Chief Program Officer - Special Projects

Job ID: 17591 Business Unit: Long Island Rail Road Location: New York, NY, United States Regular/Temporary: Regular Department: Vice President ESA Date Posted: Oct 8, 2026 Description Job Title : Chief Program Officer – Special Projects Department: Special Projects MTA Agency: Long Island Rail Road Primary Location(s): New York, NY Salary Range: $195,648 - $244,560 Regulated/Safety Sensitive: Non-DOT Regulated/Safety Sensitive Union Affiliation: Non-agreement Closing Date (if applicable) : Until Filled Shift (if applicable) : N/A Title 55-a (yes or no): N/A Other: Telework eligible ABOUT THE AGENCY Chartered in 1834, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is the largest, busiest, and oldest continuously operating commuter railroad in the United States. In 2024, this 24/7/365 operation served 75.5 million riders on a system that stretches nearly 120 miles – from Penn Station and Grand Central Madison in Manhattan to Montauk on the eastern tip of Long Island. JOB SUMMARY The Chief Program Officer – Special Projects position is the Program Executive accountable for directing the LIRR Interface and management activities associated with the East Side Access (ESA), Penn Station Improvements (PSI) Penn Station Access (PSA), Moynihan, Westside Yard (WSY) Overbuild, Western and Eastern Rail Yards (WRY & ERY) and other Special Projects. The Chief Program Officer – Special Projects, as the program executive, has executive responsibility and business, legal, operational, and technical authority for overseeing the implementation and management of the LIRR's Capital and assigned Operating Funded Projects to ensure scope, schedule and budget adherence. The Chief Program Officer – Special Projects ensures the coordination of all policy, business, legal, construction, operations, activities related to the design construction and opening of several multi-billion-dollar projects. The Chief Program Officer leads the teams that directs the LIRR Force Account construction and construction support activities. This includes the development of an overall business plan and schedule of milestones to ensure all operational staffing needs, budgetary requirements, legal agreements, procurements, hiring and training of new hires, and technical issues are addressed and resolved. The Chief Program Officer represents LIRR on multiple Mega and Special Projects, coordinates with regional special projects, and will cultivate relationships with key internal and external stakeholders throughout the new MTA organization and the industry to support effective planning, development, and delivery of major investments of the LIRR's operating infrastructure. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Oversee the direction and coordination of all LIRR Special Projects construction and third-party construction support activities; lead LIRR efforts to effectively identify, track and resolve all technical engineering issues; facilitation of design resources with LIRR operating department participation, reviews and decision-making. Ensure support of all construction by managing LIRR processes and forces required for submittal reviews, issue resolution, inspection and testing for all third-party construction. Direct LIRR involvement in the management of activities associated with overbuilds and special projects, including interfaces with all LIRR Departments. Major overbuilding/development projects include the 9th Avenue and Hudson Yard Development Projects; Special Projects include Moynihan, Gateway, NYCT 7 Line Extension and Penn Plaza/Penn Station. Serve as LIRR’s lead in negotiations with Developers on construction agreements including the major overbuild projects and Atlantic Yards Real Estate at Penn Station. Direct the management and coordination of the development, planning, review and implementation of a variety of Penn Station Projects including joint projects with Amtrak and 3rd. party consultants/contractors engaged in technical studies, design and co…

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