Deputy Director of Communications, Better Bus Project

Safety Statement 
At the MBTA, we envision a thriving region enabled by a best-in-class transit system.  Our mission is to serve the public by providing safe, reliable, and accessible transportation.  MBTA’s core values are built around safety, service, equity, and sustainability and each employee that works for the MBTA performs their roles based on our vision, mission, and values.  This includes attendance, participation, and contribution in local safety committee meetings as needed.
 
Purpose and Scope
The Deputy Director of Communications for the Better Bus Project builds and leads the MBTA’s relationships with municipalities, neighborhoods, stakeholders impacted by changes to bus service and infrastructure.  The Better Bus Project is a portfolio of activities at the MBTA, all of which aim to make bus an easy first choice for more travelers and includes the Bus Network Redesign.  The Redesign will require changes and upgrades to hundreds of bus routes, bus stops, signs, communications, and capital projects.  The Project will bring significant improvements to bus service to hundreds of thousands of riders but will involve change that deserve good communication strategies.  The position reports to the Senior Director of Bus Transformation.  The Bus Transformation Office is within the Operations Planning, Scheduling, and Strategy Department (OPSS).
 
The Deputy Director is dedicated to communicating openly, strategically, and comprehensively about all planned and ongoing changes to bus service, stops, routing, bus lanes, and facilities.   The Deputy Director will build relationships with local stakeholders such as municipal staff, advocacy groups, riders, neighborhood associations, and citizen groups.  The Deputy Director will be responsible for listening, responding, and communicating external and internal plans and concerns about the Better Bus Project, including both the operating and capital components of the Bus Network Redesign over its planned five-year timeline.

• Learn and stay apprised of all Better Bus Project activities with external impacts to bus service, bus policy, and bus infrastructure at the local level, including coordinating with all internal MBTA departments.  
• Build and maintain personal relationships to Better Bus Project stakeholders, including municipal officials, community-based organizations, and service providers, with assistance from the Community and Legislative Affairs team.
• Create and execute Outreach and Engagement plans, staffed by MBTA staff and/or contractor teams, for Better Bus Project initiatives such as: phases of Bus Network Redesign implementation, bus stop changes, roadway changes, and bus lane construction. 
• Oversee and coordinate consultant staff who are designing and executing public outreach and community engagement in planning and construction phases. Responsible for personnel issues, staffing levels, schedules, and budgets.
• Assist the Senior Director of Bus Transformation to build a team culture of mutual respect and trust, centered on a passion for improving bus service at the MBTA.
• Represent the MBTA and the Bus Transformation Office through clear, concise, and timely communications, including in public forums such as Council meetings, public events, and presentations.  Attend and participate in public meetings, often occurring in evenings and weekends outside of regular work hours.
• Create and publish public communications at regular intervals about all activities related to the Better Bus Project, including generating content for emails, web, social media, and signs in coordination with the MBTA’s technology and Customer Experience teams.
• Regularly interact with the Senior Director of Bus Transformation, OPSS leadership, internal MBTA stakeholders such as Service Planning, Operations, Transit Priority, and Capital Delivery, and external MBTA stakeholders such as municipalities, other public agencies, and vendors.
• Prepare project-related correspondence, reports, charts, and presentations utilizing Microsoft Word, Excel, Database and PowerPoint
• Uphold the rights and interests of the Authority while building and maintaining an effective relationship with employees.
• Adhere to the rules, and regulations, and policies of the Authority including the EEO, Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment and Anti-Retaliation policies.
• Visit work sites and/or attend off-site meetings throughout the MBTA service area.
• Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned
• Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned

 
Additional responsibilities may include focus on one or more departments or locations.   See applicable addendum for department or location specific functions.  
 
Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Available to work all shifts and locations as assigned or directed
• Available to work as per assignment by the MBTA twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week as directed by supervisory staff for severe weather conditions, emergencies or any other circumstances that may potentially impact service or the safety of service
• Have the ability to work any and all shifts and/or locations assigned or directed. 

Supervision  

• Supervises a staff of Project Managers, financial support staff, and a variety of private consultants.

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution.

 
Minimum Experience and Required Skills

• Five (5) years of experience in transportation planning, engineering, project management, or a related field
• Two (2) years leadership – people management or large projects.
• Formal experience in Communications, Government Affairs, or Community Engagement involving customers, advocacy groups, employees, public officials, and/or municipal, state, and federal agencies
• One (1) year of experience communicating to the public, advocates, and other stakeholders about large programs of comparable scale and complexity as the Better Bus Project. 
• Demonstrated skills producing and laying out public-facing content such as newsletters, emails, annual reports, or other materials.
• Effective organizational, analytical, quantitative, qualitative analysis, interpersonal, and time management skills
• Proficiency with office productivity software such as Microsoft Office, Slack, and similar applications
• Ability to complete a writing and Excel assessment

 
Preferred Experience and Skills

• Master’s Degree in communications, government or community affairs, urban planning, public policy, public administration, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• Experience with managing public engagement, planning, and/or infrastructure projects including planning studies, design and construction, and public agency coordination
• Demonstrated track record of creative problem-solving on public-facing policies, programs, and/ or projects.
• Experience working with municipal staff, advocates, community-based organizations related to transportation planning, equity, environmental justice, or inclusive planning processes.
• Ability to communicate in languages beyond English, particular Spanish, Haitian Kreyol, Chinese, and others.

Specific Preferred Skills:

• Leadership – establishes clear roles and responsibilities; communicates a vision and direction; demands accountability to clear goals; gives staff resources required to meet goals; delegates and trusts staff to complete tasks and exercise judgment.
• Interpersonal - Focuses on building a team based on trust and mutual respect; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.
• Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs workflows and procedures.
• Strategic - Analyzes market and competition; Adapts strategy to changing conditions.
• Judgment - Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions.
• Professionalism - Reacts well under pressure; Accepts responsibility for own actions.
• Adaptability - Manages competing demands.

 NONE

Salary : $95,810 - $115,000