Job Description

About The Port Authority:

Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. The agency's network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than twenty three billion in annual wages and eighty billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center site, where the 1,776-foot-tall One World Trade Center is now the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere.

About The Port Department:

The Port Department is one of the five-line department businesses of the PANYNJ. It is responsible for managing the largest port complex on the East Coast and the second largest in the nation. It operates a highly competitive and dynamic business in a very complex political environment. The Port is an economic engine that provides over 580,000 jobs in the region and nearly $240 billion in annual economic activity.

For the past 20 years, the Port has been preparing itself for the growing demand for increased trade resulting in more cargo and for the rapid migration to ever larger vessels. Together with our Port tenants, nearly $15 billion in new infrastructure, equipment and systems has been invested to ensure that Port of New York and New Jersey remains the premier East Coast gateway with even more investment in capacity planned and underway.

As a landlord Port, the Port Authority leases property to tenants that operate Port facilities. Since we do not directly handle cargo, we must influence the efficiency and productivity of the port in more strategic ways. Today, the challenges in this area continue to grow. Improving Port productivity requires a more collaborative approach. The Port Department has taken a strong leadership role in driving the changes necessary to keep the Port of New York and New Jersey highly competitive while ensuring growth in a safe, secure, sustainable and resilient way.

The Port Authority is a unique government body serving both the States of New York and New Jersey, mandated to be financially self-sufficient. As such, increasing revenues while remaining competitive is a major challenge for the Port Department moving forward.

Functional Oversight

Reporting to the Director of the Port Department, the Deputy Port Director is a member of the senior management team of the Port Department and is responsible for oversight of the Department’s facilities, business services, commercial development, planning and capital program delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

• Represent the Director in all matters related to managing the Port Department, as needed.
• Oversee and provide direction to the Departmental leadership that manages and directs all aspects of facility operations, maintenance, regulatory compliance (safety, security, environmental), commercial development, business services, planning and capital project delivery, while providing for meaningful and measurable improvements in how we serve the global supply chain, deliver critical infrastructure improvements, and support the communities in which we operate.
• Provide strategic guidance on the development and implementation of procedures to protect existing revenue, generate new revenue sources and obtain maximum productivity/capacity of the Port facilities, control expenditures and ensuring that the department generates the maximum net contribution to the Agency.
• Provide oversight, leadership, and guidance to matters associated with advancing initiatives that require inter-departmental cooperation. Work with other departments to reach consensus about roles and responsibilities, with a focus on the impact that decisions have on operations, maintenance, capital investment, sustainability, and customer service activities.
• Participate in the development of the department’s strategic planning and policy agenda, business plan and support initiatives that increase revenue, reduce costs, and improve process efficiency, port efficiency, capacity, and customer service.
• Provide strategic direction to all aspects of the Department’s asset management programs, including capital and operating project delivery, maintenance management and tenant support services.
• Continuously review the department’s organizational structure and functions to ensure effective, efficient staff alignments that satisfy the department’s mission and vision, while supporting a work climate that embraces diversity and inclusion. Work with department leaders, to ensure staff capability, availability, competence, and motivation.

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in business administration, Transportation, International Trade, Logistics, Engineering or a related field from an accredited college or university. A graduate degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Transportation, Engineering, or a related field is preferred.
• Minimum of 20 years of progressively responsible experience at an executive level capacity, preferably working for an organization comparable to the size and complexity of the operation in the Port of New York and New Jersey, with at least 10 years in the port and maritime transportation arena.
• Must possess a valid Driver’s License and be able to obtain a Transportation Worker’s Identification Credential (TWIC) within 60 days of assuming the position.

The ideal candidate will present the following profile:

• At least 15 years of progressively responsible operations, planning, project management, customer service, performance management, property maintenance, and infrastructure management experience in a complex transportation environment.
• At least 5 years of progressive responsibilities managing and directing the delivery of a broad program portfolio, measuring and improving implementation, recommending and advocating policy changes, evaluating and implementing alternate project delivery systems, and establishing and meeting Agency and Department level performance measures.
• Extensive knowledge of the global supply chain and the port and maritime transportation system.
• Demonstrated senior level experience in managing, leading, mentoring and developing a large diverse staff, with a proven record of effective team building and providing for successful outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience in complex negotiations and conflict resolution supported by strong transactional, analytical and decision-making skills.
• Superior interpersonal skills interacting with internal staff at all levels, and a broad range of external stakeholders such as government agencies, elected officials, community organizations, tenants, trade associations, contractors, consultants, and regional transportation organizations.
• Demonstrated experience interacting and navigating a complex organization.
• Demonstrated ability to manage conflict, build consensus, and facilitate problem solving and collaboration among various stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability developing strategies to achieve broad business goals and to understand the impact on various stakeholders/constituents within and outside of the PA.
• Superior written and oral communication skills with demonstrated experience in preparing and delivering presentation materials to a broad executive and senior staff, and both internal and external stakeholders.

Compensation, Benefits & On-Site Collaboration Requirements:​

In accordance with Port Authority policy, this position permits employees to work remotely a maximum of one day per week. In person collaboration is essential to how the Port Authority conducts business, and regular in-office days or team collaboration days may be required on business needs.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey anticipates that the actual salary offered to a successful candidate will depend on aspects such as experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and internal factors.

The expected compensation range for this role is:​ Minimum: $193,336 Midpoint: $250,000 Maximum: $270,000

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey offers a competitive benefits package and a professional environment that supports development and recognizes achievement.​

Click here for more information about benefits, our culture, and career development opportunities.​