Winter Operations Program Manager

State of Colorado•Denver, CO

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Division of Maintenance and Operations oversees maintenance operations across the state for 1,800 employees. The Division provides leadership and direction by establishing and enforcing standardized best practices for the training, execution, and sustainment of CDOT’s highway maintenance operations. It provides policy and direction for the day-to-day leadership of highway maintenance forces, and it coordinates with Regional Transportation Directors, Superintendents, Traffic Engineers, and Division Directors to implement visionary plans and best practices. The Division includes a Winter Operations Unit that oversees CDOT’s standards for winter operations, avalanche control, and training. About this Position The Winter Operations Program Manager reports to the Division of Maintenance and Operations Deputy Director of Operations and serves as the principal strategist for winter and weather operations, avalanche control and forecasting statewide; serving as the program manager and steward of resources for these operations. This position serves as the statewide program owner for winter operations, weather forecasting and response, and avalanche mitigation. The manager regularly assists state agencies—such as the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, Division of Aeronautics, Colorado State Patrol and Department of Natural Resources—and works with federal partners like the National Weather Service and the U.S. Army. This position will supervise employees in the Winter Operations Unit, manage funds, including monitoring accomplishments, comparing costs of snow and ice versus other programs. Additional Winter Operations management areas include: Capital improvement programming, including avalanche systems development Statewide weather forecasting Preplanning operations in the I-70 Joint Operations Area Developing customer service polls Monitoring and adjusting the level of service for winter operations Day-to-day storm management at the Traffic Operations Center This position provides visionary yet practical leadership, builds trust, and communicates openly to deliver credible and sustainable public service without compromising quality. Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Lead CDOT in exploring new ideas in the winter maintenance industry and integrate them into agency processes to benefit internal and external stakeholders; Manage the Road Weather Technology project which includes both hardware and software specific to the maintenance decision systems contract (~$600,000) on behalf of and in support of the maintenance sections, and the Traffic Operations Center (TOC); Improve data and information sharing for sound decision making by the maintenance sections; Oversee implementation of material readiness and cost benefit of materials used; Partner with the National Weather Service for strategic development of forecasting models and platforms; Ensure CDOT is represented on a National level for Clear Roads, Aurora Pooled Fund and TRB Road Weather Committee; Provide strategic direction for Winter Operations for the 8 maintenance sections as to the format and content of winter operations plans; Drive the strategic transition from legacy explosive methods (e.g., howitzers) to modern Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS) and non-explosive mitigation strategies; Manage the adoption of cutting-edge detection technologies (e.g., infrasound, radar) to ensure high-consequence corridors remain resilient against natural hazards; Oversee enterprise-wide risk management for avalanche hazards by aligning field operations with predictive data from Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and internal forecasting models; Translate complex meteorological data into actionable maintenance strategies; Oversee the integration of advanced road weather technology (e.g., MDSS, PikAlert, WeatherBell, friction sensing) into daily maintenance operations; Champion the ‘Forecasting-to-Operations’ pipeline, ensuring that 72/48/24-hour briefings are utilized by Regional Superintendents to drive proactive, rather than reactive, snow and ice mitigaton response; Provide outreach and weather education within the organization and to external stakeholders; Work closely with internal and external stakeholders during all-weather storm events to provide tactical weather information geared towards operational decision-making; Administer the performance program for the employees to include regular performance feedback; Coach, mentor, and train employees; Document and evaluate performance and set an appropriate example. Follow up on corrective action and performance improvement plans when necessary; Monitor work for quality control and efficiency; Communicate effectively; Resolve personnel problems using insight and experience; Address personnel issues and mediate conflicts; Other duties as required.

