Senior Director of Transportation and Parking - Public Safety

Cal Poly•San Luis Obispo, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting directly to the Associate Vice President of Public Safety/Commissioner, the Senior Director of TAPS is responsible for providing visionary, strategic leadership and executive oversight of all parking, transportation and sustainable mobility programs at both the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Vallejo campus sites. The incumbent must be a forward-thinking, strategic planner and systems-level thinker who leverages data-driven analysis, creative problem-solving, and innovative solution design to transform campus mobility. This role requires a hands-on project management leader who can guide complex initiatives from concept through execution while cultivating strong campus partnerships and delivering an exceptional customer experience. Responsibilities include representing Public Safety in the campus planning process and liaising with Facilities and external partners on capital projects construction plans, safety evaluations, and long-range mobility planning tied to university master plans. The Public Safety Unit consists of four departments: Cal Poly Police Department, Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS), Department of Emergency Management, and Public Safety Business Services. TAPS is a multi-million-dollar, self-support operation managing all aspects of campus parking infrastructure, mobility programs, enforcement, and revenue generation through fees and fines. This unit operates under multiple layers of federal, state, CSU, local, and County regulations and plays a critical role in campus access, sustainability, and compliance.

Requirements

Demonstrated leadership and management ability to direct, supervise, motivate, and evaluate professional and operational staff; implement strategic priorities; and lead short- and long-term departmental planning initiatives in a fast-paced, diverse, and service-oriented environment.
Strong fiscal, strategic planning, and analytical skills, including development and implementation of long-range parking and transportation plans; budget development and administration; revenue forecasting; financial oversight; and assessment of operational and regulatory impacts on resources.
Ability to demonstrate a high level of strategic thinking, adaptability, and the ability to lead complex departmental change in a dynamic campus environment.
Proven experience leading complex projects and organizational change initiatives, with strong project management and execution skills.
Comprehensive knowledge of parking and transportation operations within a higher education or public sector environment, including parking management technologies, shuttle and transit services, traffic management, transit demand management (TDM), trip reduction programs, and oversight of daily enforcement, scheduling, and facility operations.
Technical proficiency with parking and transit management systems and data analytics tools (e.g., scheduling, dispatch, real-time tracking, and reporting platforms) to evaluate performance metrics, improve operational efficiency, and support data-informed decision-making.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, City, Regional, Civil Engineer, or Transportation Planning, or a related field.
Seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in parking or transit professions.
Minimum of two years of management supervision experience.
Possession of a valid California driver's license or the ability to obtain by date of hire.

Nice To Haves

Possession of CAPP (Certified Administrator of Public Parking) certification or the ability to obtain within the first twenty-four (24) months of employment with the campus.

Responsibilities

Providing visionary, strategic leadership and executive oversight of all parking, transportation and sustainable mobility programs.
Leveraging data-driven analysis, creative problem-solving, and innovative solution design to transform campus mobility.
Guiding complex initiatives from concept through execution.
Cultivating strong campus partnerships and delivering an exceptional customer experience.
Representing Public Safety in the campus planning process.
Liaising with Facilities and external partners on capital projects construction plans, safety evaluations, and long-range mobility planning tied to university master plans.