Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Transportation Planning, a closely related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
PE, MBA or AICP certification preferred. Minimum Experience Five years of supervisory experience managing, coordinating and supervising Engineering and/or Public Works activities including but not limited to, capital planning, grants management, transportation planning, policy development, and planning initiatives. Licenses / Certifications Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in NJ only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
The City of Newark, New Jersey is conducting a search for a highly motivated individual to serve as the Manager of the Division of Traffic & Signals (T&S) within the Department of Engineering. A proven transportation professional with established administrative experience will be selected to lead the office responsible for improving mobility in Newark, including transportation planning and street design and maintenance. The selected candidate will also have the opportunity to conduct an organizational assessment and identify restructuring proposals within the division and across the administration. The goal is to ensure that the city’s transportation and infrastructure policies, programs and investments are designed, managed, and operated in accordance with the Mayor Baraka’s Newark Forward agenda and his commitment to providing excellent public services and enhancing the quality of life in all neighborhoods.
Traffic and Signals provides comprehensive planning, development, construction management, replacement, and operation of Newark’s transportation infrastructure. With jurisdiction over the city’s public right-of-way, the division not only designs and maintains the surface transportation network, but serves as the administration’s leading voice in mobility policy. With the support of Mayor Baraka, and the Director of Engineering Phillip Scott, Newark is looking for a division leader that can plan, build, operate and maintain multi-modal transportation and infrastructure systems; provide safe, equitable, and sustainable mobility for residents, businesses and visitors; contribute to the equitable economic vitality of neighborhoods through improved access to employment and services; and work in partnership with local transit providers and other city agencies.
The division comprises approximately 25 employees and an operating budget of $8.3 million. The office has jurisdiction over 340 miles of city-owned streets; 560 signalized intersections; 22,000 streetlights; and a growing bike lane network.
In addition to continuing the division’s current mission, Newark is also seeking a candidate that can review the division’s organizational structure and its position within the city administration structure to ensure the city is doing everything possible to provide safe, reliable and affordable mobility options for Newarkers. With the first phase of this assessment underway, the city is seeking a leader who can complete the study, recommend strategic changes, and lay the groundwork for an innovative transportation policy and operations agency that will serve Newark residents for decades to come.
Key Division Initiatives
- Reduce crashes and injuries and make city streets safer for all road users through the design, construction and maintenance of Newark’s right-of-way.
- Improve access to employment and city services in historically underserved neighborhoods through street designs that better serve people on foot, on bicycles, on transit and in motor vehicles.
- Pursue programs and policies that expand transportation choices through bicycle sharing, ride sharing, mass transit, and the adoption of emerging transportation technologies.
- Support equitable economic and housing development and the implementation of the under-development Newark360 Master Plan and other established city, county, regional and state-wide priorities.
- Work closely with NJTransit, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority and other partner agencies to support transit service and station improvements and coordinate major projects
Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Determine organizational goals and objectives and establish policies that ensure that Newark’s transportation infrastructure and programs are “best in class” and meet the diverse needs of the city.
- Work closely with the Mayor, partner agencies and other stakeholders to conduct an organizational assessment of the division and position it to develop and achieve Newark’s mobility and access goals.
- Manage budgets and contracts to enhance, operate and maintain Newark’s transportation policies, programs, services, and infrastructure, while also identifying additional funding sources such as public-private partnerships and grant opportunities.
- Determine agency fiscal and personnel needs; craft and regularly update agency budgets; and invest in infrastructure repairs and improvements.
- Develop and implement long- and short-range strategic plans that are based on data-driven performance measures and prioritize the needs of the community while optimizing the department budget.
- Serve as the public face of transportation policy in Newark; communicate the Division’s vision, purpose, and actions; and represent the city in meetings, public engagement sessions, conferences and other venues.
- Operate an effective, responsive and accountable organization that can attract and retain top quality staff and provide professional development opportunities to all staff in order to successfully innovate and implement the best practices to serve the evolving needs of residents.
- Measure performance through improved data collection, provide comprehensive information to the public, and guide investments in the city’s transportation assets to improve mobility and reduce operations and management costs where feasible.
- Foster collaborative and innovative partnerships with city, regional, state, and federal agencies, community groups, industry organizations and the non-profit and private sectors to advocate for the city’s policy and investment priorities
- Settle disputes or conflicts related to the division’s responsibilities and provide testimony as an expert witness.