Vice President of Planning & Development

SALARY: Up to $165,000 Annually

PURPOSE OF JOB
The Vice President (VP) of Planning & Development, as a member of the Agency’s Leadership Team, leads development and execution of DCTA’s Long Range Service Plan, Strategic Project Initiatives and the resulting capital plan that supports the Board of Directors’ policy decisions for the Agency. The VP will, under direct supervision of the CEO and in close coordination with the Leadership Team, lead articulation of agency vision with the creation and execution of the projects that comprise the DCTA Capital Plan through the project development cycle: Planning and Programming, Scoping, Design, Permitting, and Construction. This includes primary responsibility for successfully negotiating agreements with third parties that may be required to accomplish agency objectives.

The VP will also lead medium- and long-range planning efforts, including service planning across all modes of transportation, that further the goals of the organization and may also generate capital project programs for future execution. The VP will create funding plans and identify sources of program allotments and discretionary funds, leading development of Benefit Cost Analyses and grant applications as needed. The VP leads processes to review and approve of third-party projects that have potential to impact DCTA facilities or operations as well as ensure adequate maintenance of property and real estate records and lifecycle maintenance of the agency’s facility portfolio in accordance with applicable standards and regulations.

The VP will stand up and lead an integrated data management function at the Agency, enabling comprehensive understanding and analysis of the DCTA service portfolio, safety performance, and financial performance to facilitate data-driven decision-making. The VP is also expected to maintain strong working relationships with public stakeholders at the local, state and federal level, ensuring the Agency’s planning and engineering efforts align with others’ common objectives where practical.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Create vision, define alternatives, and lead transformational efforts across the agency that deliver improved safety, service, and ridership outcomes for DCTA.

• Lead assigned staff by coaching, directing, mentoring, evaluating, and counseling while adhering to organizational human resources policies and procedures as well as related employment law.

• Lead development of scopes of work and execution of service planning efforts including specific scenario plans, intermediate service plans, and long range service plans to accomplish clearly-defined objectives and integrate such plans with those of the Member Cities. Define and execute communications to facilitate Board decision-making processes.

• Deliver new construction projects on behalf of the agency.

• Collaborate broadly with the DCTA Leadership Team to lead negotiations with third parties in accomplishment of strategic agency objectives.

• Build team and technology hardware and software systems to facilitate data analysis that enables comprehensive understanding and thorough communication of agency safety, service, ridership, and cost performance.

• Lead visioning, development of alternatives, identification of funding paths and partnerships, collaboration with member city stakeholders, and execution of transit-oriented development across the A-train corridor to enhance ridership and generate non-operating revenue for the agency.

• Lead development and pursuit of capital planning and development initiatives to expand and enhance DCTA’s operations network and continuously improve service provided to stakeholders. Create vision, formulate project concepts, articulate value, identify / create paths to funding, and execute capital projects to achieve those initiatives.

• Build and maintain effective relationships with regional, state, and federal transportation partners include NCTCOG, Denton County, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Trinity Metro TXDOT, FRA, and FTA to ensure compatible, complementary planning and capital development efforts that positively impact transit outcomes.

• Lead development of DCTA’s capital project budget and long-term outlook to ensure Agency priorities are accurately reflected in appropriate budget documents.
  • Ensure accuracy of project budget amounts at various stages of project development

  • Ensure project investments reflected in long range plan consistent with anticipated need date

  • Identifies funding sources for proposed projects

  • Leads pursuit of discretionary grant funding opportunities for the Agency including identifying eligibility, leading development of BCA’s, leading development of grant applications, etc.

• Lead strategy, planning, and execution of the Agency’s Transit Oriented Development program

• Lead development and execution of heavy maintenance and recurring work programs on vertical and real estate assets and create and execute plans and programs to manage those assets in a cost effective manner that ensures 100% availability and compliance with all federal, state, and local requirements.

• Lead or contribute to the development and maintenance of various plans required by regulatory agencies including, but not limited to, the Long Range Service Plan, Transit Asset Management Plan, and Title VI policy in order to comply with regulations and ensure the Agency’s efforts improve mobility and connectivity in the North Texas region including rail expansion and commuter bus with partner transit agencies, the regional MPO, member cities, non-member cities, and large employers.

• Ensure DCTA’s compliance with all federal, state, and local standards related to records management, maintenance of required plans, and development, construction, and execution of capital projects. Create systems and processes to ensure effectiveness and sufficiency of such plans.

