Deputy Executive Project Director - Ballard and West Seattle

Description

Salary range: $152k to $288k with a midpoint of $220k. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, but may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Benefits

• Health Benefits: Two medical plan choices, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401(a) – 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457(b) – up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: 25 days of PTO annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Director level and up accrue additional days. 12 paid holidays plus up to 2 floating holidays and up to 2 volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card: All full‑time employees receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Compensation Practices: Competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity, plus work‑life balance, professional development, and recognition.

General Purpose

Under direction of the Executive Project Director, directs a multi-disciplinary team responsible for delivering all phases of a project or portions of a project. Will direct, manage, supervise, and coordinate the project staff and project activities within the Capital Delivery Department as assigned and work to meet project key performance indicators and other applicable performance requirements.

Coordinates activities with other programs and divisions throughout the Agency and major external partners including Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), King County Metro and local cities and other jurisdictions; provides highly responsible and complex project management, technical, and administrative leadership in support of the Executive Project Director. The Deputy Executive Project Director will deliver projects consistently and successfully, leveraging lessons learned and best practices. The Deputy Executive Project Director is a subject matter expert in delivering complex projects from inception to project closeout.

This is a recruitment for two openings for assignment on our Ballard and West Seattle projects.

Essential Functions

• Assist the Executive Project Director (EPD) by providing direct oversight, direction, monitoring, tracking, and reporting of environmental, planning, design and construction contracts, activities, status and issues with the objective of delivering a quality project safely, on schedule and within budget.
• Responsible for environmental, planning, design and construction budget and schedule control, cost and cashflow forecasting and change order management, managing interfaces between contractors and developing work‑around plans to maintain schedule.
• Oversee quality and safety performance of contractor adherence to approved plans, local, state and federal safety policies. Accountable for ensuring construction contracts comply with safety certification requirements.
• Oversee and participate in project audits.
• Direct project activities and project staff (Commercial Directors, Design Directors, Planning Directors, Construction Directors, and others) as determined by the Executive Project Director.
• Prepare and lead discussions and presentations on project strategies, status, and issues to the Executive Project Director, the Executive Director, Deputy CEO, the Sound Transit CEO, the Sound Transit Board, municipalities, King, Pierce & Snohomish counties, WSDOT, community groups, media, and federal agencies including the FHWA and FTA.
• Lead resolution of project contract issues; lead and support contractor negotiations for contracts, change orders, and contract claims.
• Plan, direct, coordinate, review and assess the work of assigned staff, consultants and contractors; assign and monitor work activities, coordinate schedules, projects and programs; provide constructive feedback; review and input on work evaluations; make and implement effective suggestions and recommendations to the Executive Project Director and/or Executive Director.
• Oversee annual contractor and consultant performance reviews for projects and contracts assigned.
• Monitor major corridor management and project control teams consisting of staff and consultants to ensure achievement of key project milestones and quality within the project budget to meet project key performance indicators and other required performance.
• Coach and train the project team; coordinate and or provide staff training; manage project team relations; manage workflow and prioritization of work and measure performance of scope, schedule, and budget; manage staff and consultants and take appropriate corrective action when necessary; provide advice and counsel to staff and the Executive Project Director; develop work plans, budgets, and schedules for staff, consultant, and contractor work; implement or recommend corrective actions, discipline, and termination procedures as appropriate.
• Support community outreach and public information efforts applicable to the Project and to the Agency in general; respond to and resolve difficult and sensitive stakeholder and project partner inquiries and complaints.
• Provide policy and staff assistance to the Executive Project Director; summarize and analyze program issues and provide recommendations on strategies to resolve these issues; recommend and implement modifications to functional areas, policies, standards, and procedures as appropriate; conduct follow‑up to ensure issues have been resolved and the project remains on schedule.
• May have delegation of authority on project matters and funding actions.
• May act as a proxy for the Executive Project Director as needed.
• May lead projects, project teams, specific scopes of work or project phases (closeout) and report directly to an Executive Director as assigned.
• Champion and model Sound Transit’s core values and demonstrate values‑based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.
• Contribute to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit’s Equity & Inclusion Policy.
• All employees must follow safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.
• All employees must integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Systems Engineering or closely related fields; ten years of experience managing planning, design, and/or construction of large, complex public transit projects, including alternative project delivery methods; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Eight years of leadership, budgetary, planning and workforce management experience.

