Project Manager & Senior Project Manager (Transportation)

Dakota County • Apple Valley, MN

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Dakota County Transportation Department is hiring a Project Manager or Senior Project Manager in its Project Management Engineering unit. The position communicates and acts as the project spokesperson to County staff, external stakeholders, partner agencies, and the County Board on matters including design, right of way, environmental approvals, and public engagement. It balances project scope, schedule, cost, risk, and quality while managing stakeholder expectations and maintaining a positive project environment. The incumbent represents County interests in trunk highway, transit, and multimodal planning and operations led by state, regional, and local agencies, and provides work direction and support for planning, budgets, work plans, and monitoring throughout the project lifecycle.

The role represents the County during transportation project studies and design; manages consultant design progress and professional-service expenditures; coordinates internal reviews, agency approvals, permits, agreements, and environmental studies; and leads project communications and public involvement. It also supports consultant selection and contracting and coordinates efforts to obtain state and federal project funding. The listed duties are for the Project Manager level; Senior Project Manager duties are provided in a separate position description.

This is a safety-sensitive hybrid position based at the Western Service Center in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Work is performed Monday through Friday during regular business hours, with some telework and some travel. The position is supervised by a Professional Engineer. The County describes itself as committed to inclusive, equitable public service and a workforce reflective of the communities it serves.

Requirements

• Meet one of the following minimum education and experience combinations: bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Planning, or a closely related field and one year of transportation project management work experience; associate degree in Civil Engineering Technology or a closely related field and three years of transportation project management work experience; or an equivalent combination of education and direct transportation project management work experience totaling at least five years.
• Valid driver's license.
• Knowledge of transportation and engineering principles and practices and their application in the public sector.
• Knowledge of federal and state highway preliminary and final design standards, rules, environmental regulations, and specifications.
• Ability to analyze and interpret construction plans and specifications.
• Ability to communicate and present ideas orally and in writing, including technical information to people at all organizational levels.
• Ability to coordinate multiple priorities and issues and to complete projects within budget and schedule.
• Strong problem-solving skills and effective interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of multimodal transportation elements and practices that improve mobility and safety for bicycling, walking, driving, and transit.
• Experience preparing written, visual, and graphic materials and presenting to public groups, committees, and the general public.
• Direct experience leading discussions and facilitating meetings.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities of varying complexity, including agendas, formal resolutions or board-action materials, meetings, and grant or contract activities.
• Strong knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and general understanding of land-use mapping and transportation-modeling programs.
• Ability to travel as required.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 20 pounds and perform occasional outdoor work in temperatures below 0°F and above 100°F.

Nice To Haves

• Direct work experience related to transportation project management, multimodal transportation, transportation planning, or transportation design.
• A civil engineering degree and potential to obtain professional licensure; supervision by a Professional Engineer is available to help Engineer-in-Training candidates fulfill licensure requirements.
• An advanced degree in a related field.

Responsibilities

• Represent the County during study, preliminary design, and final design for construction projects by reviewing proposed layouts, plans, and specifications.
• Manage consultant design progress and professional-service expenditures, and review design elements and budget compliance.
• Coordinate internal reviews of studies and plans, collate comments, and participate in value engineering, cost estimating, and cost adjustment.
• Negotiate and process requests for change orders or professional design service contract amendments in a timely manner.
• Coordinate with local, regional, state, and federal agencies and utility companies to obtain approvals, permits, and agreements.
• Facilitate environmental studies and documentation in accordance with accepted NEPA and MEQB procedures and practices.
• Communicate project information to internal Transportation staff and external stakeholders, and conduct regular project team meetings.
• Coordinate and lead the project's Public Involvement Program and act as the County spokesperson on design and right-of-way issues.
• Participate in professional-service contract selection and coordinate contract preparation and execution.
• Coordinate the County's efforts to obtain state and federal funding and provide regular status reports to the administering authority.
• Assist with project planning, budget preparation, work plan development, and project monitoring throughout the project lifecycle.

Benefits

• Comprehensive and affordable medical, dental, vision, and other benefits.
• Excellent work-life balance.
• Generous paid time off, accruing at a rate that starts at four weeks per year.
• Eleven paid holidays each year.
• Pension with a generous employer contribution.
• Ability to work from home some of the time.

What This Job Offers

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