Assistant Director, Traveler Information & Coordination
Apply NowCompany: Metropolitan Transportation Commission
Location: San Francisco, CA 94112
Description:
Salary : $171,208.34 - $228,111.94 Annually
Location : San Francisco, CA
Job Type: Regular/Full-Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 25-038
Section: SUMO - Sustainable Mobility and Operations
Opening Date: 04/24/2025
Closing Date: 5/18/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is an equal-opportunity, non-discriminatory employer. MTC provides all employees and applicants with an equal opportunity in every aspect of the employment experience regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical handicap, medical condition or marital status.
DEADLINE TO APPLY IS SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2025, AT 11:59 PM
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY
First round interviews tentatively scheduled for Thursday, May 29, 2025
A resume and cover letter are not required with your application, but highly encouraged.
Be ready to rethink your assumptions about the public sector. Dedicated and motivated colleagues? Beautiful, high amenity building for on-site work and collaboration? Flexible schedules and hybrid work options? Yes, yes, and yes!
ABOUT MTC
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, financing, and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the state designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC provides services to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). For more information about MTC, visit .
ABOUT THE TEAM
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, financing, and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC is committed to being an equitable and inclusive workplace. The Sustainable Mobility and Operations (SUMO) Section was established in January 2025 and is tasked with advancing an integrated portfolio designed to improve the transportation system's operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability while also helping customers use the multi-modal system more effectively.
The Traveler Information and Coordination Unit oversees the operations and delivery of the Regional 511 Traveler Information Program and traveler information technology projects.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Under the general direction of the Section Director, the Assistant Director, Traveler Information & Coordination will be responsible for leading a team focused on operating and delivering the Regional 511 Traveler Information Program, managed by MTC, with the goal of assisting travelers with travel decisions and providing connections to several regional transportation programs including, but not limited to, regional emergency preparedness, management, and response and regional mapping and wayfinding. The Assistant Director will also work in close partnership with the Chief Operating Officer, or designee, to provide strategic leadership and oversight of Agency Web Services for both internal and external communications.
This role will involve strategic planning and implementation to advance the agency's traveler information goals, as well as oversight of budgeting, day-to-day operations, and staff and consultant teams for the Traveler Information & Coordination Unit. The Assistant Director will be responsible for coordinating with partners across the nine-county Bay Area, including federal, state, regional, and local partners, to coordinate ongoing as well as time-sensitive traveler information updates.
The Assistant Director will manage a team of direct reports, consultants, and staff. In addition, the Assistant Director will work closely with staff from other sections within MTC/ABAG, including Regional Network Management; Capital Delivery, Asset Management, and Roadside Tolling; Technology Support Services; Data Strategy and Analytics; and Legislation and Public Affairs, among others.
As a member of the MTC management/leadership team, the Assistant Director is expected to initiate, implement, and carry to completion projects, initiatives, programs, and operations. As such, the Assistant Director is expected to provide leadership by supporting, mentoring, and motivating staff; maintaining and developing relationships; and fostering cross-section collaboration and cooperation. New programs, projects, or initiatives may be assigned to the Assistant Director to be responsive and adaptive to the evolving regional landscape.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the general direction of the Section Director, the specific assignments and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Strategic Management and Organizational Leadership
Staff Supervision and Mentorship
Unit and Program Administration
QUALIFICATIONS
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES
The ideal candidate will have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Knowledge
Abilities
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
An appropriate combination of education and experience that has provided the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way of obtaining the required qualifications is:
Education: A Master's degree in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment, such as transportation planning, project management, public finance, transportation engineering, economics, business or public administration. Applicants with a degree issued from an institution outside the United States must have their transcripts evaluated by an academic accrediting service and provide proof of equivalency along with their application.
Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible experience in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment.
A Bachelor's degree in an appropriate discipline and four years of relevant experience is an alternative qualification.
License/Certificate:
Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license and a safe driving record, or the ability to provide alternate transportation which is approved by the appointing authority.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
Successful completion of a background check, professional references and the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9.DISABILITYThe Human Resources Department will make reasonable efforts in the recruitment or skills assessment process to accommodate applicants with disabilities. If selected for an interview or testing, and you require accommodation, please notify the Human Resources Department when confirming your interview or test.
APPLICATION ASSISTANCE
If you need technical assistance with your on-line application, please contact NEOGOV's Applicant Support Line at available from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (PST) Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
All MTC employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.
THE FOLLOWING ARE AMONG THE BENEFITS OFFERED TO EMPLOYEES OF MTC:
01
Please tell us why you are interested in this position and what makes you the ideal candidate.
02
This position requires managing the funding for the 511 program, including monitoring various federal transportation grants. Please describe your experience overseeing program funding and/or managing federal grants.
