Position Description
Position Overview:
The Assistant Director for the Recovery and Resiliency Division (RRD) serves as a senior leader responsible for directing and overseeing the planning, execution, and delivery of large-scale neighborhood drainage improvement and infrastructure resilience projects across Harris County. Reporting to the Director of Capital Projects, this role leads multidisciplinary teams, establishes programmatic strategies, ensures regulatory compliance, and aligns project delivery with the County’s long-term flood mitigation and disaster recovery goals. This dynamic position encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including leading efforts in design, construction, inspection, right-of-way coordination, permitting, contract negotiation, and communication.
The Assistant Director will supervise multiple project management teams—including Senior Project Managers, Project Managers, and Assistant Project Managers—and coordinate with engineering, construction, procurement, and external stakeholders to ensure timely, cost-effective, and high-quality project execution.
Job Duties & Responsibilities:
- Provide executive oversight for a portfolio of drainage and infrastructure projects, ensuring delivery within the approved scope, budget, and schedule.
- Lead strategic planning and prioritization of subdivision drainage improvement programs, aligning them with countywide flood mitigation and resiliency objectives.
- Supervise and mentor senior-level staff, including Senior Project Managers and multidisciplinary teams overseeing 50+ concurrent projects.
- Set performance metrics, establish quality control protocols, lead risk management strategies across all project phases, and provide program status updates and reports.
- Coordinate with consultants, internal departments, regulatory agencies, and elected officials to ensure timely progress of studies, designs, permitting, construction, and closeout activities.
- Oversee project delivery processes in tools such as e-Builder, including scheduling, cost tracking, documentation, and performance reporting.
- Manage the division’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) and lead continuous improvement initiatives for project delivery systems through project closeout.
- Lead the procurement strategy for consultants and contractors in compliance with local, state, and federal guidelines.
- Ensure compliance with funding requirements and reporting protocols for federal and state grant programs, including CDBG-DR, FEMA, and others.
- Represent the department in meetings with executive leadership, community stakeholders, partner agencies, and external partners.
- Serve as Acting Director in the Director’s absence and support overall operational leadership.
Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer
https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx
If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net
This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.
Requirements
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Engineering Technology, Construction Science, or Construction Management from an accredited university.
- Registered Professional Engineer in Texas or Registered Professional Engineer in any other state, but be able to achieve TEXAS P.E. within six months of employment
Experience:
- A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in engineering, construction, or infrastructure project delivery.
- At least five (5) years of experience in a senior leadership or supervisory role managing complex drainage or infrastructure programs.
- Experience with project delivery in public-sector environments, including inter-agency coordination and regulatory compliance.
Knowledge, Skill & Abilities (KSAs):
- Strong leadership and team management skills, with experience coaching senior staff.
- Expertise in drainage infrastructure planning, design, permitting, and construction.
- In-depth knowledge of project controls, scheduling, budgeting, and reporting using systems such as e-Builder or equivalent PMIS platforms.
- Familiarity with federal, state, and local funding mechanisms and grant compliance.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and public presentation skills.
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.
Preferences
Experience:
- Ten (10) years of relevant experience, including seven (7) years in drainage or flood mitigation projects.
- Experience in H&H modeling and design of drainage improvement projects serves as a plus.
- Experience in Managing Federally funded drainage or flood mitigation projects.
Certifications:
- PMP Certification
- Certified Floodplain Manager Certification
General Information
General Information:
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).
Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.
Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.
BENEFITS
Harris County offers a competitive benefits program, including comprehensive group health and related benefits plan as well as defined benefit retirement plan.
The following list of benefits is offered only to employees in regular (full-time) positions:
- Medical Coverage
- Dental Coverage
- Vision Coverage
- Wellness Plan
- Life Insurance
- Long-term disability
- Employee Assistance Program
- Ten (10) days of vacation each year for the first five (5) years of service
- Accrual rates increase based on years of service
- Eleven (11) County-observed holidays and one (1) floating holiday
- Professional development opportunities
- Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan
- Healthcare Reimbursement Account
- 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
The following benefits are also available to regular (full-time) employment and may be available to part-time employees:
- Retirement Pension (TCDRS)
- Flexible schedule (varies by department)
- Transportation Assistance (Metro RideSponsor Program)
In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, Group Health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed.
For plan details, visit the Harris County benefits website:
https://benefitsathctx.com/
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