Transportation Director

GAI Consultants, Inc.•Columbus, KY

About The Position

GAI Consultants is seeking an accomplished Transportation Engineering Director to lead and grow our Ohio Transportation practice and/or Structural practice, providing strategic direction, multidisciplinary oversight, and executive‑level client engagement. This strategic leadership role is ideal for an industry professional with a strong record of delivering complex roadway, corridor, and structures projects and cultivating long‑term client relationships. The ideal candidate brings 20+ years of progressive Project Management experience on major roadway and corridor design projects for ODOT, OTIC, and municipal clients across Ohio. Success in this role requires demonstrated expertise managing multidisciplinary teams, overseeing technical quality, and guiding projects from planning through final design. This position involves significant client engagement. The selected leader must excel at building trust, understanding agency priorities, and positioning GAI for future work. The ability to identify, pursue, and win targeted project opportunities—including shaping marketing strategies and leading proposal efforts—is essential

Requirements

Knowledge and experience with the Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Turnpike, LPA’s and Design-Build expertise being a plus.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the business development strategy along with oversight of engineers in the development of plans, financial monitoring, and acting as GAI’s client leadership representative.
PE Registration in Ohio is required.
Demonstrates a high degree of creativity, foresight, and mature judgment in planning, organizing, and guiding projects and activities of major consequence.
Assesses the acceptability of engineering economic analyses and the risks associated with solutions to complex engineering problems.
Evaluates solutions to complex problems that involve multiple specialty areas of engineering.
Assesses courses of resolution to ethical dilemmas in complicated situations.
Performs advisory or consulting work for the organization across broad project areas or within a specialized area with innovative/complex aspects.
Assesses practices and requirements to achieve sustainable performance of complex engineering projects from a systems perspective.
Ensure adherence to ODOT processes, standards, and quality requirements.
Evaluate multidisciplinary engineering solutions, economic analyses, and system‑level impacts.
Assess risks and guide teams in developing effective mitigation strategies.
Review scopes, schedules, and budgets for alignment with ODOT expectations.
Resolve complex engineering challenges involving multiple specialty areas.
Perform advisory and consulting work on innovative or complex assignments.
Evaluates effectiveness of leaders and teams.
Receives general administrative direction.
Develops organizational strategy for staff development through mentored experience, continuing education, and self-development.
Negotiates critical and controversial issues with leadership.
Represents the organization at important functions and conferences.
Identifies opportunities within ODOT, OTIC and LPA programs.
Direct go/no‑go decisions, teaming strategies, and proposal development.
Position the firm for future work through targeted outreach and strategic marketing.
Mentor staff in business development, client service, and ODOT relationship management.
Strengthen QA/QC processes to ensure compliance with ODOT manuals and specifications.
Provide insight on workload forecasting, resource allocation, and financial planning.
Assess engineering economic analyses and risks associated with complex solutions.
Develop and oversee risk mitigation plans for major transportation projects.

Responsibilities

Works with Ohio and Regional leadership to make decisions to grow the organization through project pursuits and team development.
Provides leadership and develops and engages others to create a common vision for their projects and the organization.
Oversee multiple large or multidiscipline project teams.
Provide executive oversight for planning, roadway design, structures, traffic, and construction services projects.
Lead business development strategy for Ohio operations in coordination with regional leadership.
Make strategic decisions that support practice growth and staff development.
Monitor project performance, ensuring quality, schedule, and financial health.
Build strong, trust‑based relationships with ODOT Central Office, Districts, and local governments.
Serve as the firm’s senior representative to ODOT leadership, addressing critical and occasionally controversial issues.
Lead pre‑marketing, strategic positioning, and pursuit planning for OODT advertisements.
Represent the firm at key industry events (ASHE, ACEC, WTS, Conferences, Etc.).
Cultivate long‑term client relationships that support sustainable growth.
Implement mentoring, training pathways, and succession planning.
Evaluate performance of project leaders and multidisciplinary teams.
Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, ethical decision‑making, and continuous improvement.
Support recruitment and strategic hiring to meet workload and growth needs.