JOB TITLE: SENIOR ASSISTANT DISTRICT EXECUTIVE, TRANSPORTATION

JOB CODE: 11715

SERIES NATURE OF WORK: The district executive job series describes professional and administrative work directing activities in a Department of Transportation engineering district.

DEFINITION: This is administrative and professional managerial work as a senior assistant to a district executive in a large urban engineering district in the Department of Transportation.

An employee in this job assists the Transportation District Executive with the management of engineering and non-engineering activities related to design, construction, maintenance, or operations in a large urban engineering district. Work involves planning, directing, and coordinating district transportation activities and funding to ensure that maximum effort is channeled toward completion of programs to meet departmental objectives. Supervision is exercised over a large staff of professional and technical employees engaged in the planning, design, construction, highway operation, or maintenance of roads, bridges, facilities, and related structures. Work is assigned in the form of program objectives by the Transportation District Executive and reviewed periodically for attainment of goals.

   DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

• Work is distinguished from the lower level job in the series by the responsibility for managing engineering and non-engineering activities in a large urban engineering district characterized by complex transportation projects involving varied forms of multimodal transportation, high population density, large economic scope, numerous legislative issues, and public relations concerns.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.)

• Serves as an assistant to the district executive by supervising managers of planning and pre-design, design, construction, highway operations, or maintenance functions in a large urban engineering district.

• Oversees complex contracts containing wide-ranging multimodal and cultural features for a variety of transportation improvements and related services.

• Oversees a complex winter maintenance program in a highly urbanized area involving high traffic volume and coordination of several contractors.

• Participates in the development of district engineering programs requiring coordination with the Federal Highway Administration, department central office engineers, regulatory agencies, county and local governments, county and regional planners, and transportation management organizations.

• Plans and supervises the work of staff engaged in preliminary and final engineering, construction, highway operations, or maintenance within the district.

• Plans, directs, and administers a variety of operations in the district including geotechnical engineering, utility relocation, right of way, traffic, surveys, municipal services, and heavy hauling/highway occupancy permits.

• Represents the district executive on transportation related activities and exercises authority on district matters in the absence of the district executive.

• Reviews and evaluates preliminary design, construction, or maintenance activities to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, department policies and procedures, and district objectives.

• Develops and directs programming, budgeting, purchasing, staff assignments, material acquisitions, equipment transfers, equipment maintenance, administrative reporting, and operational functions performed by district and county staff.

• Manages fiscal control in planning, programming, and spending of state, federal, Liquid Fuels, and other specialized funding types.

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with legislators, public officials, and media on transportation activities in assigned district.

• Provides legislative briefings and responds to inquiries on transportation projects, policy and procedures, district programs, and related issues.

• Collaborates with central office regarding policy, procedures and standards pertaining to highway and bridge design programs, construction or maintenance activities, transportation planning, project delivery, and environmental planning.

• Develops strategies, assesses resource and training needs, sets goals, and tracks implementation progress to ensure efficiency in district engineering activities.

• Develops plans for natural disasters and other emergency situations impacting the district transportation system and coordinates the response with local and state emergency management agencies.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

• Employees in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates' work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of transportation principles and practices applied in the planning, design, construction, or maintenance of all types of highways, bridges, and other related structures.

• Knowledge of inspection methods and standards for highways, bridges, and other comparable structures.

• Knowledge of federal and state highway laws, regulations, policies, and practices relating to highway operations in the state of Pennsylvania.

• Knowledge of the principles of employee supervision.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: (NOTE: These are expected of an employee performing the work of this job at the full performance level. These are not used for merit system evaluation or examination purposes and are not position-specific performance standards.)

• Knowledge of budgeting, fiscal management, management analysis, records management, and personnel administration.

• Knowledge of departmental, administrative, and technical policies and practices.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration.

• Ability to communicate with public officials, legislators, and media contacts.

• Ability to coordinate district activities and resolve conflicts.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities)

• One year of experience as an Assistant District Executive, Transportation (commonwealth title);

or

• Seven years of professional experience in the planning, design, construction, or maintenance of highways, bridges, or other comparable structures, which includes four years of supervisory experience; and a bachelor’s degree;

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes four years of supervisory experience in the planning, design, construction, or maintenance of highways, bridges, or other comparable structures.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

• Certain positions require possession of an active Professional Engineer license issued by the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists.

• Certain positions require possession of an active motor vehicle license.