Senior Manager Workforce Forecasting & Planning

Department: Workforce Forecasting and Planning · Reports to: Director, Workforce Forecasting & Planning · Location: 333 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001 · Full-time · Salary range: $115,000 – $124,061 · Deadline: Until filled · Telework eligible (one day per week after 30 days of employment).

About the role

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America's largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut. The MTA network comprises the nation’s largest bus fleet and more subway and commuter rail cars than all other U.S. transit systems combined.

The Senior Manager, Workforce Forecasting & Planning leads the organization's workforce forecasting & planning function (WFP) by developing forecasting models, planning methodologies, and workforce insights that translate into enterprise staffing strategies and business decisions. As a strategic partner to Senior Leadership, Operation Leaders, and Business Leads, this role integrates workforce forecasting & planning into enterprise decision-making, ensuring workforce strategies align with organizational priorities, operational needs, and long-term business objectives. This role drives the continuous improvement of workforce forecasting & planning processes, builds team capability, and implements best practices and innovative approaches that enhance workforce planning effectiveness and strengthen the organization's ability to anticipate and meet current and future workforce needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of workforce forecasting & planning strategies that align workforce supply, demand, and organizational priorities with business objectives, financial plans, and long-term workforce needs.
• Strengthen executive adoption of workforce planning insights across the organization.
• Lead the development, enhancement, and application of workforce forecasting models and analytical approaches to assess attrition, headcount, vacancies, hiring demand, internal mobility, title progression, and other workforce trends that inform strategic decisions.
• Analyze workforce trends, organizational workforce risks, and labor market conditions to identify emerging challenges and opportunities, providing workforce planning consultation and strategic guidance to senior leadership and business leads.
• Translate complex workforce data and analytics into clear recommendations, presentations, and decision-support materials that align workforce strategies with organizational priorities and support informed decision-making.
• Develop and manage workforce hiring plan processes that align staffing requirements with workforce forecasts, operational needs, budget objectives, organizational priorities, and long-term business strategies.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with Human Resources, Finance, Operations leadership, and other key stakeholders to integrate workforce forecasting & planning into organizational decision-making, address workforce gaps, and support organizational readiness and long-term business objectives.
• Serve as a trusted advisor by providing workforce forecasting & planning guidance, insights, and recommendations that support strategic business decisions and organizational priorities.
• Lead and support cross-functional workforce forecasting & planning initiatives and strategic projects through effective stakeholder engagement, change management, and collaboration to drive adoption of new processes, practices, and strategies.
• Serve as the organization's subject matter expert on workforce forecasting, workforce analytics, and strategic workforce planning.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance workforce forecasting & planning capabilities through process optimization, automation, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital workforce planning tools.
• Advance the use of innovative analytics and technology solutions to improve forecasting accuracy, strengthen analytical capabilities, and enable data-driven organizational decision-making.
• Lead, coach, and develop workforce forecasting & planning professionals by providing technical guidance, establishing priorities, and building team capabilities in workforce analytics and strategic workforce planning.

Skills

• Strong analytical, quantitative, and qualitative skills, with proficiency in workforce analytics, statistical software, data visualization tools, reporting platforms, and/or emerging technologies such as predictive analytics and artificial intelligence applications.
• Proficiency in workforce analytics, statistical analysis, forecasting methodologies, and predictive modeling.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and develop a high-performing team.
• Evaluates complex workforce data and translates analytical findings into actionable business recommendations and strategic insights.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels and navigate complex negotiations.
• Expertise in change management methodologies and the ability to lead and communicate effectively through organizational change.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to present complex findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven problem-solving abilities to proactively approach, identify, and implement innovative solutions to workforce planning challenges.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Arts/Sciences (BA/BS) in Statistics, Business Analytics, Information Systems, Operations Research, Business Administration, or a related quantitative discipline from an accredited college, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive experience in capacity modeling and planning, workforce analytics, HR analytics, business analytics, statistical analysis, predictive modeling, or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years' experience in a managerial role managing staff and/or a workforce forecasting & planning function.
• Minimum 5 years of advanced proficiency in SQL, R, Python, or comparable programming languages to support workforce analytics, forecasting, automation, and data modeling.
• Minimum 3 years' experience with PeopleSoft HCM, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), or comparable Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS).
• Minimum 3 years' demonstrated experience working with large, complex datasets from multiple sources, such as HR, payroll, financial, operational, and/or workforce management systems, with demonstrated ability to assess data quality, identify trends, and generate actionable insights.
• Minimum 4 years' experience developing, implementing, or applying workforce forecasting models and analytical methodologies, and other statistical techniques to forecast attrition, headcount, vacancies, hiring needs, and workforce movement.
• Minimum 3 years' experience with coaching, mentoring, and building a high-performing team culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement.

Preferred qualifications

• Master’s degree in Arts/Sciences (MA/MS) in Workforce Planning, Business Analytics, Statistics, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of advanced experience with PeopleSoft Human Capital Management (HCM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, or comparable human resources information systems (HRIS).

Pay

Salary range: $115,000 – $124,061.

Schedule

Hours of work: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm (7.5 hours/day, or as required). May need to work outside of normal work hours (i.e., evenings and weekends).

Additional information

• Travel may be required to other MTA locations or other external sites.
• According to the New York State Public Officers Law & the MTA Code of Ethics, all employees who hold a policymaking position must file an Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure (FDS) with the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government.