Senior Project Manager, Border Region

Salary: $96,824.00 - $157,602.00 Annually
Location : 1011 Union Street, San Diego
Job Type: Full-Time
Department: Mega Projects, Border, and Goods Movement
Opening Date: 04/10/2025
Closing Date: 4/27/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt

Description
Overview of the Department

The Mega Projects, Border and Goods Movement Department focuses on delivering complex infrastructure and technology projects in the San Diego region, as well as delivering projects that focus on goods movement and border connectivity. Some of these projects include the SR 11/Otay Mesa East Port of Entry (OME POE), the LOSSAN Rail Realignment, the Harbor Drive 2.0/Vesta Street Bridge and the Back Office System.

Role

Under the direction of the Border Region Delivery Manager, the Senior Project Manager, Border Region will play an integral role in the coordination and project delivery of several complex interrelated projects for the OME POE to ensure on-time completion of deliverables and outputs that support this binational, multimodal border crossing. Reporting to the Program Manager, the Senior Project Manager will also focus on managing cross-border projects in the California-Baja California region, coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, and ensuring successful project delivery within scope, schedule, and budget.

This position will be filled as a Senior Regional Planner or Senior Engineer, depending on experience.

Job Responsibilities

• Manage a variety of projects related to the OME POE and other border delivery projects included in the California-Baja California Border Master Plan; develop and manage project plans to meet product specifications; identify and define deliverables, resources, and activities; establish and implement project goals and objectives; prepare and review schedule and cost estimates for the implementation of multiple large-scale projects.
• Manage the development of agreements for the OME POE project, including but not limited to financial, technical, and political agreements; coordinate the flow of information and collaboration between the SANDAG Office of General Counsel, binational stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams.
• Support the Program Manager with managing binational collaboration focused on projects that bolster economic growth, facilitate the movement of people and goods and advance sustainability and equity in the region.
• Prepare and maintain border project information, including project schedules, status reports, issues, risks/deliverables; prepare budget, scope management, and track performance for all project delivery phases.
• Coordinate project activities with inter-departmental and inter-agency multidisciplinary project teams, including representatives from regional, state, federal, and Mexican agencies; lead meetings with project teams and develop project partnerships; ensure effective communication of goals, progress, and decisions.
• Facilitate project development by fostering and establishing collaborative relationships with key internal and external customers, partners, stakeholders, and funding agencies such as local jurisdictions, transit operators (MTS and NCTD), Port of San Diego, FHWA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, General Services Administration, Caltrans, and local community planning and interest groups as well as Mexican partners at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Manage and coordinate work plans for assigned project teams; meet with staff to identify and resolve problems; assign work activities and monitor workflow; review and evaluate work products, methods, and procedures of staff and consultants.
• Evaluate and monitor project workload; respond to changing political, economic, and customer demands; implement and manage change when necessary to meet project outputs.
• Create and update long-term project plans; monitor and report on progress, timelines, and milestones; communicate status of projects to stakeholders and management; develop and maintain project documentation, narratives and statistical performance reports; coordinate with teams on the regional and state project programming process.
• Participate in project budget development, preparation and administration; prepare cost estimates and budget justifications; monitor and control expenditures.
• Support forecasting of additional resources needed for staffing, equipment, or supplies related to assigned projects.
• Participate in project risk assessment and management; manage the development of approach for project risks; identify and recommend defensive and proactive actions to avoid and reduce risk.
• Coordinate with inter-departmental and inter-agency teams to develop project scopes, costs, and schedules for grant applications seeking discretionary/formula funding.
• Participate in border related studies as a delivery subject matter expert that will directly lead into project delivery phases.
• Coordinate the development of RFPs, RFQs, RFIs, and other solicitation documents; participate in the selection of consultants and vendors; manage project consultants and ensure projects progress on schedule, within the approved budget, and at a consistently high level of quality; ensure projects are completed in adherence to funding agency requirements and within contractual agreements.
• Analyze the effects of new legislation on the OME POE and border delivery programs, projects, and plans. Coordinate project legislation needs with the SANDAG Government Relations team.

