Job Abstract

Fairfax County is seeking an experienced, dynamic, and innovative leader with well-honed executive skills to serve as the next Director of Fairfax County's Department of Transportation (FCDOT). This is a unique opportunity for a qualified professional to play a key leadership role in shaping the future of the county’s transportation network and systems for decades to come. The director is responsible for managing a staff of nearly 190 employees organized into eight divisions. FCDOT is responsible for the planning, design, and execution of hundreds of transportation projects throughout the county. The department has a total annual budget of $1.13 billion in thirteen separate funds: Transportation Program Overview. The capital projects budget is $751m and the rail/bus budget totals $290 million. The staffing operations budget is nearly $20 million. The department works very closely with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), which owns and maintains the county’s road network. In addition, FCDOT has oversight of the Fairfax Connector Bus system and plays a key role in decisions related to the county’s fourteen Metrorail stations, owned and operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). FCDOT carries out the goals of the county’s Board of Supervisors through the Transportation Priorities Plan (TPP) and numerous other initiatives such as regional corridor studies, the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, the Active Fairfax Plan, Safe Streets for All, and Capital Bike Share.

The director serves on the Deputy County Executive’s Leadership Team and represents FCDOT at meetings with the Board of Supervisors, the County Executive, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG), WMATA, and others, as required.

The position:

1. Leads team members in addressing the department’s mission, vision, and values in making Fairfax County a truly multi-modal community ensuring a safe, walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly transportation network.
2. Coordinates recommendations to the Board of Supervisors and the County Executive/Deputy County Executive related to transportation policy issues and legislation.
3. Fosters a work culture that enables the development of positive working relationships, open communication, continuous learning and growth, and commitment to customer service and high-level performance.
4. Oversees financial matters associated with Fairfax County's transportation programs, including development of the Transportation Priorities Plan (TPP), funding strategies, grant applications, annual budgets, and oversight of transportation tax districts.
5. Provides oversight of FCDOT’s approach to transportation analyses of proposed developments, general infrastructure improvements, corridor studies, the county’s Comprehensive Plan updates, the Active Fairfax Plan, complete streets initiatives, road diets, the implementation of new measures of effectiveness, and others.
6. Provides oversight of the development and design of transportation capital projects, including coordination with other county agencies, VDOT, adjacent jurisdictions, and regional, state, and federal transportation agencies. This includes the implementation of major multimodal transportation improvements, such as Embark; the Route 1 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, to promote placemaking initiatives throughout the county.
7. Fairfax Connector: Provides oversight of contract management, marketing efforts, capital facilities, vehicle procurement and maintenance, transition to zero emission buses, and performance evaluation of the 325-bus Fairfax Connector system.
8. Interagency Coordination: directs and oversees coordination of the county’s transportation programs, services and projects with other county departments, VDOT, adjacent jurisdictions, and regional, state, and federal transportation agencies.
9. Marketing, Communications and Coordination: provides oversight of marketing, promotion, and outreach related to Fairfax County’s transportation projects and services.
10. Coordinates internal programs, such as the countywide ridesharing program (RideSources), the employee Metrocheck program, and various transportation planning and design initiatives and studies. Oversees provision of staff support to the Fairfax County citizen-led Transportation Advisory Commission and Trails, Sidewalks, and Bikeways Committee.
11. Countywide: provides oversight of the department’s role in One Fairfax, the Countywide Strategic Plan, the Countywide Environmental and Climate Action Plan (CECAP), and other countywide efforts.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for “Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to”) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in civil engineering/transportation, financial management or a closely related field; plus, six years of progressively responsible relevant experience including four years in a responsible administrative capacity; graduate degree in civil engineering/transportation preferred.

The successful candidate possesses the following:

1. Knowledge of the principles, methods and challenges related to multimodal transportation, including planning, design, funding, and execution.
2. Knowledge of the principles and practices of complete streets, traffic calming, road diets, multi-modal measures of effectiveness/modeling.
3. Ability to inspire and educate the community on cutting edge practices in the development of transportation systems, multi-modal street designs, etc.
4. Knowledge of innovative practices, i.e., micromobility, mobility as a service (MaaS), autonomous vehicles, curbside management, etc.
5. Ability to work effectively with elected officials, County colleagues, local/regional/state agencies, the development community, citizen groups, and department managers in diverse team environments, work effectively in a highly visible executive position.
6. Interpret and apply complex policies, rules, regulations, laws, and ordinances.
7. Ability to organize work, set priorities, expedite projects, and exercise sound independent judgment, including using creative ways to solve issues.
8. Ability to develop and implement office goals and objectives.
9. Ability to plan, organize, delegate, and motivate FCDOT staff.
10. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely.