Senior Program Manager, Transportation Safety (Maritime)

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Program Manager, Transportation Safety (Maritime). This is a hybrid opportunity based in Evanston, IL; Raleigh-Durham, NC; Washington, DC; or remote!

The Senior Program Manager, Transportation Safety, will spearhead global initiatives and lead ongoing safety programs within the transportation sectors to advance the mission of UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) to make the world safer, more secure, and sustainable. The Senior Program Manager will leverage their expert knowledge to enhance industry practices focused on the safe transportation of dangerous goods/hazardous materials, particularly lithium-ion batteries and battery-powered devices. The Senior Program Manager will interface with executive-level industry stakeholders, including ship owners, ship operators, safety organizations, government agencies, and researchers, to drive policy, standards, and best practices that address thermal runaway incidents and improve maritime safety.

In this capacity, the Program Manager will lead the Maritime Thermal Runaway Incident Program (TRIP), a collaborative effort with the maritime industry to understand and prevent thermal runaway incidents in the maritime sector. The role also involves expanding TRIP's success to other transportation modes, while raising global awareness and advancing UL's safety standards, research, and industry insights.

UL Standards & Engagement:

At UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have created new safety standards and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge.

Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Standards teams who develop the standards required to put that knowledge into practice.

What you'll learn and achieve:

As the Senior Program Manager, Transportation Safety (Maritime),you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you:

• Lead transportation safety initiatives identifying opportunities to engage key executive level stakeholders and develop strategic technical plans with measurable outcomes aligned with organizational goals.

• Serve as an industry recognized expert, in lithium-ion battery risks and thermal runaway prevention, providing guidance on safe handling, transport, and storage of rechargeable devices across transportation networks.

• Use established industry network and cultivate robust relationships with governmental and non-governmental entities, including transportation industry leaders, regulatory bodies, trade industry associates and consumer groups to advance safety initiatives.

• Actively engage senior level external stakeholders, and represent the organization in industry forums, regulatory discussions and public events through presentations, panel discussions, and publications.

• Lead public education campaigns to raise awareness about the safe transport and use of lithium-ion battery-powered devices.

• Oversee ULSE's Thermal Runaway Incident Program (TRIP), providing data-driven insights to improve maritime safety protocols and explore expansion of TRIP to other modes of transportation.

• Organize and lead US and International TRIP Summits, bringing together logistics and dangerous goods experts to advance lithium-ion battery safety. Facilitate industry collaboration, researchexchange and ensure impactful events. Facilitate industry collaboration, research exchange, and ensure an impactful event.

• Lead collaborative efforts with executives throughout the organization to develop strategies and integrate data-driven solutions to effectively deploy safety and hazardous materials initiatives.

• Scope and lead end-to-end project plans, ensure deadlines are met, and actively manage milestones and priorities.

• Provide oversight and coaching to team members. Cultivate a collaborative environment, ensuring effective execution of standards, research, and communications activities.

• Identify opportunities for program expansion, ensure continuous evolution and relevance of safety standards, and create capacity for new and high-impact standards.

• Maintain continued awareness of industry trends and external context related to transportation safety, offering insights to inform strategic decisions and direction of standards development and safety advocacy

• Contribute to and/or lead other department-specific and cross-functional projects.

What you'll experience working at UL Standards & Engagement: We have pursued our mission of working for a safer, more secure, and sustainable world for nearly 130 years, embedding conscientious stewardship into everything we do.

• People: Our people make us special. You'll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today's global challenges require.

• Interesting work: Every day is different for us here. We see what's on the horizon and use our expertise to build the foundations of a safer future. You'll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of human understanding as part of a team working to advance the public good.

• Grow and achieve: We learn, work, and grow together through targeted development, reward, and recognition programs.

• Values. Four core values guide our work: collaboration, respect, integrity, and beneficence. By living our values, we inspire the trust essential to fulfilling our mission and foster partnerships that enable us to pursue a beneficent future in which we all can thrive.

• Total Rewards: All employees at UL Standards & Engagement are eligible for bonus compensation. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay. Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment. Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager. We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days.

What makes you a great fit:

While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional competencies and personal attributes:

• Demonstrated expertise in maritime safety, including crew safety and transportation of dangerous goods/hazardous materials. Working knowledge of thermal runaway and battery technology.

• Established leader with experience executing strategy. Able to set strategic direction, interpret, support, and execute organizational strategy while effectively translating objectives into actionable plans and driving successful execution.

• Strong program management skills, effectively leading end-to-end program planning and execution, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with organizational goals. Experience setting expectations while establishing and operationalizing clear goals and enforcing accountability for both processes and results.

• Excellent communicator and presenter with experience influencing diverse stakeholders. Proven capability in establishing effective relationships with others, including executive leaders and external stakeholders.

• Experience fostering collaboration and partnership with cross functional teams to develop solutions with broad impact.

• Strategic thinker with ability to innovate and adapt in a dynamic industry landscape

Professional education and experience requirements for the role include:

• Bachelor's degree required. Advanced degree preferred.

• Minimum 9 years of related work experience.

• Relevant professional certification a plus.

About UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing safety science research through the discovery and application of scientific knowledge. We conduct rigorous independent research and analyze safety data, convene experts worldwide to address risks, share knowledge through safety education and public outreach initiatives, and develop standards to guide safe commercialization of evolving technologies. We foster communities of safety, from grassroots initiatives for neighborhoods to summit of world leaders. Our organization employs collaborative and scientific approaches with partners and stakeholders to drive innovation and progress toward improving safety, security, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing societal well-being.

Our affiliate, UL Solutions, stands alongside us in working for a safer and more sustainable world. UL Solutions conducts testing, verification and certification, and provides training and advisory services, along with data-driven reporting and decision-making tools, for customers around the world.

To learn more, visit our websites UL.org and ULSE.org.

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