03
MTC enters into contracts with intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and engineering firms to deliver projects to build, operate and maintain the 511 traveler information system. Describe your experience in procuring, managing, and overseeing contracts and the associated deliverables required by those contracts. Specifically describe a few key project management techniques and tools you used to ensure projects were delivered on time, within scope and budget.
04
Briefly describe how your relevant work experience and education qualifies you for this position. (Please refer to Qualifications and/or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities in the job description when answering this question.) **250-word maximum.
Required Question
Location : San Francisco, CA
Job Type: Regular/Full-Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 25-038
Section: SUMO - Sustainable Mobility and Operations
Opening Date: 04/24/2025
Closing Date: 5/18/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is an equal-opportunity, non-discriminatory employer. MTC provides all employees and applicants with an equal opportunity in every aspect of the employment experience regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical handicap, medical condition or marital status.
DEADLINE TO APPLY IS SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2025, AT 11:59 PM
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY
First round interviews tentatively scheduled for Thursday, May 29, 2025
A resume and cover letter are not required with your application, but highly encouraged.
Be ready to rethink your assumptions about the public sector. Dedicated and motivated colleagues? Beautiful, high amenity building for on-site work and collaboration? Flexible schedules and hybrid work options? Yes, yes, and yes!
ABOUT MTC
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, financing, and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the state designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC provides services to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). For more information about MTC, visit .
ABOUT THE TEAM
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, financing, and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC is committed to being an equitable and inclusive workplace. The Sustainable Mobility and Operations (SUMO) Section was established in January 2025 and is tasked with advancing an integrated portfolio designed to improve the transportation system's operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability while also helping customers use the multi-modal system more effectively.
The Traveler Information and Coordination Unit oversees the operations and delivery of the Regional 511 Traveler Information Program and traveler information technology projects.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Under the general direction of the Section Director, the Assistant Director, Traveler Information & Coordination will be responsible for leading a team focused on operating and delivering the Regional 511 Traveler Information Program, managed by MTC, with the goal of assisting travelers with travel decisions and providing connections to several regional transportation programs including, but not limited to, regional emergency preparedness, management, and response and regional mapping and wayfinding. The Assistant Director will also work in close partnership with the Chief Operating Officer, or designee, to provide strategic leadership and oversight of Agency Web Services for both internal and external communications.
This role will involve strategic planning and implementation to advance the agency's traveler information goals, as well as oversight of budgeting, day-to-day operations, and staff and consultant teams for the Traveler Information & Coordination Unit. The Assistant Director will be responsible for coordinating with partners across the nine-county Bay Area, including federal, state, regional, and local partners, to coordinate ongoing as well as time-sensitive traveler information updates.
The Assistant Director will manage a team of direct reports, consultants, and staff. In addition, the Assistant Director will work closely with staff from other sections within MTC/ABAG, including Regional Network Management; Capital Delivery, Asset Management, and Roadside Tolling; Technology Support Services; Data Strategy and Analytics; and Legislation and Public Affairs, among others.
As a member of the MTC management/leadership team, the Assistant Director is expected to initiate, implement, and carry to completion projects, initiatives, programs, and operations. As such, the Assistant Director is expected to provide leadership by supporting, mentoring, and motivating staff; maintaining and developing relationships; and fostering cross-section collaboration and cooperation. New programs, projects, or initiatives may be assigned to the Assistant Director to be responsive and adaptive to the evolving regional landscape.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the general direction of the Section Director, the specific assignments and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Strategic Management and Organizational Leadership
- Collaborate with the Section Director to leverage the adopted MTC/ABAG Strategic Framework to develop strategic and outcomes-oriented work plans for the Traveler Information and Coordination Unit
- Develop goals, milestones and recommendations that strategically enhance development, delivery, and operations of successful traveler information programs, projects, and initiatives
- Engage in strategic decision-making, in close collaboration with other Assistant Directors and Directors, to advance near- and long-term agency priorities
- Champion cross-functional collaboration both individually and with direct reports throughout the agency
Staff Supervision and Mentorship
- Supervise and mentor staff
- Provide leadership and clear direction to assigned staff; instruct staff regarding work procedures, review and evaluate work performance
- Foster a collaborative and innovative team environment that encourages professional development and continuous improvement
- Support the continual professional growth and development of staff by identifying and making available tools, training opportunities, and other resources
Unit and Program Administration
- Provide overall leadership and oversight to develop, operate, and deliver traveler information programs, projects, and services and Agency Web Services including, but not limited to, all aspects of the 511 system (both frontend and backend) including 511.org; the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) phone system; real-time transit and traffic data dissemination; and administration of IT systems in the 511 operations center; 511 Emergency Response; Regional Paratransit Trip Booking pilot; and the Regional Mapping Data System (RMDS)
- Prepare drafts and amendments of the Traveler Information and Coordination Unit budget in collaboration with the Section Director
- Monitor overall work assignments and workflow within the Traveler Information and Coordination Unit, including effective oversight of staff and consultant teams
- Ensure that staff assignments are resourced correctly to deliver projects and ensure successful delivery of projects and programs; identify shortfalls and gaps in resources and recommend solutions
- Develop and manage procurements related to Traveler Information and Coordination programs and services
- Provide support to the Section Director to effectively communicate the scale, scope, and impact of the Traveler Information and Coordination Unit's work including, but not limited to, assistance with document preparation, presentations, talking points, etc.