Requirements

Four (4) years of professional experience in Meteorology, Management or a closely related field.
Six (6) years of experience in weather forecasting, avalanche forecasting/mitigation, and/or forecasting for winter road operations.
OR A combination of relevant education and experience equal to at least ten (10) years.
Relevant education from an accredited college or university in Meteorology, Management or a closely related field.
Experience in weather forecasting, avalanche forecasting/mitigation, and/or forecasting for winter road operations.
A current, valid driver's license is required.
Must pass a pre-employment screening which may include social security number trace, criminal records check, public court records check, educational records, and driving records checks.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated success with the duties listed in the Description of the Job section.
Years of State service experience related to the duties of this position.
Highest work/personal ethics and integrity.
Excellent analytic and strategic thinking skills.
Experience and skill in transportation planning, maintenance or operations is preferred.
Familiarity with transportation rules and regulations.
Familiarity with Program, Project, and Budget Management.
Ability to communicate and coordinate with civilian, government, and military constituents.
Experience in avalanche mitigation using multiple methods.
Field experience in artillery usage.
Leadership and vision across multidisciplinary groups.
Ability to lead diverse groups to determine policy decisions.
Skilled in data analysis, including revenue forecasts, program allocations, and performance metrics.
Ability to effectively interpret and address requests from executive leadership and political entities.
Proven ability to manage multiple assignments, priorities, and projects in a demanding environment.
Ability to work under tight deadlines and be adaptable to changing conditions and assignments.
Ability to take initiative to solve problems innovatively.
Ability to partner with public and private organizations, special interest groups, and elected and appointed officials in situations that may be politically sensitive.
Ability to work with the general public, professionals, consultants, and staff, with sensitivity to their needs, priorities, promises made and commitments.
Ability to negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and build consensus through give and take.
Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Experience demonstrating effective supervision of professional and support staff.
Strong time and project management skills, including prioritization and multi-tasking ability.
Excellent reasoning, investigative, analytical, and problem-solving ability.
Excellent facilitation, presentation, and communication skills, both written and oral.
Strong attention to technical detail and accuracy.
Passion for safety.
Ability to work effectively in both independent and team situations.
Fluency in Gmail and SAP and the ability to quickly learn other software systems.

Responsibilities

Supervise employees in the Winter Operations Unit.
Manage funds, including monitoring accomplishments and comparing costs of snow and ice versus other programs.
Oversee capital improvement programming, including avalanche systems development.
Manage statewide weather forecasting.
Oversee preplanning operations in the I-70 Joint Operations Area.
Develop customer service polls.
Monitor and adjust the level of service for winter operations.
Manage day-to-day storm events at the Traffic Operations Center.
Lead CDOT in exploring and integrating new ideas in the winter maintenance industry.
Manage the Road Weather Technology project, including hardware and software for maintenance decision systems and the Traffic Operations Center.
Improve data and information sharing for sound decision-making by maintenance sections.
Oversee implementation of material readiness and cost-benefit analysis of materials used.
Partner with the National Weather Service for strategic development of forecasting models and platforms.
Represent CDOT on national committees such as Clear Roads, Aurora Pooled Fund, and TRB Road Weather Committee.
Provide strategic direction for Winter Operations for the 8 maintenance sections regarding winter operations plans.
Drive the strategic transition from legacy explosive methods to modern Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS) and non-explosive mitigation strategies.
Manage the adoption of cutting-edge detection technologies for avalanche hazards.
Oversee enterprise-wide risk management for avalanche hazards.
Translate complex meteorological data into actionable maintenance strategies.
Oversee the integration of advanced road weather technology into daily maintenance operations.
Champion the ‘Forecasting-to-Operations’ pipeline to ensure proactive snow and ice mitigation response.
Provide outreach and weather education within the organization and to external stakeholders.
Work closely with internal and external stakeholders during storm events to provide tactical weather information.
Administer the performance program for employees, including regular feedback, coaching, mentoring, and training.
Document and evaluate performance, set an example, and follow up on corrective actions.
Monitor work for quality control and efficiency.
Communicate effectively.
Resolve personnel problems, address personnel issues, and mediate conflicts.