Program Director, Construction Safety Management

About the role

The Office of the Chief Safety Management Officer (CSMO) is responsible for developing and overseeing enterprise-wide safety programs that protect the Port Authority’s employees, customers, partners, and stakeholders. The office leads occupational health and safety compliance, operational and construction safety, fire prevention, environmental safety, safety training, and other risk management and assurance functions across the agency.

Responsibilities

• Reporting to the Director, Safety Management Office, the Program Director, Construction Safety Management is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing construction safety strategy, operations, and risk management across the agency’s capital, redevelopment, and construction programs.
• This role partners closely with executive leadership, project teams, contractors, and regulatory agencies to ensure safe and compliant project delivery.
• The selected candidate will be responsible for:
• Developing, strategizing, leading, and mentoring staff in alignment with Safety Management Systems (SMS) for the various construction programs across the agency.
• Developing and regularly updating multi-year strategic plans for construction safety, taking into account the industry’s best SMS practices.
• Managing the Construction Safety Unit budget, including development of annual budget submission, tracking and oversight of budget performance, as well as development of near-term and future needs.
• Providing routine briefings to the Chief Safety Management Officer and Director on key Agency safety initiatives, participating in executive level working groups and committees, and immediately communicating emergent situations as they arise.
• Delivering executive presentations on project status, reporting salient issues and expert support for the Agency’s construction safety programs and risk mitigation.
• Mitigating and managing and successfully resolving safety issues, including expert interaction with stakeholder line departments, engineering construction management departments and contractors.
• Liaising with external partners such OSHA, DOH, jurisdictional emergency responders in support of the Agencies Having Jurisdiction status, adjacent agencies.
• Resolving technical issues on all stakeholder projects, including safety code-related issues critical to projects.
• Must have the ability to interpret industry codes and work with the Authorities Having Jurisdiction and all design disciplines is essential.
• Responding to emergencies and critical incidents and conducting facility visits to address safety related matters.
• Empowered to halt work or take appropriate action for imminent safety risk or hazards.
• Identify potential project safety risks or high-risk activities from project schedules and document reviews to ensure plans are in place to prevent incidents, accidents, near misses, injuries, losses.
• Ensure appropriate documentation and data capture is achieved consistently to measure safety performance, trend analysis and tracking of open hazards to closure.
• Mitigate, manage and successfully resolve safety issues, including expert interaction with stakeholder line departments, engineering construction management department and contractors.
• Ensure the growth and development of staff to sustain a diverse and inclusive workplace including setting performance objectives, monitoring and providing feedback on progress, developing reach assignments, ensuring succession plans, filling department vacancies, and partnering with Human Resources on personnel issues.
• Supervise site safety teams and interface with facility operations and Construction Management leadership to foster strong relationships and partnerships.
• Review roles and responsibilities of staff and recommend improvements for efficiency and greater safety coverage for construction programs.

Qualifications

• Candidates must possess the following qualifications to be eligible for the position:
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Safety Management, Occupational Health, Transportation, Public Policy, Fire and Life Safety or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ten (10) years of full-time experience with at least 5 (five) years of field experience applying safety methodologies and leading safety functions including auditing, compliance, safety system management, field inspections and quality control.
• Experienced in initiating accident investigations and root cause analysis, litigation processes, and various insurance programs.
• Demonstrate leadership, stakeholder management, negotiation, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills.

Desired Qualifications

• Ideal candidates will possess the following profile:
• Master’s degree in Construction Management, Safety Management, Occupational Health, Public Administration, Transportation or related field.
• Possesses professional safety certifications or licenses (e.g., CSP, CSM, CSMC, CHST, CRIS, etc.).
• Demonstrated knowledge of both US Department of Labor OSHA Construction and General Industry Regulations, best practice Safety Programs and NYCDOB Regulations.
• Familiarity with National Fire Codes, NFPA standards, NYC Fire Codes, NYC Department of Health, and other local, state, and federal regulations.
• Understanding of NYC DOB and FDNY regulations pertaining to construction operations in NYC, and NJ DCA regulations regarding construction in NJ.
• Possess a valid OSHA 30-hour card in the Construction and General Industry less than five-years old.
• Experience in performing comprehensive and focused safety inspections on major construction projects.
• Experience in the review of contractor health and safety plans, job hazard analyses, and work plans.