- Support development of and reporting on relevant Work Elements within the agency's Overall Work Plan (OWP)
- Attend, participate, and represent the Sustainable Mobility and Operations section at interdepartmental, interagency, and professional meetings, as needed
- Oversee preparation and presentation of informational reports and action items to various committees and boards, as needed
QUALIFICATIONS
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES
The ideal candidate will have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Knowledge
- Understanding of real-time multimodal traveler information systems, advanced traveler information systems (ATIS), intelligent transportation systems and/or related systems and processes
- Familiarity with customer-oriented operational technology and data services, contracts, and procurements
- Project management techniques to ensure timely delivery of multiple concurrent projects, including contract development and management, risk management, change control, and schedule compliance
- Budget and financial planning and monitoring
- Understanding of the principles and practices for administering local, regional, and federal funding
- Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Project, Asana, and/or other scheduling software
- Understanding of the core principles of equity necessary to advance and implement MTC/ABAG's Equity Platform
Abilities
- Ability to guide complicated procurements and vendor selection processes and manage vendor and consultant relationships
- Demonstrated ability to manage employee performance and mentor staff
- Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, with a variety of stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex technical topics into compelling, relevant and understandable reports and presentations
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, budgets, and work planning in line with MTC/ABAG and Mobility Division processes
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
An appropriate combination of education and experience that has provided the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way of obtaining the required qualifications is:
Education: A Master's degree in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment, such as transportation planning, project management, public finance, transportation engineering, economics, business or public administration. Applicants with a degree issued from an institution outside the United States must have their transcripts evaluated by an academic accrediting service and provide proof of equivalency along with their application.
Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible experience in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment.
A Bachelor's degree in an appropriate discipline and four years of relevant experience is an alternative qualification.
License/Certificate:
Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license and a safe driving record, or the ability to provide alternate transportation which is approved by the appointing authority.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
Successful completion of a background check, professional references and the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9.DISABILITYThe Human Resources Department will make reasonable efforts in the recruitment or skills assessment process to accommodate applicants with disabilities. If selected for an interview or testing, and you require accommodation, please notify the Human Resources Department when confirming your interview or test.
APPLICATION ASSISTANCE
If you need technical assistance with your on-line application, please contact NEOGOV's Applicant Support Line at available from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (PST) Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
All MTC employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.
THE FOLLOWING ARE AMONG THE BENEFITS OFFERED TO EMPLOYEES OF MTC:
- Public Employees Retirement System (PERS); employee contributes a portion of gross salary on a pre-tax basis.
- MTC is subject to California Pension Reform and as of January 1, 2013 will offer two pension plans. The plan employee will receive will be based on the individual's historical pension plan membership. HR will discuss this directly with all final candidates.
- Health Benefits Insurance through the Public Employees' Retirement System (premiums are shared between agency and employee).
- Agency-paid Dental Insurance (dependent coverage shared by the employee and MTC).
- Agency-paid Vision Care Insurance, employees only (dependent coverage is paid in full by employee).
- Agency-paid Life, AD&D, Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance.
- Eleven paid holidays per year.
- One day per month paid vacation leave; for each year of service, an additional day per year is granted to a maximum of 25 days per year.
- One day per month paid sick leave, with no limit to the amount of sick leave that can be accumulated. (May cash out up to 240 hours of accumulated sick leave upon separation from the Agency.)
- Personal Business leave; up to three (3) days per year depending upon date of hire.
- Monthly Transit/Parking Subsidy.
- Alternative employee-paid payroll savings plans (tax-deferred compensation plans).
- Two voluntary employee-paid pre-tax dependent care and flexible spending accounts available for employees to participate in.
- Voluntary Supplemental life insurance.
01
Please tell us why you are interested in this position and what makes you the ideal candidate.
02
This position requires managing the funding for the 511 program, including monitoring various federal transportation grants. Please describe your experience overseeing program funding and/or managing federal grants.
03
MTC enters into contracts with intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and engineering firms to deliver projects to build, operate and maintain the 511 traveler information system. Describe your experience in procuring, managing, and overseeing contracts and the associated deliverables required by those contracts. Specifically describe a few key project management techniques and tools you used to ensure projects were delivered on time, within scope and budget.
04
Briefly describe how your relevant work experience and education qualifies you for this position. (Please refer to Qualifications and/or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities in the job description when answering this question.) **250-word maximum.
Required Question