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.

Job Summary

The Director of Supplier Diversity External Engagement & Internal Success will manage the overall functions supporting MBTA’s Supplier Diversity goals and initiatives related to external outreach and engagement as well as internal program success so that the MBTA continues to grow the amount of dollars awarded and paid to small and diverse businesses. The Director will lead the external outreach strategy and will formulate smart, targeted and effective outreach engagements by partnering with external organizations that can augment the MBTA’s external outreach. The position will also design and lead internal efforts to identify opportunities, onboard suppliers, and promote supplier success through collaboration with leadership and staff from across the agency.

Reporting directly to the Assistant General Manager for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, the Director will work closely with Procurement, Capital, Finance and the Office of Diversity and Civil Rights (ODCR) to ensure internal success via effective policies, procedures, and goals implementation of ODCR DBE Federal Programs and other supplier diversity procedures and requirements.

Duties & Responsibilities

INTERNAL

• Ensure agency objectives directed by ODCR’s DBE Federal Programs and State Funded Supplier Diversity policy initiatives are met.
• Develop, implement, and manage processes and procedures to identify and communicate opportunities for small and diverse businesses in the development stages of procurements and projects.
• Assist and advise monitoring contracts and subcontractor utilization reports and verify the accuracy of reports.
• Assist and support administering the supplier diversity programs, ensuring compliance with applicable policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Lead the successful and comprehensive utilization of B2G prompt payment software, including documentation, implementation, and communication to the internal stakeholders and external vendors and contractors.
• Assist and advise with the preparation of reports related to the small business, supplier diversity and DBE program including as needed assisting the centralized reports team to produce the annual supplier diversity reports and any other reports on supplier diversity.
• Ensure systems and databases for contracting activity are generating timely and accurate reports for submission to executives as needed, Board Committee members when requested, and other Stakeholders, and others, as required.
• Work with Procurement and Engineering & Capital to identify opportunities to maintain and increase supplier diversity spend.
• Collaborate with the Supplier Diversity Analyst to track, measure, report and evaluate vendor diversity goal contractual obligation.
• Research, create, and recommend procurement strategies to increase diverse supplier utilization.
• Serve as subject matter expert on supplier diversity initiatives and small and diverse supplier capabilities.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholder, including HR Diversity & Inclusion (D&I), to gain support and endorsement of MBTA small and diverse supplier strategy and to ensure alignment of respective strategies.
• Monitor and engage with new, diverse MBTA suppliers to ensure successful performance of contract obligations.

EXTERNAL

• Identify and engage external diverse supplier networks in procurement solicitations with adequate time and knowledge for them to prepare to compete and win these opportunities.
• Grow relationships with diverse owned businesses with the intent to expand the MBTA’s small and diverse companies winning prime or sub-prime contracts for state and federally funded procurements and projects.
• Strengthen strategic external relationships with groups, such as CIM, ACEC, BECMA and other industry groups regarding Supplier Diversity program requirements, innovations and opportunities.
• Design and execute outreach events and roundtables to promote opportunities at the MBTA for small and diverse companies, including MBEs, WBEs, DBEs, LGBTQBEs and others.
• Leveraging input from other stakeholders, update and develop policies, processes and methodologies that enable small and diverse companies to do more business with the MBTA.
• Meet with Prime Contractors, Consultants, Subcontractors, and DBEs/MBEs/WBEs to assess trends, support services, technical assistance, and overall compliance with the Civil Right and Suppliers Diversity Program requirements.
• Develop outreach strategies leveraging various internal sources and systems to proactively identify opportunities to market externally with diverse and small businesses.
• Maintain and update Supplier Diversity sites as well as supplier diversity content on projects and procurements opportunities, workshops, events and related content at mbta.com/supplier diversity.
• Identify qualified, prospective small and diverse businesses to facilitate introductory discussions with Procurement and Capital colleagues.
• Conduct internal Supplier Diversity events, including event focus, logistics, and marketing.
• Research and prepare lists of qualified and certified small and diverse businesses for procurement purposes or to match potential subcontractors and suppliers with prime contractors.
• Encourage prime contractors to utilize diverse suppliers per project plans and help facilitate connections to do so. Communicate with prime contract businesses as necessary.
• Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned

Supervision

• Manage a team of several individuals.

Minimum Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Seven (7) years of experience in Supplier diversity programs with an emphasis in contract compliance, ethics, integrity monitoring, DBE certification and program implementation and public procurement procedures/systems.
• Five (5) years of supervisory, managerial, and/or large project management experience.
• Solid understanding of and experience with project management methodologies.
• Passion and advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Highly results-driven orientation to energetically leads multiple complex projects to timely, successful, and desired conclusion with minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; the position requires interaction with all levels of internal staff and the ability to encourage diverse views.
• Ability to develop and manage the change and communication plan to support the programs.
• Intellectual curiosity to stay current with industry trends on DEI, DBE, SBE, and workforce.
• Strong interpersonal skills, especially influencing and relationship management.
• Demonstrated ability to implement creative ways to engage and communicate with various audiences.
• Effective verbal and written communications across a variety of modalities.

