Demo

Director of Project Management (TBC)

State of Iowa - Executive Branch
Ames, IA Full Time
POSTED ON 10/10/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 11/8/2026
Job Description

Job Title:Director of the Project Management Bureau

Reports To: Iowa DOT Transportation Development Division Deputy Director of Project Development

Position Type: Confidential, At-Will

Location: Ames, Iowa

This position is a confidential, at-will position that serves as the Director of the Project Management Bureau in the Transportation Development Division. This position reports to the Deputy Director of Project Development in the Transportation Development Division and is a member of the Transportation Development Division’s management team, which formulates division policy, long-range plans, and plays a critical role in developing and managing the portfolio of highway projects that makes up the State of Iowa’s 5-year Transportation Improvement Program.

The Project Management Bureau serves to address the following strategic objectives related to project management:

  • Increased transparency and accountability for meeting project schedules, budgets, and quality standards.
  • Provide better information and decision-making processes related to the resources needed to deliver quality projects on time and within budget.
  • Manage and coordinate the highway program project prioritization process, which involves an engineering and economic evaluation and analysis of a large pool of potential projects for further development and programming.
  • Establish better controls and mechanisms for reporting project cost, schedule, and quality.
  • Provide a more comprehensive and risk-based approach to management of large, complex projects, some of which are in excess of several hundred million dollars.
  • Improve existing processes for developing and managing small to medium-sized projects with varying levels of complexity.
  • Provide data, tools, insight and recommendations that will help upper management create clarity and consistency in prioritizing and managing a portfolio of projects for programming and development.

As the Director of the Project Management Bureau, this position is responsible for providing overall leadership of transportation project management activities. This involves establishing long-range program objectives for project management and evaluating the performance in meeting those objectives.

This position is responsible for direct supervision and management of approximately 12 full-time positions in the Project Management Bureau, several of which are advanced engineering positions. This also includes wide-ranging, close and complex collaboration and coordination with Division Directors, District Engineers and Bureau Directors across the Department.

This position oversees the Department’s software to schedule, fund, and track projects from planning through construction letting.

Finally, this position serves as the Department’s primary representative on the ACEC / Iowa DOT / FHWA Partnering Council, addressing all concerns and disagreements between the Department and the consultant firms that aid in delivering our program.

Travel: Overnight travel will be occasionally required.

Shift: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (may be flexed)

Requirements

  • Must possess and maintain a license as a Professional Engineer in the State of Iowa.

As a State of Iowa employee, you will be eligible for the following benefits:

  • Competitive pay and benefits package including health, dental, flexible spending, and life insurance
  • Insurance benefits start the first month following 30 days of employment and costs can be reviewed here.
  • Opportunities for professional growth and development.
  • Paid time off effective immediately - biweekly vacation, separate sick leave, accruals rollover on a yearly basis, and 9 paid holidays per year.
  • Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) Retirement Package with employer match
  • Optional 401A plan with employer contributions.
  • Employee Discount Programs from a variety of vendors (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling; legal, financial).

We encourage you to learn more about the State of Iowa Employee benefits and costs at the State of Iowa Employee Benefits Website !

  • Please provide your resopnses to the following questions with your resume and cover leter**
  • Do you have a current Professional Engineer license in another state?
  • Do you have a current State of Iowa Professional Engineer license?
  • Do you have the potential to obtain a State of Iowa Professional Engineer license upon appointment?

Iowa Department of Transportation’s Mission is Making Lives Better Through Transportation . To accomplish our Mission, the person selected for this position will demonstrate actions and behaviors guided by the Iowa Department of Transportation’s five CORE values: Safety First, People Matter, Customer Focused, Servant Leadership, and Integrity Without Exception .

You have the freedom to flourish in Iowa – Apply now!

Iowa DOT complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the EEO & ADA Officer at 515-689-1009 or via email at amy.weerheim@iowadot.us .

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov .

This is a non-merit position with the Iowa Department of Transportation . Candidates must follow the instructions in the "To Apply" section.

Positions in this class are exempt from the screening and referral requirements of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services - Human Resources Enterprise.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

  • Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to six and one-half years of full-time management-level work in finance, human resources, engineering, law, data processing, or program research or evaluation.
  • Ten and one-half years of full-time management-level work experience in finance, human resources, engineering, law, data processing, or program research or evaluation.
  • All of the following (a and b): a. Six and one-half years of full-time management-level work experience in finance, human resources, engineering, law, data processing, or program research or evaluation; and b. A combination of a total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience. Graduation from the Iowa Certified Public Manager Program is also equivalent to one year of full-time experience or education.
  • All of the following (a, b, and c): a. Four and one-half years of full-time management-level work experience in finance, human resources, engineering, law, regulation, data processing, or program research or evaluation; and b. A combination of a total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and c. A combination of a total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in a public-service-related area (e.g., public or business administration, social work, law, education, engineering) equals one year of full-time experience. Graduation from the Iowa Certified Public Manager Program is also equivalent to one year of full-time experience or education. 5) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes two years of full-time work as a Public Service Manager 1.

For additional information, please click on this Job Class Description - 04251

Salary.com Estimation for Director of Project Management (TBC) in Ames, IA
$167,786 to $199,698
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Director of Project Management (TBC)?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Director of Project Management (TBC) career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$213,354 - $274,761
Income Estimation: 
$277,105 - $362,555
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at State of Iowa - Executive Branch

  • State of Iowa - Executive Branch Des Moines, IA
  • Job Description Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) is seeking to hire an Accountant in our Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) Accounting Division... more
  • 8 Days Ago

  • State of Iowa - Executive Branch Fort Dodge, IA
  • Job Description This is a non-merit position with the Iowa Department of Corrections . Candidates must follow the instructions in the "To Apply" section. C... more
  • 8 Days Ago

  • State of Iowa - Executive Branch Williamsburg, IA
  • Job Description Are you a team lead who enjoys motivating others by working alongside them and setting a strong example? If you love guiding a crew, buildi... more
  • 8 Days Ago

  • State of Iowa - Executive Branch Ottumwa, IA
  • Job Description Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) is seeking a bilingual Career Planner to join our team at the Iowa WORKS office in Ottumwa, Iowa . Positio... more
  • 8 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Director of Project Management (TBC) jobs in the Ames, IA area that may be a better fit.

  • Premiere Dance Project Waukee, IA
  • COMPANY OVERVIEW Premiere Dance Project is a dance studio with locations in Waukee and West Des Moines, Iowa. We provide high-quality dance education for c... more
  • 2 Days Ago

  • Keen Project Solutions, LLC Ankeny, IA
  • Role Definition The Human Resources Director serves as a strategic people leader and trusted business partner to the executive team. This role shapes and e... more
  • 5 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!