• Identifies opportunities and develops supporting systems and processes, leveraging technology where feasible, to streamline and continuously improve workflows and work products of the Capital Planning and Development Team.

• Assess staff potential and provide development opportunities to enable career advancement commensurate with respective roles and abilities.

• Perform related duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK

Knowledge of:

• Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliance regulations.

• General principles and practices of engineering and architecture, planning, and project management.

• Principles and practices of construction practices and techniques, specifically public works construction

• Project development, scheduling, monitoring and control systems;

• Executive report writing and presentation

Ability to:

• Synthesize a broad range of data and information to articulate a clear problem statement and path forward to resolution.

• Communicate ideas effectively and persuasively in writing and in oral presentations using graphics and statistics;

• Provide high-level leadership by building and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in course of work including DCTA and other government officials, municipal agencies, community groups, the general public, vendors and media representatives;

• Provide technical coordination and management of development and/or implementation of projects;

• Interpret and apply Federal, State and local policies, procedures, laws and regulations including those of the Authority;

• Prepare and monitor program budgets and expenditures;

• Review the work products of others for conformance with standards;

• Possess an influential and welcoming communication style

• Ability to get along with others, individually and in a large group. Has the desire to care for the organization’s well-being and for the co-workers he/she interacts with. Interested in partaking in group development and team building activities

• Possess a positive attitude, and ability to practice good judgement, while open to receiving/providing feedback

• Foster a culture that values critical thinking and problem solving; and encourages constructive feedback, engagement, inclusion, and diversity at all levels

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
Physical activity includes, but is not limited to: on a continuous basis, sit at a desk for long periods of time; use a computer and monitor for long periods of time; intermittently twist and reach office equipment; write or use keyboard to communicate through written means; be on construction sites at various development stages; be exposed to weather elements and typical construction site hazards; lift moderate weight; reaching above the waist, reaching below the waist, and reaching waist to shoulder to reach inventory on shelves; repetitive motion and fingering when using computer keyboard; occasionally driving short and long distances for meeting attendance; data collection, observation of transit projects and operations during field work; and, talking and hearing when dealing with customers, vendors, etc.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING

Education:
Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in construction management, architecture, engineering, planning or a related field. Master’s Degree preferred.

Professional Engineer (PE) Licensure, American Institute of Community Planners (AICP) Credential or Certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP) Required

Experience:
All applicants should demonstrate a career of increasingly responsible experience in project management, field inspection, engineering, planning, including experience with capital construction projects for a public entity. Public Transit and / or municipal experience is highly desirable.

10 – 15 years of eligible work experience and 5 – 7 years of supervisory experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties.

Must have an established track-record of building and maintaining effective working relationships with project partners throughout a project’s duration.

Special Requirements: Hold a current Texas Driver's License (Class C) or have the ability to obtain one upon entry into the position.

Additional perks and benefits that accompany full-time employment with DCTA

• Flexible office hours are permitted, given a regular 8-hour workday that brackets the agency’s core hours from 9:00am – 4:00pm (i.e. 7:30 am to 4:30pm, or 9:00am to 6:00pm). These flex hours are coordinated with your supervisor.

• One 8-hour paid day off for your birthday.

• Employee portions of Medical and Dental benefits are 100% paid by the employer.

• If you have utilized a Proportionate Retirement Program in the past, the service time transfers to DCTA’s retirement system, TCDRS. The following systems apply:
  • Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS)

  • Employees Retirement System (ERS)

  • Judicial Retirement System of Texas (JRS)

  • Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)

  • City of Austin Employees Retirement System (COAERS)

• Expanding time-off accruals: 12 days of vacation time accrued for the first year, increasing by one day each year, with a max of 17 days annually. Additionally, employees earn 12 days of sick time each year, 1 personal day, 2 floating holidays, 1 birthday, 8 fixed holidays, and the ability to earn to additional days off through the Wellness Program.

• DCTA strives to continually improve our Servant Leadership culture. We pride ourselves in having an open, caring, and communicative community of employees, with the drive to help build each other up.

• Flexible dress code: business casual, allowing jeans every day (unless otherwise specified for external/special meetings, events, etc.).

• Extensive Wellness Program, including several opportunities to volunteer with the agency, sporadic lunch and learn events, the potential to earn two extra days off each year, and continual efforts to improve wellness throughout the agency.

DCTA reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a protected veteran in accordance with DCTA policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations. DCTA is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the HR department at jobs@dcta.net