Senior Equal Opportunity Investigator

Opening at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), North America's largest transportation network serving 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile area surrounding New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut. The MTA operates the nation’s largest bus fleet and more subway and commuter rail cars than all other U.S. transit systems combined, striving to provide safe, reliable commutes, excellent customer service, and rewarding opportunities.

About the role

Under the direction of the Chief Equal Opportunity Officer and the Deputy Chief Equal Opportunity Officer, the Senior Equal Opportunity (EO) Investigator partners with Agency management to develop, coordinate, implement, enforce, and monitor policies and procedures ensuring proactive measures to prevent or eliminate discrimination as required by Federal, State, and local statutes. This senior-level investigator serves as an Equal Opportunity subject matter expert (EEO and Title VI) for the Agency’s HR, Planning, Government and Community Relations, and Operations business partners, leaders, and employees.

Responsibilities

• Receive, investigate, and make recommendations to EEO management on formal and informal complaints from applicants, employees, customers, community members, and organizations pertaining to Title VI, Title VII, ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, Environmental Justice, and Limited English Proficiency directives.
• Provide oversight and guidance to complaint and conflict resolution work by EO Investigators, including assisting with complex issues, facilitating difficult conversations, designing and implementing interventions, providing strategies for formal conflict resolution, conducting formal investigations, and issuing written findings and determinations.
• Manage the record-keeping function for investigations, including electronic and written materials, and ensure data accuracy.
• Ensure all inquiry and investigation activities comply with Equal Opportunity Guidance, best practices, effective investigative procedures, and established MTA policies and processes.
• Collaborate with supervisors, managers, executives, and other groups to resolve complaints of discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and related EO concerns. Serve as the coordinator and primary contact for the Agency’s formal EO investigations and the life cycle of investigatory inquiries.
• Manage the process for presenting investigatory results to Agency leaders, ensuring reports are thorough, answer all investigative questions, and reach appropriate conclusions.
• Provide counsel, advice, and assistance to employees, applicants, customers, and community members/organizations concerning allegations of discrimination, harassment, and disparate impact.
• Maintain current knowledge of nondiscrimination laws, rules, and regulations to assess evidence, detect discrepancies, and make evaluative judgments on reasonable cause for violations of MTA’s nondiscrimination policies. Document efforts and conclusions of informal resolutions.
• Project-manage Agency complaints to ensure timely response, resolution, and closure. Conduct confidential and sensitive investigations thoroughly and promptly, analyzing evidence in accordance with applicable laws and internal policies.
• Follow up on new complaints on time and secure relevant documentation to prove or disprove allegations.
• Maintain accurate and thorough records of the investigatory process, including case files with investigative summaries, interview reports, evidence documentation, witness lists, remedial actions, and policy changes.
• Conduct pre-determination settlement discussions and negotiations as necessary.
• Coordinate with appropriate departments (e.g., Legal, HR, Labor Relations, Operations, Inspector General) to complete the investigative process and ensure proper follow-up.
• Review complaint data to identify issues and potential environmental toxicity. Partner with other offices to design and facilitate targeted educational training on equity, inclusion, and diversity based on complaint trending data.
• Perform other duties as assigned by senior management.

Requirements

• Strong knowledge of federal, state, city, and local laws and regulations governing nondiscrimination of employees, applicants, and customers, and mitigation of disproportionate impact/burden to communities.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply federal, state, and local laws and regulations (including Title VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and related statutes) pertaining to equal opportunity, access, and inclusion in employment, services, benefits, and activities.
• Strong investigative skills with the ability to assess and negotiate highly complex, confidential, and sensitive matters of discrimination, harassment, and disproportionate impact while maintaining objectivity and neutrality.
• Ability to recognize patterns or practices that are inherently discriminatory or serve as a pretext for discrimination.
• Demonstrated ability to manage high-volume, time-sensitive workloads and meet demanding deadlines.
• Initiative, ingenuity, resourcefulness, and judgment in collecting, assembling, and developing facts and data.
• Ability to think logically and objectively, analyze and evaluate facts and evidence, and arrive at sound conclusions.
• Skill in written and oral reports and presentation of investigative findings in a clear and concise manner.
• Strong organizational, planning, and interviewing skills with the ability to work independently.
• Tact, discretion, and capacity for obtaining the cooperation and confidence of others.
• Advanced facilitation, mediation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.

Qualifications

• BA/BS from an accredited college or university is required. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. A Juris Doctorate degree is preferred.
• A minimum of 8 years’ experience conducting investigations pertaining to civil rights, discrimination, and/or workforce harassment complaints, with a comprehensive understanding of Equal Opportunity related laws, statutes, guidelines, and regulations.

Other Information

• May need to work outside of normal work hours (e.g., evenings and weekends).
• Travel may be required to other MTA locations or external sites.
• According to the New York State Public Officers Law & the MTA Code of Ethics, employees in policymaking positions must file an Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure (FDS) with the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government.

Pay

$108,150 - $119,617

Schedule

Full-time