Public Engagement Program Manager

Open Until Filled EXECUTIVE SERVICE

(This position serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority.)

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) owns, operates, and maintains eight major toll facilities comprised of four bridges, two tunnels, and two turnpikes, across the State of Maryland. For over 50 years, the MDTA has provided Maryland's citizens and visitors with safe, secure and convenient transportation facilities. We are committed to quality and excellence in customer service, and we rely on our organization's values, traditions and – most importantly – our employees to achieve these goals.

Nature of Work:
The Public Engagement Program Manager serves as the discipline manager for MDTA’s Community Engagement and Outreach team. This position provides strategic direction for comprehensive public engagement programs designed to communicate MDTA initiatives, obtain and analyze community feedback, build relationships with stakeholders, and promote meaningful public participation.

The position will oversee public meetings, hearings, forums, workshops, open houses, and other outreach activities and will ensure that engagement efforts are inclusive, accessible, effective, and consistent with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and professional standards.

This position will also provide expert advice to senior leadership regarding public engagement practices, emerging trends, stakeholder concerns, communication strategies, and opportunities to improve the public's experience with MDTA projects. Duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Direct all aspects of the public meeting process, including planning, staffing, logistics, comment management/response, application development, administration and reporting;
• Oversee public engagement activities for Toll Public Hearings, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Public Hearings, Project Open House Meetings, Industry Forums, Bay Bridge Reconstruction Advisory Group (BBRAG), and other community outreach and engagement activities;
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with community leaders, organizations, stakeholders and the public;
• Oversee the development and creation of public outreach and communication plans; and
• Oversee the process of analyzing public comments and generating themes of feedback from the community.

This position will report directly to the Deputy Director of Planning and Development
. This role requires the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as steel-toed boots, reflective vests, hard hats, and gloves, during field visits to construction sites.

The current vacancy is located in Baltimore, MD. Hybrid telework schedules may be available for this position.

MDTA employees are offered a generous benefits package including a minimum of 11 paid holidays, a minimum of 27 days of leave annually (personal, vacation, and sick), access to the State Pension System, deferred compensation plans, excellent health, dental, and vision plans, and more!
* May be prorated based on start date

Education:

Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience:

Six years of experience in administrative staff or professional work.
Five
years of this experience must include the direction and oversight of a department that leads public events, forums, workshops, and meetings, ensuring they are inclusive, accessible, and effectively engage the target audience.

• The ability to oversee public engagement/community outreach for large, complex transportation or infrastructure projects.
• The ability to execute comprehensive public engagement strategies, best practices, trends, and…