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The City of Fresno, California is located in the fertile San Joaquin Valley. From the agricultural fields on the valley floor, to the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the Fresno area offers something for everyone. With a population of approximately 520,000 residents, Fresno is the fifth- largest city in California and serves as the financial, industrial, trade, and commercial capital of the central San Joaquin Valley.

Traveling from Fresno to other major metropolitan and recreational areas in California is easy; the City is located approximately four hours north of the Los Angeles basin and three hours south of the San Francisco Bay Area. Residents and visitors enjoy Fresno’s close proximity to the Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks and other sites of natural beauty, such as the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The Mediterranean climate in Fresno allows year-round recreational activities including sailing, snow and water skiing, fishing, backpacking, and golfing.

Many consider Fresno to be a community of the perfect size, offering the best of urban amenities and opportunities, along with the unique charms and easy living of a smaller town. Residents enjoy a wide variety of social, cultural, athletic, educational, and recreational activities in an affordable and clean living environment.

The Fresno area offers four large school districts, Fresno Unified, Central Unified, Sanger Unified, and Clovis Unified. The community is the home of California State University Fresno, as well as a number of other colleges and universities. The current median home price in Fresno is approximately $250,000.

CITY ORGANIZATION:

Fresno is a full-service charter city operating under a strong mayor form of government. There are seven Council Members. The Council appoints the City Attorney and the City Clerk. The Mayor is elected at-large and does not serve on the Council but has veto power over certain actions taken by the City Council. The City Manager, who is appointed by the Mayor, is responsible for appointing all other department heads in the City, including Airports, Development and Resource Management, Finance, Fire, Information Services, Parks and Recreation, Personnel Services, Police, Public Utilities, Public Works and Transportation.

THE DEPARTMENT:

The Transportation Department is comprised of over 500 employees in 8 divisions: Fresno Area Express (FAX), FAX Maintenance, Public Safety Fleet Maintenance, Fleet Management, Transportation Planning, Capital Projects, and Administration. The Fresno Area Express Division provides 17 fixed routes with a fleet of 112 buses and a peak of 98 buses in service. Paratransit demand response provides service 363 days a year. The Fleet Management Divisions provide comprehensive vehicle, equipment and supply services to the City departments and other entities. The Department has a FY2019 budget of $140 million ($58.6 million for FAX operations). A comprehensive capital asset and facilities assessment study is guiding the Department through a maintenance and replacement plan.

In February of 2018, the City completed construction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) which has increased service levels on our busiest transit routes. BRT represents an investment of over $56 million on a 15.7 mile transit line, connecting Blackstone and Kings Canyon/Ventura, both major corridors, to downtown Fresno. This continues the City’s commitment to revitalizing the City through smart and effective land use planning that improves the quality of life, not only for those major transit corridors, but all of Fresno. The 2035 General Plan provides that blueprint via a development code that provides more options for businesses and investments along transit corridors and the surrounding neighborhoods.

THE POSITION:

The Assistant Director of Transportation assists in the planning, direction, organization and review of the assigned operations. In this at-will capacity the incumbent exercises judgment and discretion in the administration and direction of an assigned group of operating divisions. The Assistant Director is responsible for the oversight of daily operations and may, in the absence of the Director, assume those duties. In addition, the Assistant Director is responsible for tactical level planning related to strategic plans and policies and develops operational goals. Incumbents act as a technical advisor to the Director and the City Manager and attend meetings of the City Council, boards, commissions, and committees. The Assistant Director participates in the preparation and administration of the Department’s annual operating budget and works with the City Manager regarding current and anticipated City and departmental needs, prioritization of those needs, and the feasibility of alternative approaches to meeting them. The Assistant Director is expected to facilitate and coordinate activities with other departments within the City of Fresno, as well as outside agencies.

This Assistant Director will be responsible for the City’s Transportation Department’s Operations Division that includes transportation planning activities, FAX fixed route operations, and public relations. The Operations Division is the largest division in the Department with approximately 324 employees, including 260 bus operators. The selected incumbent will manage bus operators, transit supervisors, and managers who oversee the daily operations, planning and public relations as part of a $58.6 million dollar budget while providing safe and efficient operation of all FAX revenue vehicles. In addition, three Maintenance divisions are under the management of a second Assistant Director; those divisions being responsible for the maintenance of over 2,000 units including transit buses, refuse trucks, police vehicles, fire apparatus and a multitude of other equipment. Current projects include a major facilities upgrade project, bus stop amenities enhancements, electric bus procurement and various other improvements to the system and the Department’s facilities.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:

The City is seeking a service and solution oriented person with excellent leadership skills that understands transit operations systems and the impact delivery of service to the community. The person should have solid history of delivering complex projects on-time and within budget. Ideally, the candidate is an innovative manager who understands how multi-disciplinary collaborative efforts enhance the ability to provide best in class service. The candidate will have a record of straightforward and open communication and a willingness to make effective decisions within the parameters of the position, as well as the ability to effectively manage conflicting perspectives. The Department Director is seeking an Assistant Director to serve as a key member of the Department’s executive management team, recognizing this position is a vital element that works together with others to support the Mayor and Council’s vision for the City of Fresno. A candidate with a strong record of collaborative work with internal and external stakeholders would be highly valued, as the Assistant Director must be able to develop positive relationships with staff, other City departments and a number of other agencies. The Assistant Director must have excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to prepare clear, concise, and comprehensive reports, records, and other written materials for a variety of audiences.

A background that includes a Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s preferred) in Business Administration or Public Administration from an accredited college or university or degree and five years of progressively responsible experience in managing a large transportation/maintenance department (or an equivalent operation) may be considered qualifying for this position. Experience in transit, operational experience in fixed route service, transit planning, FTA compliance, and transit Civil Rights requirements are highly desirable. Strong computer skills are also needed.

Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis, up to a maximum of two years. This position also requires the possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

The City of Fresno offers an attractive and competitive salary and benefits package. The salary for the Assistant Director is dependent upon qualifications. The hiring range for this position is up to $158,352 annually. The employee benefits package includes: • Retirement: Fresno City Retirement System; reciprocity with other public California systems. The City’s pension funds are among the best funded public systems in California. The City does not participate in Social Security. • Health Insurance: City currently contributes toward the current monthly premium for medical, dental, and vision for employee and dependents. • Flexible Spending Account: IRS 125 Plan for health/dependent care. • Auto Allowance: $300 per month. • Deferred Compensation: 457 plan available. • Administrative Leave: 60 hours per fiscal year. • Annual Leave: 20 days per year of annual leave with cash out provision upon separation from the City. • Holidays: Ten (10) City-observed holidays annually, plus birthday and one (1) personal day per year. • Life Insurance: Equal to annual salary; premium paid by City. • Long-Term Disability: City pays premium for 66.66% of monthly salary up to $7,500 per month after 30 days.

Additional information regarding the City of Fresno is available at www.fresno.gov.

Application Process:

If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please submit a letter of interest, your resume and five references to:

US Mail: Jeff Cardell, Personnel Services Director City of Fresno 2600 Fresno Street, Room 1030 Fresno, California 93721

Email: [email protected] Attn: Jeff Cardell, Personnel Services Director

Filing Deadline: April 5, 2019

A select group of candidates will be invited to interview for this excellent opportunity