Preferred Licenses or Certifications

• A valid Professional Engineer license issued by the State of Washington.
• Design‑Build Institute of America (DBIA) Certification.

Required Knowledge and Skills

• Principles and standards of construction methods and processes for large transportation projects regarding civil, mechanical, electrical, and systems (e.g., train control, communications, traction electrification, light rail vehicles, tracks, vertical conveyance).
• Project management principles and practices for a range of alternative project delivery methods including but not limited to Design‑Bid‑Build, Design‑Build, GCCM and Progressive‑Design‑Build.
• Fire life safety systems, facilities, and planning.
• Experience leading projects and teams in the field during construction.
• Experience with all phases of construction such as mobilization, make‑ready work, substructure work, and project handover.
• Experience with successful project partnering and partnering facilitators, and collaborative project delivery.
• Advanced principles and practices of project controls, budget preparation, contract administration, change management, and contract performance assessment.
• Project development and management processes and operations and maintenance, preferably light rail.
• Procurement and management of design consultant and other professional services contracts, construction contract procurement, contract management and evaluation.
• Policy, procedure, and best practices/lessons learned development and implementation.
• Quantitative and qualitative risk assessments and strategic planning.
• Experience complying with federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations as they apply to project delivery.
• Principles of financial management (expenditure tracking, earned value, variance identification, and revenue tracking).
• Operations, services, and activities of assigned division programs and functional areas.
• Techniques to work effectively under pressure, meet deadlines, and adjust to changing priorities.
• Advanced principles and practices of budget preparation and administration.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, effective presentation skills, and familiarity and comfort engaging with elected officials and the media.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and statistical databases.
• Principles of supervision, training, and performance evaluation.
• Managing large, complex projects during construction, preferably light rail.
• Performing high‑level negotiations and partnering with local jurisdictions and agencies, project partners and key stakeholders, utilities, consultants, contractors, and community groups.
• Managing and resolving commercial project issues.
• Applying excellent oral and written communication techniques to inform and address concerns from various stakeholders.
• Applying advanced project management, program development, and project control techniques and principles.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other department staff, management, vendors, outside agencies, community groups and the public.
• Interpreting and administering policies and procedures sufficient to administer, discuss, resolve, and explain them to staff and other constituencies.
• Conceptualizing, influencing, developing, and administering goals, objectives, guidelines, and procedures for the project.
• Identifying and responding to sensitive community and organizational issues, concerns, and needs.
• Interpreting and applying applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations.
• Complaint resolution and problem solving.
• Presentation development and public speaking skills.
• Critical and strategic thinking.
• Preparing clear and concise administrative and financial data and reports.
• Working cooperatively with other departments, agency officials, and outside agencies and stakeholders.
• Developing and monitoring project budget, cost, and schedule.
• Supervising, leading, and delegating tasks and authority.
• Researching accounts payable transactions and reconciling accounts payable problems.
• Planning and organizing work to meet changing priorities and deadlines.
• Identifying and resolving general issues in a timely manner using sound judgment and effective oral and written communication.
• Utilizing technology and applicable computer software programs affecting assigned work and compiling and preparing data points and reports.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills

• Transit rail systems construction, systems integration & testing, operations, maintenance.
• Public transportation construction principles and practices.
• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations as they apply to transit operations.

Physical Demands / Work Environment

• Work is performed in a hybrid field, office environment.
• Responsible for regular site visits to review/inspect work and address issues; may involve bending, climbing, grasping, hearing, kneeling, talking, seeing and walking.
• May be subject to dangerous machinery, extreme weather conditions, physical harm, hazardous chemicals, and/or extreme noise.
• Expected to work outside core office hours and be on call.
• Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or other protected class.

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