Director, Capital Projects Horizontal

Harris County • Houston, TX

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Capital Projects, is responsible for planning, directing, and overseeing the delivery of horizontal capital construction projects within the Office of the County Engineer (OCE). This position provides leadership and technical oversight for the Capital Projects Horizontal group. The Director manages the entire project lifecycle, including project planning, engineering design, environmental coordination, permitting, utility coordination, right-of-way acquisition, procurement, contract negotiation and administration, construction management, inspection, project controls, closeout, and warranty administration. Projects may include roadways, bridges, drainage systems, sidewalks, trails, transportation improvements, and other civil infrastructure initiatives supporting County operations and the public. The position works closely with internal County departments, consultants, contractors, utility providers, municipalities, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure projects are completed on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with County standards and applicable regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a closely related field.
• Registered Professional Engineer in Texas or Registered Professional Engineer in any other state, but be able to achieve TEXAS P.E. within six months of employment
• Minimum ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in horizontal capital project delivery, civil engineering design, construction management, or program management.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex roadway, bridge, drainage, transportation, or civil infrastructure projects and coordinating multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience working with consultants, contractors, utility providers, regulatory agencies, and internal stakeholders in a public-sector or infrastructure environment.
• Strong knowledge of horizontal construction practices, roadway and drainage systems, utility coordination, construction sequencing, and civil infrastructure project delivery.
• Working knowledge of roadways, bridge, drainage, traffic, environmental, permitting, accessibility, and right-of-way requirements.
• Ability to manage scope, schedule, budget, risk, and stakeholder coordination across multiple horizontal capital projects.
• Proficiency with project management and project controls software.
• Ability to read, interpret, and review engineering plans, specifications, construction documents, cost estimates, schedules, and technical reports.
• Strong leadership, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders in a complex organizational environment.
• Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in civil engineering, Construction Management, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Experience overseeing horizontal capital projects for governmental, transportation, or large infrastructure clients.
• Experience preparing or supporting Commissioners Court agenda items related to civil infrastructure and capital construction.
• PMP Certification
• Certified Floodplain Manager Certification (CFM)

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for OCE’s horizontal capital projects portfolio, overseeing multiple concurrent projects across all phases of planning, design, and construction.
• Establish division-wide project delivery standards, performance expectations, and priorities in alignment with County policies and OCE objectives.
• Exercise authority over the full lifecycle of horizontal capital project delivery, including planning, engineering design, environmental review, permitting, utility coordination, right-of-way, procurement, construction, inspection, closeout, and warranty phases.
• Oversee and ensure compliance with civil engineering design and construction activities with applicable federal, state, and local requirements, including County design criteria, roadway and drainage standards, accessibility requirements, environmental regulations, and traffic control standards.
• Prepare, review, and support Commissioners Court agenda items, including professional services contracts, construction contracts, interlocal agreements, amendments, additional fees, change orders/field alterations, right-of-way matters, and funding requests.
• Provide strategic oversight and executive-level guidance to project managers and team leaders on negotiations, scope development, risk management, and contractor performance.
• Establish and oversee quality assurance and quality control standards to ensure consistency, accuracy, and quality of project deliverables.
• Serve as a senior point of coordination and escalation for internal County departments, consultants, contractors, utility providers, municipalities, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Direct, mentor, and hold accountable team leaders, project managers, and technical staff for performance, professional development, and project outcomes.
• Determine staffing strategies and allocate resources across projects to support workload balance, efficiency, and timely delivery.
• Oversee project performance through management systems and review reporting on schedule, budget, risks, and delivery metrics for leadership.
• Provide leadership support during emergency response, recovery efforts, or high-priority County initiatives as required.
• Respond decisively to changing priorities and critical issues to ensure continuity of operations and project delivery.

Benefits

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance.
• Wellness.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• 457 deferred compensation plans.
• Retirement pension (TCDRS).
• Transportation assistance (Metro Ride Sponsor Program).
• Disability and life insurance.
• Harris County is a Qualified Employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director