Substitutions Include

• A High School Diploma or GED with an additional seven (7) years of directly related experience substitutes for the Bachelor’s degree requirement
• An Associate’s degree from an accredited institution an additional three (3) years of directly related experience substitutes for the Bachelor’s degree requirement
• A Master’s degree in a related subject substitutes for two (2) years of general experience.
• A nationally recognized certification, or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for one year of experience

Preferred Experience And Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree, Specialized Industry related, and demonstrated continuing education trainings.
• PMP Certification or Scrum Master Certification (CSM and/or A-CSM or equivalent).
• Prior leadership experience.
• Ability to partner across the business unit to utilize resources, information and to obtain support for initiatives.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft suite.

Job Conditions:

• Ability to effectively read, comprehend, communicate, and respond to instructions, orders, signs, notices, inquiries, etc. in English.
• Ability to commute to assigned work locations in the Boston, MA metro area, as required by the role.
• Ability to provide internal and external customers with courteous and professional experiences.
• Ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team (or supervise, if required).
• Ability to uphold the rights and interests of the MBTA while building and maintaining effective relationships with employees and co-workers.
• Ability to adhere to rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable), and policies of the MBTA, including the EEO, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and anti-retaliation policies.
• Have a satisfactory work record for the two (2) years immediately prior to the closing date of this posting (unless if current student or recent graduate), including overall employment, job performance, discipline, and safety records (infractions and/or offenses occurring after the closing of the posting and before the filling of a vacancy may preclude a candidate from consideration for selection).
• Ability to pass a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, comprehensive background screening, and / or medical Clinic screening, potentially including a physical examination and drug and alcohol screenings.
• Ability to work all shifts and / or locations assigned, directed, or necessary for this position, including (for some transit / operations roles) up to twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week as necessary to accommodate severe weather conditions, emergencies, or any other circumstances that may potentially impact service or the safety of service.
• Intern / co-op staff must be enrolled full or part-time in an accredited educational program and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 for the entire duration of the internship / co-op.

Disclaimers and Definitions:

• General Disclaimer: The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe a summary, general nature, and complexity of typical job functions and do not represent an exhaustive list of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities required of staff assigned to this position.
• Application Completion: It is each applicant’s responsibility to ensure application details are entered completely and correctly, including updated work and education histories (past and current). Incomplete applications may not be considered. Attachments do not substitute for application fields. Recruitment team does not have access to existing employee data / history.
• Application Deadlines: Applicants should apply as soon as possible, as the MBTA may stop considering applicants after a sufficiently large applicant pool is established.
• Work Environment: The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here-in are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. See job description for role-specific requirements.
• Work Eligibility: Although the MBTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, all employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer and on an unrestricted basis (the MBTA does not sponsor non-US citizens). However, if you have an unrestricted work authorization, or sponsored by a separate entity, you are welcome to apply for open positions. International students taking part in CPT / STEM / OPT programs through a university are eligible for internships and co-ops with the MBTA. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to complete a Form I-9 to verify their identity and eligibility to work in the U.S.
• Interviews: Candidates should ensure they arrive on time, are prepared, can remain for the duration, and if remote, are in a quiet place without distraction, for the interview. Candidates who do not attend their interview without advance authorization, including an email confirmation of a rescheduled time/date from Human Resources, will be considered a no-show and disqualified from consideration for the position. Related to rescheduling, on a one-time basis, and due to something emergent, you may be allowed to reschedule the interview. In addition, Human Resources may require documentation supporting the request. However, should you need to reschedule, you will need to contact your Recruiter directly by email.
• Safety Sensitive Positions: Employees working in this classification will be subject to periodic physical examinations plus random drug and alcohol testing.
• On-call or 24/7 Positions: Employees working in this classification must be available to respond to page / text / call and report to work as determined by assigned department or the Authority.
• Essential / Emergency Staff: During declared “states of emergency,” employees working in this classification are required to report to work for their assigned work hours or as directed by management.
• ADA Accommodations: The MBTA makes reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If you require an accommodation during this process, please contact the MBTA’s ADA Unit at 617-222-5751 or [email protected] .
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The MBTA is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer . For terms, descriptions, and definitions related to diversity, equity, inclusion, veteran status, and immediate family members that you may find on the application form, please visit mbta.com/careers-app-definitions .