Transportation Director

About the Public Works Department

At Kansas City Public Works, we keep the city moving. Our department manages the infrastructure residents rely on every day; from streets, sidewalks, streetlights, and traffic signals to major capital improvement projects that shape the city's future. We also drive initiatives that improve safety, mobility, and quality of life across Kansas City neighborhoods. Every project we take on supports one goal: a well-maintained, sustainable city that works for everyone who lives, works, and travels here.

Click here for more about this department

The City of Kansas City, Missouri is seeking an innovative, strategic, and results-driven Transportation Director to lead one of the region's largest and most diverse municipal transportation organizations. Reporting to the Public Works Director, the Transportation Director provides vision, direction, and oversight for the City's Transportation Division, including Engineering, Construction, and Multimodal Transportation programs.

The Transportation Director serves as a key member of the department's executive leadership team, responsible for planning, developing, and implementing programs that support safe, sustainable, and efficient transportation infrastructure and mobility solutions throughout Kansas City. The successful candidate will lead major capital investments, cultivate regional partnerships, secure external funding, and advance strategic initiatives that enhance quality of life, economic development, and public safety.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide executive leadership for the City's Transportation Division, including Engineering, Construction, and Multimodal Transportation groups.
• Direct a public works division of approximately 144 employees, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, employee development, succession planning, and continuous improvement.
• Manage an annual operating budget of approximately $190 million supporting transportation infrastructure, operations, maintenance, and mobility initiatives.
• Oversee the delivery of an annual capital improvement program averaging $125 million in transportation investments.
• Develop and implement long-term transportation strategies, infrastructure plans, and asset management programs that support community growth and sustainability.
• Lead development and execution of large-scale transportation infrastructure projects utilizing traditional and alternative project delivery methods.
• Coordinate regional transportation planning efforts and partnerships with local, state, federal, and transit agencies.
• Direct transportation operations and emergency response activities, including snow and ice control operations and incident management.
• Secure and administer federal, state, and local grants supporting transportation and infrastructure initiatives.
• Negotiate contracts, intergovernmental agreements, and service agreements related to transportation programs and capital projects.
• Advance multimodal transportation solutions, including bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and complete streets initiatives.
• Lead safety-focused programs and performance management systems aimed at reducing traffic fatalities, improving mobility, and enhancing transportation asset performance.
• Support major regional events and transportation operations planning through collaboration with regional stakeholders.
• Present recommendations, plans, and performance outcomes to elected officials, executive leadership, community stakeholders, and the public.

Desired Experience and Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will demonstrate a successful track record of executive leadership in a complex municipal transportation or public works environment, including experience with:

• Managing large municipal transportation, public works, engineering, construction, or infrastructure programs.
• Leading organizations with multidisciplinary teams and diverse operational functions.
• Developing and implementing long-range transportation and infrastructure investment plans.
• Managing substantial operating and capital budgets and ensuring effective stewardship of public resources.
• Delivering high-profile transportation, transit, roadway, bridge, or multimodal infrastructure projects.
• Transportation planning, traffic safety, Vision Zero, complete streets, and multimodal mobility initiatives.
• Asset management, performance management, and business process improvement.
• Securing and managing federal and state transportation grants.
• Building collaborative partnerships with regional agencies, elected officials, community organizations, and private-sector stakeholders.
• Contract negotiation, procurement, and alternative project delivery methods.
• Emergency operations management, including snow and ice operations.
• Experience leading municipal snow and ice control operations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strategic leadership and organizational management.
• Transportation engineering, construction, and infrastructure program management.
• Capital improvement planning and delivery.
• Public-sector budgeting and financial management.
• Regional partnership development and stakeholder engagement.
• Contract negotiation and procurement management.
• Transportation policy development and implementation.
• Asset management and performance measurement systems.
• Effective written, verbal, and public communication skills.
• Ability to lead organizational change and foster a high-performing workforce.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a nationally recognized transportation program and shape the future mobility, safety, and infrastructure of one of America's most dynamic cities. The Transportation Director will oversee transformative transportation investments, support regional growth initiatives, and guide the delivery of critical infrastructure that serves residents, businesses, and visitors across Kansas City.

REQUIRES

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Public Administration, Construction Management, Urban Planning, or a closely related field.

• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience managing municipal transportation, public works, engineering, construction, or infrastructure programs and projects, including significant supervisory and executive leadership responsibility.

• Demonstrated experience managing complex budgets, personnel, and capital improvement programs.

PREFERRED 

• Professional Engineer (P.E.) license.

• Master's degree in Engineering, Public Administration, Business Administration, Planning, or a related field.

• Experience managing large-scale transportation, transit, or multimodal capital projects.

• Experience securing and administering federal transportation grants and funding programs.