Community Transportation Strategy Director (Houston)
DescriptionAt HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?Watch Our Story:' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story' We believe transportation is more than movement, it’s the foundation of connected, thriving communities. As part of HDR’s Transportation Business Group, you’ll help shape the systems that move people and goods safely, efficiently, and sustainably. From designing resilient highways and iconic bridges to advancing transit, passenger and freight rail, aviation, federal transportation ports and marine infrastructure, your work will directly support economic vitality, public safety, sustainable and resilient communities and quality of life. We bring together planners, engineers, architects, construction management staff, environmental, strategic communications, economists, management consultants and specialists across disciplines to solve complex mobility challenges with innovation, technical excellence, and a deep understanding of community needs. Whether you're modernizing aging infrastructure or pioneering next-generation transportation solutions, your contributions will help define the future of mobility. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead progress, drive meaningful impact, and leave a legacy of smarter, more connected transportation networks. We are all employee-owners at HDR, which is the foundation of our collaborative culture that connects employees around the world.Primary Responsibilities:The primary duty of the Community Transportation Strategy Director will be to grow HDR’s global Community Transportation Strategy practice that helps our clients and our projects keep the communities they serve top of mind. This growing practice has been responsive to the needs of our clients to provide community-focused solutions across our transportation market sectors. This individual will partner with other business leaders in similar areas to coordinate activities that are tied to achieving goals across the enterprise.The Community Transportation Strategy Director will work to expand our existing transportation services that identifies HDR staff resources and market sector opportunities to raise HDR’s technical excellence in developing and delivering compliant solutions that are responsive to the needs of communities. HDR seeks greater prospective and existing client visibility to the full breadth of advisory and technical services HDR can offer in the development of plans, projects, and programs through a community-focused lens. The Director will regularly engage with existing and prospective clients across our markets and office areas to deepen the company’s market penetration in this area, foster growth strategies through geographic and market sector expansion, and identify key project opportunities.The Director will be a recognized industry leader that will be active in industry events and committees to identify best practices based on industry changes and market trends to elevate HDR in this field. The Director will collaborate with others at HDR to present at events/conferences, publish in journals and/or magazines on equity topics, and broaden our presence by helping other staff make industry connections.The Director will collaborate with HDR’s Advisory Services team, including Strategic Communications, Funding and Finance, Sustainability and Resilience, Economics and Statistics, Environmental Sciences and Planning, and others, as well as market sector leaders and area technical experts to understand and develop innovative tools and methods to offer our clients.More specific duties include:Program Leadership:The Director will lead HDR’s Community Transportation Strategy practice that provides strategies, tools, and analyses for: organization policies and frameworks; project-level outcomes; community-informed decision-making; federal, regional, and local compliance; and community benefits and workforce development planning. The Director will work the HDR transportation leadership to advance this program through internal- and external-focused initiatives all market sectors and all geographies. The Director will organize related efforts across all transportation market sectors and all regions and areas by maintaining a database of HDR resources, skill sets, ongoing projects, and pursuits; following and reporting on market trends and implications of industry changes in community-focused work; and coordinating with other business groups on their related efforts and market trends. The Director will develop annual strategic plans to report the current trends, identify technical best practices, and address market opportunities that are most appropriate to strengthen our overall program.Project and Program Support Responsibilities:The selected candidate will serve as a technical focal point for our transportation market sector to deliver community-centered solutions to our clients and to create alliances. This individual will work closely with other technical Directors, Regional Directors, Market Sector Directors, and Client Managers to help fulfill long-term growth goals while maintaining high-quality deliverables and advancing HDR as a leader in community transportation strategy. Duties include technical support, quality oversight, quality audit participation, best practice development, project leadership, and principal-level program/project management.Marketing and Business Development:The Director will support all transportation market sector directors in developing community-focused initiatives to inform and support strategic visions. The markets we serve in Transportation are Highways/Roads, Transit, Freight Rail, Maritime, Aviation and Federal Transportation. Additional duties include supporting internal and external client relationships in ways that help identify and capitalize on relevant major pursuit opportunities. This position also supports select project capture planning efforts, pre-proposal discussions and/or meetings, and proposal preparation and coordination with technical and marketing staff, as well as presentations and negotiations, when appropriate. The Director will assist local Areas in teaming considerations and scopes of work and will function as a conduit between project and pursuit needs with community-focused elements and HDR resources.Technical Staff Development and AlignmentThe Director will serve as the transportation subject-matter expert on community-centered and community-informed decision-making strategies and execution and will lead and define initiatives and best practices. The Director will develop an HDR educational program to elevate the practice in the across planning, outreach, design, environmental, and other business classes and services by: coordinating with technical leaders on staff interests, knowledge gaps, and opportunities for mentorship; and developing internal presentations and webinars to highlight best practices and lessons learned. The Director will work with HDR leadership to identify staffing deficiencies, to identify recruitment opportunities, and to develop strategies for the retention of staff interested in community-focused work.Keyword(s): Transportation, Transportation Business Group, Community, Equity,Location and Travel: The geographic location of this position is non-specific; however, a location where an established HDR presence is required. There is a minimum of 30% (annual basis) travel associated with this role.Utilization: The predominance of responsibilities of this role will be in supporting technical delivery, business development, marketing and coordination with other market sectors and business groups. However, as a seller-doer, this position will be actively engaged in project and program work with a utilization goal of at least 50% on billable project work in a capacity that maximizes the individual’s strengths and experiences (client management, project principal, quality review, project manager, or task lead on large or complicated projects).Preferred Qualifications:A Bachelor's degree in urban, city, or regional planning, engineering, economics, marketing, communications, public relations, sustainability, or other related field;15 years with practical experience in the Architecture & Engineering industry;Experience in the development and management of a wide range of client relationships and specific programs and/or project pursuits;Demonstrated industry leadership in associations and in maintaining a visible profile in the relevant markets;Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with client managers, technical practice directors, market sector directors, and operations staff;Proven experience recruiting and leading staff; strong history of mentoring; andDemonstrated commitment to HDR values and an attitude and commitment to being an active participant in our employee-owned culture.An understanding of HDR’s Business Classes, Cross Sectors, Market Sectors, and Business Groups. Demonstrated relationships with Area Management teams. An understanding of HDR’s ID&E initiatives and corporate responsibility report process.Master’s degree in a related field preferred.QualificationsRequired Qualifications Bachelor's degree in a Professional, Architecture, Engineering or closely related field A minimum of 10 years of experience in related field Maintains a professional or Engineering registration and has related technical experience Experienced in development and management of diverse teams Works cooperatively with other business class directors, operations managers, technical directors and marketing managers on business class efforts Committed to quality, improvement
