Project Manager & Senior Project Manager (Trans-Internal Only)

Dakota County•Apple Valley, MN

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

Dakota County’s Transportation Department is hiring a Project Manager or Senior Project Manager in its Project Management Engineering unit. This opportunity is open only to current Dakota County Government employees and may be filled as a promotion, lateral move, or voluntary demotion. The hiring level is determined by the Project Management Supervisor. Project Managers serve as project spokespersons to County staff, external stakeholders, partner agencies, and the County Board on matters such as design, right of way, environmental approvals, and public engagement. They balance project scope, time, cost, risk, and quality while managing stakeholder expectations and maintaining a positive project environment. They represent County interests in projects and plans led by state, regional, and local agencies involving trunk highways, transit, and multimodal transportation. They also provide general work direction and assist with project planning, budgets, work plans, and monitoring throughout the project lifecycle. The position is designated as safety sensitive. Work is performed in a County office building, with some travel and occasional outdoor work in temperatures below 0°F or above 100°F. The position is hybrid, combining telework with in-person work at the Western Service Center in Apple Valley, Minnesota. The schedule is Monday through Friday during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Occasional lifting of up to 20 pounds is required. This posting describes Project Manager duties; duties for the Senior Project Manager are provided in a linked position description. Minimum qualifications and duties vary by position level.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Planning, or a closely related field and one year of transportation project management work experience; or an 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.
Ability to coordinate and address multiple priorities and issues.
Effective interpersonal skills, including communicating ideas and technical information verbally and in writing to all organizational levels.
Demonstrated ability to complete projects within budget and schedule.
Strong problem-solving skills.
Knowledge of multimodal transportation elements and best practices for improving mobility and safety for bicycling, walking, driving, and transit.
Experience preparing written, visual, and graphic materials and presenting them to public groups, committees, and the general public.
Direct experience leading discussions and facilitating meetings.
Ability to lead and manage multiple tasks and priorities of varying complexity, including preparing agendas, creating materials for formal resolutions or board actions, organizing meetings, and managing daily elements of project grants or contracts with consultants and other government entities.
Strong knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and general understanding of land-use mapping and transportation modeling programs.

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; the position is supervised by a Professional Engineer, allowing Engineers in Training to fulfill licensure requirements.
An advanced degree in a related field.

Responsibilities

Represent the County during project studies and preliminary or final design by reviewing proposed layouts, plans, and specifications.
Manage consultant design progress and professional service expenditures, and regularly review design elements and budget compliance.
Coordinate internal review of studies and plans, collate review 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 through various forums, 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 County efforts to obtain state and federal project funding and regularly provide status reports to the administering authority.
Assist with project planning, budget preparation, work-plan development, and monitoring throughout the project lifecycle.
Represent County interests in trunk highway, transit, and multimodal transportation planning and operations led by other agencies.
Balance project needs, scope, schedule, cost, risk, and quality while managing diverse customer and stakeholder expectations.