Conrail’s job to make sure that customers’ freight shipments are safely and efficiently moved between their rail sidings and the long-distance freight trains operated by CSX and Norfolk Southern.