Director-Facilities Engineering and Construction - Harris County

Mission Statement:

The Mission of the Harris County Engineering Department is to provide accessible service to all residents and partners while delivering innovative infrastructure solutions.

Vision Statement: 

As a recognized infrastructure leader in the community, we strive to continuously improve the quality of life for our residents by enhancing our operations to provide a safe and sustainable environment.

Director-Facilities Engineering and Construction Position Overview:
The Director of Facilities Engineering and Construction leads and supervises the Facility Projects Team, consisting of facility design and construction groups that implement the programming, schematic, design development, construction document creation, and construction phases for assigned facility projects within Harris County, as well as coordinating and liaising with Harris County departments related to occupancy. Occasional non-facility projects that utilize the team’s expertise may also be assigned to the Team.

Serving as the Director, the incumbent will ensure that project goals and objectives are achieved through allocating resources, facilitating project solutions, identifying, and mitigating risk, and promoting team cohesion. This includes maintaining a solid working knowledge of the team’s project portfolio in order to rapidly respond to inquiries from the client or management, identify systemic challenges, and initiate solutions. The Director will ensure that quality assurance, risk, management, regulation compliance, utility deconfliction, and permitting are properly executed during all project phases utilizing the Project Management Institute (PMI) business model.

The Candidate must have the ability to communicate effectively with assigned project managers, senior management, elected officials and their staff, and other agencies. The ability to effectively set expectations with a diverse stakeholder population and balance priorities is critical for success in this position. The manager will be considered a member of the Engineering Department’s emergency response and recovery team as needed following disaster activations. The Director leads a staff of 50+ and supervises while maintaining effective communication with executive staff and positive client relationships.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Manages the development and implementation of department goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for each assigned service area; establishes, within County policy, appropriate service, and staffing levels and allocates resources accordingly.
• Directs coordinating departmental activities with other departments and outside agencies and organizations; provides staff assistance to the Assistant County Engineer, County Engineer, and elected officials and assists in preparing and presenting staff reports and other necessary communications.
• Develop administrative and operational plans in conjunction with other department directors and managers to accomplish project completion as efficiently as possible.
• Formulates overall Capital Projects implementation strategy.
• Resolves design and construction-related conflicts and disputes.
• Prepares commissioners court agenda items (i.e.; proposal acceptance, services contracts, additional fees, construction contract award, field alterations, and additional construction funds).
• Work with management to develop and implement on-job training and assist with the coaching and mentoring of team leads and junior staff.
• Assist clients and staff with all phases of project delivery, as needed, from negotiation and initiation through the warranty phase.
• Teach, coach, and mentor team leaders to ensure deliverables meet client preferences, Engineer Department standards, regulatory compliance, and permitting requirements
• Assist team leads with troubleshooting across any conflicting requirements and regulations as needed
• Assist project managers and team leads on negotiations, and risk management best practices to set and achieve scope, schedule, and budget expectations.
• Coordinate and communicate effectively with management, Harris County elected officials and representatives, external agencies, and the public as necessary.
• Prepares and submits funding needs and reports on the status of funds
• Assist with recovery efforts following local disasters
• Adapt to emergency or high-priority situations as needed.

NOTE: Criminal and CPS background check required prior to hiring and E-Verify upon hiring. All candidates are screened for the presence of illegal drugs.

 

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date.