Transportation Director

Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.

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OVERVIEW

Multnomah County, Oregon (Pop. 813,300) 

The Multnomah County Department of Community Services is recruiting for a highly motivated, confident and strategic leader to oversee and lead the Transportation Division as the next Director of Transportation. 

The Transportation Director manages a dedicated workforce of over 100 union represented and non-represented employees. With an annual budget of $114,460,446, this Division oversees a diverse transportation system, including rural roads in unincorporated Multnomah County, the iconic county-owned Willamette River Bridges, and urban arterials in East County.

The successful Director will be a systems thinker who can lead multifaceted operations, from planning and road maintenance to engineering and capital construction. They will be able to develop a strong vision, have the ability to look upstream, and be proactive in managing the budget. You must be a champion for an inclusive workforce and be comfortable making decisive moves while maintaining a collaborative spirit.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Strategic Planning: Coordinates and orchestrates the implementation of plans, including: long-range transportation plans, including the County transportation system plan and safety action plan, asset management plan, the capital improvement plan (CIP); implements applicable aspects of the Multnomah County Strategic Plan and DCS Strategic Plan. This position will serve as a bridge between high-level policy and operations by integrating the core values objectives of the Multnomah County and DCS Strategic Plans into division workflows.  

• Leadership: Hires, trains, and supervises staff, including engineers, planners, surveyors and maintenance staff. Provide feedback, training and opportunities for growth, mentorship and leadership. 

• Financial Management: Oversee the $114M+ budget, manage state and federal grants, and collaborate with Finance on long-term transportation forecasting. Develops, prepares and monitors the Transportation Division Budget, including all capital projects.

• Compliance & Safety: Ensures all operations comply with state, federal, and local laws, including design manuals, American Disability Act regulations, workplace safety (OSHA) standards and other standards and regulations as appropriate.

• Operations Oversight: Responsible for the day-to-day operations of county road maintenance, bridge maintenance, construction, and bridge operations; demonstrates good judgement during emergency situations.

• Stakeholder Relations: Represents the Division to the Board of County Commissioners, community organizations, and government agencies.

Who We Are
The Multnomah County Transportation Division includes eight programs plus our Administration group: Transportation Planning and Development, Road Capital, Road Maintenance, Bridge Capital, Bridge Operations, Bridge Maintenance, Survey Office, and Water Quality.  We maintain 30 bridges, including six large bridges on the Willamette River, four of which open and close for river traffic. We also maintain 270 miles of roads in Fairview, Troutdale and Wood Village and in unincorporated areas of Multnomah County including Sauvie Island, the West Hills and the Corbett area.  We are responsible for the design, construction, maintenance, operation and planning for these roads and bridges, and we are also home to the County Surveyor’s office. More information can be found on our website: Multnomah County Transportation Division

What We Can Offer You
Multnomah County is dedicated to maintaining an effective, respectful, and inclusive workplace. We strive to reflect the community we serve and invite leaders who share our passion for workforce equity and public service. The Department of Community Services (DCS) comprises unique and essential government services, including Elections, Land Use Planning, Animal Services and Transportation.  What ties these unique services together is our commitment to serving the public and operational excellence.  In DCS we strive for:

• A Culture of Excellence: You will be challenged to innovate, encouraged to excel, and empowered to build a legacy within a high-performing organization.
• Collaborative Innovation: Manage leadership team that prizes collaborative problem-solving and a relentless drive for continuous improvement.
• Equity in Action: We don’t just talk about diversity; we operationalize it. At the County, our Workforce Equity Strategic Plan (WESP) serves as our roadmap for creating a workplace where every voice is heard and every employee belongs.

Multnomah County offers an exceptional benefits package, including employer-funded retirement savings; health and dental insurance at very low cost to full-time employees and their dependents; paid parental leave; wellness programs; a focus on work-life balance; and much more. Find more details on our website: Employee Benefits

TO QUALIFY

We welcome and will consider any combination of relevant work experience, training, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant.

