Position Overview:

Senior Project Managers (SPM) are successfully delivering Harris County's capital portfolio, composed of numerous projects valued at about $100M per team member across a wide spectrum of public infrastructure.   The SPM ensures that project goals and objectives are achieved through allocating resources, facilitating project solutions, identifying and mitigating risk, and promoting team cohesion.

The engineering work varies greatly across drainage, grading, trails, roadways, parks, facilities, and bicycle paths. This includes maintaining solid working knowledge of the team's project portfolio to rapidly respond to inquiries from the client or management, identify systemic challenges, and initiate solutions. In addition, the position may directly supervise 2-4 Project Managers and Assistant Project Managers (APM) or Graduate Engineers.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

• Deliver projects from pre-planning through close-out.

• Develop and negotiate scopes of work, resources, schedules, and cost estimates for projects with clients, consultants, and the project team.

• Facilitate and negotiate consultant procurement, along with managing internal and external resources to develop the project delivery team.

• Coordinate efforts with the project delivery team to prepare the final deliverables in the form of engineering reports and/or constructible plan sets.

• Ensure deliverables meet the client’s preferences, the Engineering Department’s standards, regulatory compliance, and permitting requirements.

• Evaluate and perform risk management to achieve project scope, schedule, and budget expectations.

• Coordinate and communicate effectively with management, Harris County elected officials and representatives, external agencies, and the public, as necessary.

• Assist with emergencies and recovery efforts following local disasters to ensure Harris County has safe infrastructure after the event.

• Lead a team in achieving program goals and objectives through mentoring, resource management, facilitating project solutions, and promoting team cohesion by encouraging a positive working atmosphere.

• Promote project controls, tracking, and enhanced reporting using project management software (e.g., e-Builder), including advancing projects from planning to design, to construction, and occupancy. Utilize the software to manage project scopes, costs, schedules, and documents.

• Maintain responsibility, oversight, and knowledge of the entire portfolio of projects assigned to the Project Management Team; meet regularly with department management and senior client representatives to discuss the program.

• Manage and supervise project managers, consultants, and other related subject matter experts in the preparation of planning and construction documents and complete ancillary support tasks to successfully bid and award capital infrastructure projects.

• Ensure that quality assurance, risk management, regulatory compliance, and permitting are properly executed using the Project Management Institute (PMI) business model; work closely with Division leadership to track and report project status.

• Assist and coordinate with clients and Capital Infrastructure Projects – Inspections & Quality Assurance staff through all phases of project delivery, from negotiation and initiation through the warranty phase and close-out.

• Work closely with management to monitor and adjust internal processes that promote efficient project execution. This includes assisting with the development of written plans and documentation processes for use by CIP staff, support staff, and external team members to ensure consistency in project delivery.

• Conduct the full range of supervisory duties for assigned Project Managers and Inspectors, including (but not limited to): workplace safety, training and development, performance management, staffing, adherence to policies and procedures, and workload balancing.

• Coordinate with inspectors, design engineers, consultants, and contractors to resolve issues found during construction.

• Coordinate with Office of the County Engineer department personnel to conduct pre-construction field walks, review plans, resolve design issues, address utility conflicts, and other issues as required.

• Review and recommend approval of change orders for condition changes, quality changes, reasonable costs, and appropriate solutions to issues found during project construction.

• Perform other duties as assigned, demonstrating flexibility and a commitment to the smooth operation of the department. 

Education:   

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Construction Science, or Construction Management from an ABET-accredited university.  

Experience:  

• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in project management or design of civil works projects in a professional team or resource group environment, including 5 of the 10 years focused on project management of horizontal-related projects.

Emergency Deployment & Continuity of Operations Requirement:  

In accordance with Harris County’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) Policy, this position is subject to emergency response and deployment protocols. The employee may be designated as supporting a Mission Essential Function (MEF)

• Participate in the classification process of departmental staff based on MEF responsibilities.
• Be available for temporary deployment to an alternative work location, role, or telework assignment during emergency events.
• Confirm work assignments with their supervisor prior to reporting to any worksite during such events.
• Remain flexible in assuming alternative duties as directed to support County operations continuity.

Knowledge, Skill & Abilities (KSAs):

• Licensed Professional Engineer (or ability to obtain in the State of Texas within 6 months of hire).
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Effectively communicate with team members with an emphasis on stakeholder engagement
• Excellent interpersonal and conflict resolution skills, and the ability to deal tactfully with a diverse group of people in a professional manner in a complex organization.
• Ability to read and comprehend construction plans, estimates, and specifications.
• Ability to exercise flexibility in accommodating shifting priorities, demands, and schedules.
• Valid driver's license (Texas upon hire), a good driving record, and the ability to drive a County vehicle to various job sites as needed to accomplish tasks.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Education: 

•  Master's degree in civil engineering from an ABET-accredited university.

Experience:

• Proven ability to lead negotiations with consultants, other agencies, and stakeholders to procure resources and formalize cooperative relationships that achieve project goals.
• Prior experience working on Harris County Engineering Department roadway design projects.
• Prior government experience.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Experience coordinating with regional agencies (e.g., COH, TxDOT, etc.).
• Experience with working with Local, State, and Federal Agencies and Funding.

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:

Full-Time | Regular | 40 hours per week.
Subject to early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays at times, depending upon the project or workload.

Physical Demands and Environmental Exposure:

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:

• Occasional driving of a vehicle with automatic and four-wheel drive controls.
• Frequent standing and walking; prolonged sitting for extended periods of time.
• Frequent stooping, bending, reaching, lifting, and carrying of items up to 10 pounds with occasional lifting of up to 20 pounds.
• Extensive use of a video display terminal (computer monitor).
• Occasional sorting, filing, shelving, and handling of documents, books, files, materials, and equipment.
• Frequent standing and walking on rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces and ground during field visits.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time:

• Approximately 90% of duties will be performed indoors in a normal office environment with acceptable lighting, temperature, air conditions, and noise levels.
• Approximately 10% of duties will be performed outdoors, where there will be exposure to heat, cold, moisture, air pollution, wind, and dust.
• Must be willing to work in various weather and working conditions when visiting a field location.

FEATURED BENEFITS:

Medical, vision, and dental insurance.
Wellness.
Professional development opportunity.
Flexible spending account.
457 deferred compensation plans.
Retirement pension (TCDRS).
Transportation assistance (Metro Ride Sponsor Program).
Disability and life insurance.
Harris County is a Qualified Employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).