JOB DESCRIPTION

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Under general direction of the Abilene Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and in collaboration with the City of Abilene (COA), to serve as Executive Director for the MPO to manage, coordinate, oversee, and administer the personnel, budget, facilities, and projects of the MPO in response to the direction of the MPO Policy Board.

IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Administers, implements, reports, and monitors all federally funded MPO activities and other related Federal, State, and local programs.

Responsible for all internal and external management and stakeholder relations pertaining to the policy direction of the Board. This includes in-house reports, memorandums, and other related correspondences. Manages and maintains all MPO records in accordance with State and Federal regulations. Remains up-to-date on State and Federal legislation and policies and summarizes potential impacts of proposed changes.

Possesses leadership and management experience in the transportation planning process, as well as knowledge of traffic analysis; travel demand modeling processes; transportation programs and funding; and multimodal planning and programming.

Manages day-to-day activities of MPO staff and general operations in accordance with fiscal agent/employer of record (COA) policies and procedures. Develops, implements, monitors, and evaluates MPO staff performance plans and training needs. Hires MPO staff, recommends promotions and carries out disciplinary actions, including employment termination of MPO staff.

Implements a performance-based approach to planning and programming.

Ensures data for the travel demand model are collected, maintained, analyzed, and prepared for estimates and modeling exercises. Develops and maintains travel demand model, using TRANSCAD, and other State and Federal approved computer applications, including their utilization in evaluating planning alternatives for capacity, congestion mitigation, operation and turning movements, and safety issues.

Coordinates, oversees, and participates in the compilation and maintenance of transportation and demographic databases.

Develops and calibrates computerized transportation planning models as well as develops and codes thoroughfare and transit networks.

Provides technical assistance upon request to participating member agencies of the MPO.

Conducts data analysis and develops planning documents, including a Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), a Ten-Year Plan, a short-range capital plan (the Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP), and a planning and research work program (the Unified Planning Work Program, or UPWP). Prepares year-end reports including the Annual Performance and Expenditure Report, the Annual Listing of Obligated Projects, and any others. Assists in reviewing and monitoring plans and related documents to ensure compliance with applicable state or federal requirements and conformance to acceptable professional standards.

Monitors and ensures project selection, scope, and funding are accurate for highway and transit projects in the MPO area. Assists with planning, development, and management of strategic planning efforts related to transit issues.

Assists in the development of highway and transit forecasts for local and regional transportation alternatives analysis.

Performs research and literature review and shares results with other agencies as requested and necessary.

Monitors assigned projects and provides feedback regarding their impact; analyzes needs/changes/enhancements and makes recommendations.

Responsible for maintaining effective and highly successful relationships with the MPO's Policy Board and Technical Advisory Committee, local and state agencies, the transit agency (CityLink), the City of Abilene, the City of Tye, the City of Impact, Taylor County, Jones County, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). This position requires frequent contact with local elected officials, state and federal government officials, local media press, Taylor-Abilene Geographic Information Community, and the public.

Conducts meetings of the Technical Advisory Committee and provides data.

Provides financial oversight of the MPO budget. Includes effective management of grant processes, timely reporting and accounting for resources; developing and managing scope of work for outsourced consultant services; ensuring the development and implementation of the Unified Planning Work Program; ensuring compliance with fiscal requirements and presenting accurate, timely financial reporting to the Policy Board. Coordinate and pursue timely billing cycles of invoices received from vendors and reimbursements requested from agencies, with the fiscal agent.

Prepares, plans, evaluates project methodologies, and conducts technical studies, inside Taylor and Jones counties (within the MPO urban area boundary) both in-house and outsourced to qualified consultants.

Develops scope of services for work to be outsourced, including the hiring of qualified consultants, negotiation of fees, undertaking project management responsibilities to monitor their progress, timeline, budget, quality assurance, and acceptance of final deliverables.

Conducts outreach to involve the public and interested parties in the region's metropolitan transportation planning process according to the Public Participation Plan and applicable Federal and State guidelines.

Continually evaluates the organizational structure and makes changes, as necessary, to ensure optimum effectiveness of programs/staff services.

Provides programs and services that reduce costs and takes advantage of multi-jurisdictional economic strength.

Plans, prepares, schedules, and implements regular MPO meetings with PB, TAC and external agencies, including preparation of reference material, agenda, minutes of meetings, drafting of resolutions, when required.

Works toward the MPO's transportation equity vision by engaging traditionally underrepresented populations in regional transportation planning and ensuring these populations are not discriminated against in MPO activities, including the planning and programming of transportation projects and studies.

Operate a motor vehicle to attend meetings and MPO activities.

OTHER JOB RELATED DUTIES

Assists with monitoring funds through application, contract review/approval, procuring equipment, and billing and reporting.

Perform other job-related duties and responsibilities as assigned.