Required Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills*:

• Education - Bachelor's degree in Transportation, Urban Planning, Public Administration or a similar field that would provide the required experience. A Masters Degree is preferred.
• Experience - 6 or more years of progressive management experience. This must include supervising staff, managing large-scale budgets, and overseeing multi-year projects or programs in transportation or a related field.  

Preferred Qualifications/Transferable Skills*:
You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates. 

• The ideal candidate would have experience working in local or state government and has a demonstrated familiarity with public procurement, contracting, public records and meeting laws. 
• Experience with government budgets and managing federal, state and/or local funds is preferred. 
• Experience and understanding of asset management principles.
• Knowledge of the link between transportation systems and negative health outcomes for minority communities and approaches to mitigating those outcomes.
• Understanding of major transportation policy initiatives in the region and state and how to advocate for the County’s values and objectives.
• Knowledge of and experience with both large and small scale budgets and funding.
• Skills to manage section managers while promoting an environment of safety trust and belonging.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally, in writing, via presentations, to audiences ranging from the County board of commissioners and state legislators to regional partners, peers, and staff.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other department staff, other County employees, vendors, contractors, community partners, elected officials and the public.
• Knowledge of and the ability to interpret and apply federal, state and local laws and policies and plans as they relate to transportation planning, road design, road proceeding and regulations, traffic control; general knowledge of planning concepts.
• Ability to negotiate complex issues having broad public policy implications with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with various interest groups.

*Transferable skills: Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military) or life experience that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills on your application and clearly explain how they apply to this position.

SCREENING AND EVALUATION

The Application Packet

Be sure to provide all the materials below in your application submission:

• Online application: Explain all related experience (paid or unpaid) and training in the education and work experience sections of the application.
• Resume: Please indicate how you meet the required minimum qualifications. Attach the PDF document to the on-line application. Be sure to explain in detail, including dates, all related work experience, paid or unpaid.
• Cover Letter: This should expand on your resume, address why you are interested in this position and demonstrate how your experience and skill set align with the minimum and preferred qualifications listed.

Internal candidates: After you have applied, you will receive the Oregon Veteran Preference Questionnaire in your Workday inbox. Your application as an internal candidate is not complete until you fill out and submit the Oregon Veteran Preference Questionnaire.

The Selection Process

For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page. We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows:

• Initial review of minimum qualifications.
• Evaluation of application materials to identify the most qualified candidates.
• Interviews - may include a series/combination of interviews including a panel interview(s), hiring interview and meet and greet.
• Professional reference checks.

This recruitment will be used to fill any current and future full-time, part-time, on-call, temporary and limited duration positions while the eligible for hire list is active.

Anticipated Timeline:

Position Opens: Wednesday, May 20, 2026                           
Application Deadline: Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 11:59 pm             

First Round of Interviews (Virtual) - Week of June 22, 2026
Second Round of Interviews (In person): Wednesday, July 8, 2026

 
*Timeline is approximate and subject to change 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Type of Position: This is an Executive/Unclassified position that serves at the pleasure of the Department Director and may be subject to discharge at any time. It is a salaried position and it is not eligible for overtime. 

Schedule:  Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (May require some evening and/or weekend commitments).
 
Location(s): 

Bridge Shop, 1403 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214, and any of the county operated and maintained bridges.
Multnomah Building, 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214.

Equal Pay Law
Please be advised that the pay range listed for this position is intended to provide general guidance on the earning potential for the role. Actual compensation will be determined in accordance with the Oregon Equal Pay Law and will take into account factors such as the candidate's relevant experience and education. Candidates new to county service will typically be offered compensation in the lower to the mid-level of the salary range.

In accordance with Oregon Law, Multnomah County is not collecting school attendance dates in the initial application process; please do not include these dates in your resume, cover letter and other application materials.

Diversity and Inclusion: At Multnomah County, we don't just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals.

Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply.

Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter below in advance to request assistance. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the recruiter through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711.

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Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.

Disclaimer: This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

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