Manager

H-GAC•Houston, TX

53d

About The Position

The Houston-Galveston Area Council is one of the largest regional planning commissions in the country with a diverse service area of 13 counties and more than 7 million people. We are the pulse of our region addressing issues that cross city limits and county lines every single day. We make decisions that affect our transportation system, ensure the safety and well-being of our seniors, connect people to jobs, help families recover from natural disasters, preserve water quality for our children, and so much more. We work to make the region a great place to live, work, and thrive. Overall, you will be managing the transportation project development and delivery efforts of the metropolitan planning organization and the team assigned to these efforts. This includes:

Requirements

Experience successfully managing teams.
Experience administering surface transportation funding programs at the federal and state levels and knowledge about how the funding relates to the implementation of the Regional Transportation Plan.
Experience developing project timelines for project programming and delivery efforts that provide ample opportunity for input from the public and stakeholders.
Experience reviewing surface transportation projects and program cost estimates and assessing project readiness for inclusion in the TIP, 10-year Plan, and the Regional Transportation Plan.
The ideal candidates will demonstrate strong teamwork, effective communication in a collaborative environment, an “all hands-on deck” attitude, and be passionate about doing whatever it takes to improve the quality of life for our citizens.
Strong project management, communication, and presentation skills are crucial for success in this role.
Familiarity in transportation project development cycle; including from planning to implementation.
Familiarity with the National Environmental Policy Act process to advise project sponsors on best practices for obtaining appropriate environmental clearance.
Proficient in project management software and data tools such as Asana, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, ArcGIS, or similar platforms.
Bachelor’s degree in an applicable academic discipline or related field of study
5 years of experience working with local government, nonprofit programs, school or in job related duties?

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team (5-10 staff) of planners and engineers.
Develop and implement a project development and delivery strategic plan that is aligned with H-GAC’s mission and Board priorities.
Foster a culture of collaboration, inclusion, accountability, continuous improvement, and data-informed decision-making.
Provide coaching, performance management, and professional development; recruit and onboard new team members.
Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and others on project delivery risk and strategy.
Lead workforce planning efforts to ensure team resilience and continuity in project delivery functions.
Demonstrate experience in surface transportation project planning and development by assisting in transportation project selection and scoring.
Develop, refine and lead processes to assist with and monitor progress towards the implementation of the Transportation Improvement Program, H-GAC 10-Year Plan, and the Regional Transportation Plan.
Provide oversight of and coordination with project sponsors on ongoing regional project development and delivery efforts.
Identify and mitigate risks to project schedules and budgets; troubleshoot implementation barriers in coordination with sponsors.
Track project progress utilizing risk matrices, schedule templates and the project information database, along with other tools.
Assist with the maintenance and the integrity of the project information database and other project management tools.
Lead efforts to launch a new project delivery program to assist with early implementation transportation projects (ex: preliminary engineering, right of way acquisition, etc.).
Ensure necessary staffing for this program.
Coordinate closely with TxDOT, local governments, FHWA, and other regional stakeholders to ensure alignment of project delivery efforts with federal and state policies and funding requirements.
Develop committee and Council meeting materials including background papers.
Develop and deliver compelling presentations in support of project development and delivery efforts.
Establish KPIs and performance metrics for project delivery; produce regular status reports for executive leadership and policy boards.