Chief of Equal Employment Opportunity

Move Forward with us! At NJ TRANSIT, you’ll join us in transforming the third-largest transportation agency in North America. We are committed to delivering safe, reliable service that gets our customers to their destinations on time and we’re looking to hire talented folks with a commitment to excellence. We are looking to hire a Chief of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)! Summary The Chief of EEO is responsible for overseeing and implementing policies and procedures related to equal employment opportunity (EEO), affirmative action (AA), and non-discrimination in the workplace. The Chief serves as NJ TRANSIT’s designated EEO/AA Officer and has direct access to the President and Chief Executive Officer on EEO/AA compliance matters. The Chief ensures that NJ TRANSIT establishes and maintains systems designed to promote compliance with federal and state laws regarding EEO/AA; investigates complaints of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation; develops and delivers legally required and risk-based EEO/AA, harassment-prevention, retaliation-prevention, religious reasonable-accommodation, and related compliance training; and works closely with management and Human Resources (HR) to promote a fair and inclusive work environment. Roles And Responsibilities The specifications outlined are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in this position. The specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job. Serves as NJ TRANSIT’s designated EEO and AA Officer. Exercises independent judgement and has direct and unrestricted access to the President and Chief Executive Officer regarding EEO/AA complaints, investigations, compliance risks, audit findings, corrective actions, and other material matters.Responsible for the development and implementation of corporate-wide strategies to ensure organizational observance, compliance, accountability and inclusion under applicable federal and state employment discrimination, EEO, AA, religious reasonable-accommodation, and anti-retaliation laws, regulations policies, and procedures.Coordinates with the officials responsible for Title VI, transportation accessibility, and other civil-rights programs, while maintaining clear accountability for the employment EEO/AA function.Acts as NJ TRANSIT’s EEO/AA Officer to federal, state and local regulatory agencies, and serves as NJ TRANSIT’s representative and spokesperson for civil rights and AA related issues with national committees, trade associations, community-based organizations, federal and state agencies, and other business and professional organizations.Prepares, coordinates, reviews, and, where authorized, certifies required EEO/AA programs, reports, audit responses, corrective-action plans, workforce analyses, and regulatory submissions.Ensures that lawful EEO/AA goals and objectives are integrated into NJ TRANSIT’s mission, vision and goals, and that NJ TRANSIT considers EEO/AA and inclusion in every department’s strategic action plan, policy, procedure and practice. Monitors and measures progress toward achieving desired results. Such measures shall not constitute quotas or authorize employment preferences inconsistent with law.Collaborates with HR and departments to evaluate recruitment sources, outreach, applicant pools, qualification requirements, selection procedures, and workforce-development opportunities for an inclusive workplace.Independently, reviews and provides documented concurrence, conditional concurrent, or nonconcurrence regarding all proposed external hires and internal promotions before any final offer or personnel action.Maintains current knowledge of applicable federal and state EEO/AA laws, regulations, administrative guidance, and material case developments and advises responsible officials regarding their implications for NJ TRANSIT policies and employment practices.Directs and maintains an impartial, timely, thorough, and appropriately documented internal EEO complaint and investigation program covering allegations of discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment, failure to accommodate, retaliation, and related misconduct. Responsibilities include intake, jurisdictional assessment, investigation planning, evidence preservation, witness interviews, credibility assessment, findings, recommendations, case closure, and post-resolution monitoring.Oversees responses to EEO/AA complaints, charges, audits, inquiries, and litigation initiated by federal, state, or local agencies and coordinates with the Office of the Attorney General, Office of General Counsel (OGC), HR, Labor Relations, Risk, Claims and other responsible officers while preserving independence and integrity of the EEO investigative and compliance functions.Recommends, directs where authorized, and monitors remedial and correction-action plans arising from complaints, investigations, audits, litigation, or identified systemic concerns.Consults with and provides guidance to executive management, supervisors and employees regarding EEO/AA compliance, nondiscriminatory employment practices, religious reasonable accommodations, complaint response, corrective action, and organization risk.Develops, approves, delivers, and monitors completion of EEO/AA, anti-discrimination, harassment-prevention, retaliation-prevention, religious reasonable-accommodation, respectful-workplace, and investigative trainings for executive management, supervisors, and employees. Evaluates training effectiveness and develops targeted training in response to complaint, audit, or workforce trends.Directs the activities of the EEO Department, including its personnel, budget, case assignments, consultants, training functions, data systems, records, performance