Deputy Executive Director

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About SAIPRC

Established by Congress, State-Amtrak Intercity Passenger Rail Committee (SAIPRC) is a multi-agency body responsible for implementing various statutory requirements relating to Amtrak State-supported services and for promoting cooperation and planning among SAIPRC members. SAIPRC’s members include representatives from Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the 20 entities from 17 States that sponsor 28 State-Supported Amtrak routes nationwide.

The State-Supported services are Amtrak routes 750 miles or less outside the Northeast Corridor (which runs from Boston to Washington). Per federal statute, states are responsible for funding the costs of each State-Supported route. Altogether, the 28 State-Supported services carry approximately one-half of all Amtrak riders nationwide and represent an important and growing part of the Amtrak national network. States contribute over $800 million in ticket revenue and direct payments to Amtrak each year. Over the last decade, the State-Supported routes represented 80% of Amtrak’s system-wide ridership growth.

SAIPRC’s mission is to promote innovative practices and investment that support a vibrant and efficient State and national passenger rail network to meet the growing needs of the traveling public and encourage economic growth.

Position Summary

This newly created position reports directly to the Executive Director and, working closely with the SAIPRC executive committee, will play a critical role in shaping SAIPRC’s success. The Deputy Executive Director will drive progress in all areas of SAIPRC activity, by developing and executing plans to hire and grow the SAIPRC team, identifying and leading improvements to the administrative and technical systems that support all SAIPRC activities, forming relationships with representatives from SAIPRC members, and ensuring that SAIPRC’s growing portfolio of work is completed at the highest level of performance and successfully meets the consensus goals of our members.

The Executive Director will be a highly visible member of the SAIPRC executive team, and will engage with leadership from all SAIPRC members, thereby establishing trusted relationships that will further the organization’s impact on advancing intercity passenger services across the United States.

Additionally, the Deputy Executive Director will support the Executive Director with establishing, developing, and leading a diverse, high-performing staff that will support SAIPRC’s continued growth. In doing so, the Deputy Executive Director will also oversee a wide portfolio of SAIPRC’s administrative activities and project-based work including human resources, information technology services and finance. Among the most critical responsibilities that the Deputy Executive Director will undertake is authoring the organization’s next multiyear strategic plan, which will include working closely with the Executive Director and SAIPRC member representatives to identify primary goals and initiatives for SAIPRC’s next growth phase.

Essential Functions

Responsibilities of the Deputy Executive Director include the following:

  • Work closely and collaboratively with the Executive Director in planning, organizing, and directing SAIPRC’s daily operations and programs, including directing activities to achieve program strategies and efficiencies, compliance, and quality assurance.

  • Oversee and manage the execution of key elements of SAIPRC’s annual work plan and budget by SAIPRC staff and contractors.

  • Collaborate with the Executive Director to establish the organization's ongoing strategic direction and develop a long-term, strategic vision for the organization’s next growth phase.

  • Support the development of the organization’s annual objectives, work plan, and budget, and establish the performance criteria used to evaluate the organization’s success.

  • Support the Executive Director in managing and retaining the SAIPRC staff, including ensuring appropriate support for their efforts, establishing staff responsibilities and regular goals, performing regular employee evaluations, and identifying staff training/growth opportunities.

  • Support the Executive Director in building an effective and engaged team, including supporting hiring processes and identifying and addressing staffing requirements.

  • Identify and execute strategies to continuously promote the organization’s culture and values among staff and contractors, including diversity and belonging, consensus-based decision making, high-quality work products, responsiveness to stakeholders, ongoing reflection and improvement, and the benefits of risk-taking and innovation.

  • Oversee and directly support the hiring and management of contractors to support SAIPRC’s administrative functions and SAIPRC’s annual work plan.

  • Facilitate collaboration and consensus among committee members through relationship building and communication.

  • Directly manage and/or oversee the execution and improvement of core administrative activities, including information technology systems and support, human resources functions, and workplace compliance.

  • Support execution of and improvements to SAIPRC’s regular financial processes, including developing the annual budget, monthly expense tracking, federal grant administration, and monthly financial reporting.

  • Develop relationships and regularly interface with managers and high-level staff from SAIPRC members to support all aspects of SAIPRC’s work.

  • Support the execution of SAIPRC’s quarterly in-person meetings (all off-site).

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate for Deputy Executive Director will have at least 5 years of experience in transportation policy, planning, or a related field, along with the following qualifications:

  • Experience supervising and collaborating with a team of staff and contractors (numbering approximately 6-10 individuals) to execute complex technical projects

  • Experience with building consensus among a diverse group of stakeholders with sometimes competing and divergent interests

  • Ability to create and improve processes and systems to support internal and external collaboration

  • Experience hiring and building a team of staff and contractors

  • Familiarity with government relations at the Federal and State levels

  • Ability to oversee and improve internal administrative systems

  • Effective written, visual, and verbal communication skills, including public speaking

  • Strong financial management skills, including budget preparation, analysis, decision making, and reporting

  • Solid organizational abilities, including planning, delegating, program development, and task facilitation

  • Demonstrated transparent and high integrity leadership

Preferred qualifications:

  • At least 10 years of experience in transportation policy, planning, or a related field

  • A master’s or equivalent degree in transportation planning, engineering, public policy, law, business administration, or a related field

  • Demonstrated success in building consensus among a diverse group of stakeholders with sometimes competing and divergent interests

  • Familiarity with federal passenger rail policy, including Section 209 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act, and State-supported Amtrak services

  • Experience with multiagency coordination and collaboration

  • Familiarity with federal grant rules and procedures

  • Experience with managing a nonprofit or start-up

Location

SAIPRC offers flexible work arrangements (e.g., office-based, work-from-home, hybrid). SAIPRC currently has small, in-person offices in Washington, D.C., and New York, NY. Preference will be given to candidates located in the D.C. or New York metropolitan areas, but candidates from anywhere in the continental United States are encouraged to apply.

Travel

Approximately 5% travel, although the selected candidate may have the opportunity for additional travel if desired. Off-site meetings (at least three times a year, usually involving overnight stays) is typical.

To Apply

SAIPRC has engaged Krauthamer & Associates (“K&A”), a retained executive search firm, to assist with the recruitment for the Deputy Executive Director. To request more information or to submit a resume and cover letter, please contact Gregg Moser, Partner at K&A, at gmoser[at]kapartners.com.

Last updated: Aug 18, 2023