What are the responsibilities and job description for the Executive Director (MTPO) position at Alachua County, FL?
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning, transportation planning, traffic engineering, geography, public administration, or related field and ten years of progressively responsible supervisory experience in the private or public sector urban planning, public administration in the transportation field, transportation planning or transportation engineering including five years of fiscal management experience is required.
An equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute for the minimum requirements listed.
Example of equivalent combination of education and experience:
Master's degree =6 years plus 8 years of progressively responsible supervisory experience in the private or public sector urban planning, public administration in the transportation field, transportation planning or transportation engineering, including five years of fiscal management experience = 14 Total years
Position Summary
The Executive Director is the professional leader and official representative of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization (MTPO) for the Gainesville and Alachua County areas. The position oversees the operations and supports multimodal transportation, bicycle and pedestrian, and safety planning efforts in coordination with City, County, and State organizations.
The incumbent in this position will build a new organization and shape the future of transportation in the area. The Executive Director will have significant autonomy in their work and will serve as the main point of contact for the MTPO Board, local jurisdictions, transportation agencies, and other MPOs in the state. The role involves leading the transportation vision, advocating for key needs, and fostering partnerships and consensus on long-term multimodal transportation priorities. Additionally, the Executive Director will be responsible for shaping the MTPO’s work program and budget, focusing on data analysis, community and stakeholder engagement, and planning tasks aligned with strategic goals.
Work is performed under the broad direction, oversight and review of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization (MTPO). A considerable degree of independent judgment, discretion, and initiative will be exercised in carrying out work assignments by and for the MTPO Board.
COMPETENCIES:
- Strategic thinking
- Relationship building
- Fostering innovation
- Empathy
- Effective communication
- Advocacy
- Consensus building
Examples of Duties
Board Management and Support:
Communicates timely and effectively with the MTPO Board, advisory committees, and the public regarding the MTPO’s priority investment programs for multimodal transportation.
Educates and informs the MTPO Board of current issues, revisions to federal/state regulations, and industry trends that affect transportation planning and funding, including timely reports.
Offers technical expertise and translates complex information to help inform Board decisions.
State and Federal Compliance:
Fulfills the mandates as described in federal and state laws governing the management and administration of the MTPO and ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.
Partner Coordination:
Works with the local governments and transportation agencies to bring forward projects that align with the MTPO’s strategic priorities, help prepare and submit federal/state grant applications, champion and support municipal planning studies, and advance project implementation.
Development and Maintenance of Key Planning Documents:
Leads regular updates and maintenance of the Transportation Improvement Plan, List of Priority Projects, Unified Planning Work Program, and Long-Range Transportation Plan. Leads other specialized studies as requested by member agencies, as able.
Oversight of Budgeting and Contract Management:
Updates the MTPO’s annual work program and budgets for approval by the MTPO Board and manages contracts needed to deliver critical work products.
Public and Stakeholder Engagement:
Implements an effective public involvement process through wide, proactive distribution of information to the public and providing opportunities for public feedback that meaningfully shapes transportation plans and priorities. Regularly updates and ensures compliance with the MTPO’s Public Involvement Plan.
Manage Staff and Consultants:
Cultivates staff capacity and provides direction and guidance to staff and consultants to accomplish planning tasks in an efficient and customer-responsive manner.
NOTE: These examples are intended only as illustrations of the various kinds of work performed allocated to this position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSA’s):
Knowledge of federal and state transportation statutes and regulations.
Knowledge of transportation funding categories and programs.
Knowledge in land use, multimodal transportation planning, and transportation policy.
Knowledge and understanding of the relationships between federal, state, and local transportation planning processes.
Effective project management skills needed to advance critical priorities.
Strong supervisory skills and ability to form and guide a new organization consistent with the values of the MTPO Board of Directors.
Ability to effectively manage and direct an organization.
Ability to develop strategies, including grant applications for state and federal funding.
Ability to exercise sound judgement in decision-making.
Ability to develop, prepare, and monitor complex budgets.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with federal, state, regional and local agencies, community leaders, and the general public.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, including public speaking, delivering effective presentations, and preparing written reports and memoranda.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, frequently required to talk or hear and occasionally required to be mobile.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The employee will occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This work is performed in an office setting. Light travel is required throughout Alachua County and beyond.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Supplemental Information
Desired but not required:
- Master’s degree in urban and regional planning, transportation planning, traffic engineering, geography, public administration, or related fields
- Membership in the American Planning Association along with the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification; Licensure in Professional Engineer (PE) and/or Professional Transportation Operations Engineer (PTOE), and/or certification as a Professional Transportation Planner (PTP)
- Experience at a metropolitan planning organization, state department of transportation, US Department of Transportation, or other public transportation agency or equivalent experience
- A combination of education, training and experience may be substituted at the MTPO Board’s discretion