Typical Qualifications

• The minimum education, training, and experience qualifications for the Senior Regional Planner include a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course work in urban, regional, transportation or environmental planning, geography, business, public administration, public policy, or a related field.
• At least five years of increasingly responsible, professional regional, transportation, or environmental planning experience, including some lead or supervisory experience, along with project management experience.
• Proven experience managing projects, ensuring alignment with program objectives, timelines, and budgets, with a track record of successfully delivering projects on schedule and within financial constraints. Preference for managing border region projects.
• Strong background in coordinating technical activities related to project development, including planning, design, environmental clearance, permitting, and construction contract award, in compliance with relevant regulations.
• Experience supporting and contributing to large-scale projects such as the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry and Harbor 2.0/Vesta projects, including resolving project challenges and advancing key project milestones.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate on implementing regional transportation and border strategies, with knowledge of the transit operators (MTS and NCTD), Port of San Diego, FHWA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, General Services Administration, Caltrans, and local community planning and interest groups as well as Mexican partners at the federal, state, and local levels.

• Experience fostering binational and interregional collaboration, particularly in promoting sustainable development and equitable outcomes in the border region, including cross-border efforts with Mexican federal, state, and local entities.
• Proven ability to develop, administer, and monitor project budgets, track expenditures, and recommend necessary adjustments to align with financial goals, as part of a broader program budget.
• Experience in forecasting and coordinating additional staffing, equipment, or supplies required for successful project delivery, ensuring adequate resources are available.
• Demonstrated skill in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, community planning groups, and freight businesses, to ensure seamless project execution.
• Experience leading and coordinating multidisciplinary teams, ensuring effective communication of goals, progress, and decisions across departments and agencies.
• Expertise in reviewing and managing consultant contracts, including change orders, amendments, and payments, ensuring compliance with contractual obligations and high-quality project delivery.
• Experience participating in procurement processes, including contributing to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), developing scopes of work, and assisting in vendor selection for cross-border projects.
• Proven ability to identify potential project risks and collaborate with program managers to develop effective mitigation strategies to ensure successful outcomes.
• Experience in coordinating with teams to develop project scopes, budgets, and schedules for grant applications seeking discretionary or formula funding.
• Ability to provide guidance and mentorship to junior staff, fostering professional growth and facilitating collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to achieve project objectives.
• Strong writing skills with the ability to prepare clear, concise technical reports, analyses, and presentations for both internal teams and external stakeholders, including data interpretation and the presentation of recommendations.
• Experience presenting findings, recommendations, and progress updates to senior management, external stakeholders, and policy committees, with the ability to communicate complex information effectively.
• In-depth knowledge of the border region, having participated in related studies and contributed as a subject matter expert to project delivery phases.
• Ability to analyze and assess the impact of new legislation on border region projects and regional transportation plans, coordinating legislative needs with government relations teams.

Experience and Qualifications if Filled as a Senior Engineer

• The minimum education, training, and experience qualifications include a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course work in civil, structural, or transportation engineering or a related field.

• At least five years of increasingly responsible, professional engineering experience, including some lead or supervisory experience, and project management experience.
• Possession of Professional Engineer Registration in the State of California.

We offer a complete benefits package to full-time employees including:

• Hybrid work options
• 9/80 flexible work schedule
• Pay-for-performance merit increases
• Retirement - Defined Benefit Plan with the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
• Retirement - 457 Defined Contribution Plan with Voya
• Excellent health insurance options for employees and their eligible dependents
• Free dental and vision insurance for employees and their eligible dependents
• Education Assistance of up to $5,250 a year for regular employees
• Free transit pass for use throughout the San Diego region, bus, Rapid Express, Trolley, and COASTER
• Paid time off including 12 paid holidays, 2 floating holiday days, generous paid time off (PTO) per year, depending on length of service

01

SANDAG employees are expected to live within the San Diego region and work in-person in our San Diego office; there are telework options available (Monday and Wednesday), as well as a 9/80 work schedule (every other Monday off).This is not a fully remote position.Are you able and willing to adhere to the onsite and work schedule described above?

• Yes
• No

02

Will you now or will you in the future require employment visa sponsorship?

• Yes
• No

03

What is your level of education?

• Some or no college
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Law degree
• Other

04

How many years of increasingly responsible, professional regional, transportation, environmental planning and project management experience do you have?

• 0 to 5
• 5 or more

05

Please tell us about your professional experience managing projects, ensuring alignment with program objectives, timelines, and budgets, and delivering projects on schedule and within financial constraints. Please provide experience for managing border region projects.
06

Please tell us about your experience fostering binational and interregional collaboration, particularly in promoting sustainable development and equitable outcomes in the border region, including cross-border efforts with Mexican federal, state, and local entities
07

Please tell us about your experience in coordinating with teams to develop project scopes, budgets, and schedules for grant applications seeking discretionary or formula funding.
08

Do you have a Professional Engineer Registration in the State of California?

• Yes
• No

Required Question