Director Rail Mobility

Thank you for considering a career at Port Houston. We appreciate your interest in joining our team. By applying, you are taking an important step toward advancing your career with an organization committed to excellence. Port Houston offers competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a diverse, inclusive work environment. Joining our team means embarking on a fulfilling career path with opportunities for growth and impact.

About the Role

Chief Strategy Officer – Exempt (Level L). Leads short‑ and long‑term strategic objectives for freight rail operations for the Houston Shipping Channel and Port Houston public terminals. Partners with Class 1 railroads, the Port of Texas Authority (PTRA), industry, and Port Houston customers and users to identify, fund, and execute projects that optimize market connections, reduce costs, and expand capacity. Identifies and supports freight transportation projects that improve access to Port Houston facilities (public and private) to enable and support regional freight growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with industry stakeholders to identify current and future rail freight transportation needs and priorities and align solutions with other transportation methods.
• Maintain and grow operational and business‑development partnerships with senior railroad officers at Union Pacific, BNSF, CPKC, PTRA, and local short‑line railroads.
• Collaborate with other agencies on studies that identify and prioritize maritime‑related rail freight improvement projects.
• Identify funding opportunities and policies that support maritime‑related freight road, rail, and barge projects; create optimized strategies for project advocacy and execution.
• Support Port Houston involvement with key partners—including Harris County, Houston‑Galveston Area Council, TxDOT, and regional transportation advocacy groups—to promote freight mobility projects.
• Develop rail project priorities and align them with regional transportation plans; advocate for rail funding that supports regional freight priorities.
• Manage departmental budget.
• Develop and foster relationships with all users of rail infrastructure along the Houston Shipping Channel to identify and resolve service disruptions and devise long‑term investment strategies that increase tonnage.
• Partner with other Port Houston departments to align project priorities and advocacy initiatives.
• Serve as the subject‑matter expert for all rail‑related service and development issues across the organization.
• Assist in providing rail service and access to Port Houston facilities.
• Evaluate new and existing technical systems and processes; develop and execute project plans to improve rail products for Port Houston and the Houston Shipping Channel.
• Support Port Houston leadership in negotiations and planning related to rail operations or business development.
• Represent Port Houston on the PTRA Board in the CEO’s absence; optimize contract terms with PTRA.
• Represent Port Houston on committees such as the Greater Houston Partnership’s Transportation and Infrastructure Advisory Committee and Freight Rail Committee.
• Submit a quarterly written report to the Chief Port Infrastructure Officer detailing all Port Houston activities performed in the previous quarter.
• Act in accordance with Port Houston core values (respect, excellence, accountability, diligence, and you).
• Perform other duties as required.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Transportation, Supply Chain Management, or a related field from an accredited institution (required).
• Master’s degree in transportation, engineering, planning, logistics, business, or public administration (preferred).
• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in freight rail, transportation planning, port operations, logistics, infrastructure development, or a related field (required).
• Knowledge of the Houston Ship Channel and the Houston‑region freight transportation network.
• Previous supervisory experience (preferred).

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Behaviors

• Understanding of freight transportation trends, multimodal freight distribution, and impacts of heavy‑truck corridors.
• Clear understanding of rail operations and regional/national rail networks.
• Operating knowledge of costs, market rates, and competitive dynamics for trucking, rail, barge, etc.
• Ability to quantify costs and benefits of freight mobility projects and translate them into business cases.
• Proficiency in data analysis, forecasting, geographic information systems, and performance measurement.
• Executive‑level communication, negotiation, facilitation, and stakeholder management.
• Decision‑making skills and knowledge of Port’s strategic plan.
• Working knowledge of regional, state, and national rail project funding processes.
• Project management and change management skills.
• Leadership, managerial, and mentoring abilities.
• Consensus‑building and customer service skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to formulate objectives and priorities.
• Presentation, contract negotiation, and execution capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and engage diverse stakeholders.

Key Competencies

• Achieving Results
• Analytical Thinking
• Building a Successful Team
• Collaboration
• Leading through Vision and Values
• Continuous Improvement
• Ethics and Values
• Risk‑taking
• Strategic Decision Making

Work Environment

This position is located in the Port Houston Administration Building. The work environment is generally moderate in noise level, though the open‑office setting can occasionally be high. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.