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.

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey is seeking an experienced construction safety leader to serve as Program Director, Construction Safety Management. This role requires a proven track record of leading complex construction safety programs, driving strategic initiatives, and building strong partnerships across diverse stakeholder groups.

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. The position 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, including major capital programs, redevelopment programs, tenant alteration/construction application programs, Owner Controlled Insurance programs (OCIP), and Contractor Controlled Insurance programs (CCIP).
• 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, and 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 as OSHA, DOH, jurisdictional emergency responders in support of the Agency’s Authority Having Jurisdiction status, adjacent agencies.
• Resolving technical issues on all stakeholder projects, including safety code-related issues critical to projects, with ability to interpret industry codes and work with the Authorities Having Jurisdiction and all design disciplines.
• 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.
• Identifying 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.
• Ensuring appropriate documentation and data capture is achieved consistently to measure safety performance, trend analysis and tracking of open hazards to closure.
• Ensuring 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.
• Supervising site safety teams and interfacing with facility operations and Construction Management leadership to foster strong relationships and partnerships.
• Reviewing roles and responsibilities of staff and recommending improvements for efficiency and greater…