evaluation, professional development, and strategic priorities.Communicates and collaborates effectively across organizational levels and, where appropriate, facilities mediation other voluntary resolution processes without compromising investigative independence or legal requirements.Consistent with applicable Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements and guidance, the Chief’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:Developing the EEO policy statement and a written EEO Program;Assisting in the collection and analysis of workforce, hiring, promotion and other relevant employment data and identifying areas requiring corrective or proactive action, setting goals and timetables, and developing programs to achieve goals;Designing, implementing, and monitoring internal audit and reporting systems to measure program effectiveness and to determine where progress has been made and where proactive action is needed;Reviewing the organization’s nondiscrimination plan with all managers and supervisors to ensure that the policy is understood;Concurring in the hiring and promotion process;In conjunction with HR, periodically reviewing employment practices policies (e.g., hiring, promotions, training), complaint policies, reasonable accommodation policies, performance evaluations, grievance procedures, and union agreements;Reporting at least semiannually to the President and Chief Executive Officer on each department’s progress in relation to the organization’s goals and on contractor and vendor compliance. The Chief shall also promptly report significant systemic concerns, material regulatory deficiencies or unresolved corrective actions;Serving as liaison between the organization; Federal, state, county, and local governments; regulatory agencies; and community groups representing groups protected by applicable law;Maintaining awareness of current EEO laws and regulations, and ensuring the laws and regulations affecting nondiscrimination are disseminated to responsible officials;Investigating complaints of EEO discrimination. This responsibility includes complaints alleging harassment, retaliation, and failure to provide a legally required accommodation;Providing EEO training for employees and managers;In conjunction with HR, advising employees and applicants of available training programs and professional development opportunities and the entrance requirements;Auditing postings of the EEO policy statement to ensure compliance information is posted and up to date; andOverseeing the consistency and compliance of NJ TRANSIT’s reasonable-accommodation process. This Position Supervises Sr Dir EEO/AA, InvestigationSr Dir EEO/AA, Compliance TrainingExecutive Assistant IISuch other investigative or training personnel as assigned Education, Experience And Qualifications Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Public Administration, Business Administration, Business Administration Law, Compliance, Organizational Management, or related areaA Juris Doctor, master’s degree, or relevant advanced professional certification is preferred but not required.Ten (10) or more years of progressively responsible, applied experience in EEO/AA, civil-rights compliance, employment investigations, employment law, workplace compliance, or a closely related filed, including significant experience developing, managing and/or administering of EEO/AA programs, with at least five (5) years of managerial experience.Experience in a public agency, transportation organization, federally funded recipient, large, unionized employer, or other complex multi-location organization is strongly preferred. Knowledge And Skills Advanced working knowledge of applicable federal and state EEO, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, anti-retaliation, AA, and reasonable-accommodation laws and regulations, including relevant FTA requirements and guidance.Demonstrated ability to preserve the independence, neutrality, confidentiality, and credibility of an investigative and compliance function while collaborating effectively with HR, OGC, Labor Relations, Risk, Claims and operating leadership.Must possess strong and demonstrated leadership, management, organizational, analytical, conflict-resolution, and decision-making abilities, including judgement to make and defend independent compliance determinations involving sensitive employment matters.Ability to effectively manage multiple complex and sensitive matters simultaneously, meet regulatory and operational deadlines, establish priorities, and respond effectively to urgent issues. Excellent written and oral communication, interpersonal, analytical, presentation and reasoning skills with ability to advise and interact credibly with executive leadership, supervisors, employees, regulators, and external stakeholders.Sound judgment and the highest degree of professional integrity, impartiality, discretion, and commitment to confidentiality, due process, and fair treatment. At NJ Transit you will enjoy a competitive salary and excellent benefit package: Retirement Plans401(a) - Retirement plan with a 6% employer contribution401(k) - Retirement saving plan with up to an 3% company match457(b) - Deferred Savings Plan Please be advised that this position is subject to the requirements of Executive Order No. 2 (Murphy, Jan. 17, 2018). If you are selected for this position and accept the offer of employment, you will be required to file a Financial Disclosure Statement (“FDS”) annually and your FDS will be posted online. Additional information is available online at https://www.nj.gov/ethics/disclosure/financial/. NJ TRANSIT is an Equal Opportunity Employer Learn more about NJ TRANSIT! Sign up to receive an invitation to our next live information session at WWW.NJTRANSIT.COM/BEST