Transportation Director

Transportation Engineering Director

GAI Consultants is seeking an accomplished Transportation Engineering Director to lead and grow our Ohio Transportation practice and/or Structural practice, providing strategic direction, multidisciplinary oversight, and executive‑level client engagement. This strategic leadership role is ideal for an industry professional with a strong record of delivering complex roadway, corridor, and structures projects and cultivating long‑term client relationships.

The ideal candidate brings 20+ years of progressive project‑management experience on major roadway and corridor design projects for ODOT, OTIC, and municipal clients across Ohio. Success in this role requires demonstrated expertise managing multidisciplinary teams, overseeing technical quality, guiding projects from planning through final design, and engaging agency leadership to position GAI for future work.

• Knowledge and experience with the Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Turnpike, LPA’s, and Design‑Build expertise (plus).
• PE Registration in Ohio (reciprocity in multiple states accepted).
• B.S. or M.S. in Engineering (master’s degree or equivalent experience preferred).
• 20+ years of progressive project‑management experience on major roadway and corridor design projects.

• Perform advisory or consulting work across broad project areas or within a specialized area with innovative/complex aspects.
• Assess practices and requirements to achieve sustainable performance of complex engineering projects from a systems perspective.
• Oversee multiple large or multidisciplinary project teams.
• Provide executive oversight for planning, roadway design, structures, traffic, and construction services projects.
• Ensure adherence to ODOT processes, standards, and quality requirements.
• Evaluate multidisciplinary engineering solutions, economic analyses, and system‑level impacts.
• Assess risks and guide teams in developing effective mitigation strategies.
• Review scopes, schedules, and budgets for alignment with ODOT expectations.
• Resolve complex engineering challenges involving multiple specialty areas.
• Perform advisory and consulting work on innovative or complex assignments.
• Evaluate effectiveness of leaders and teams.

• Develop organizational strategy for staff development through mentored experience, continuing education, and self‑development.

• Build strong, trust‑based relationships with ODOT Central Office, Districts, and local governments.
• Serve as the firm’s senior representative to ODOT leadership, addressing critical and occasionally controversial issues.
• Lead pre‑marketing, strategic positioning, and pursuit planning for OODT advertisements.
• Represent the firm at key industry events (ASHE, ACEC, WTS, conferences, etc.).
• Cultivate long‑term client relationships that support sustainable growth.

• Lead business development strategy for Ohio operations in coordination with regional leadership.
• Identify opportunities within ODOT, OTIC, and LPA programs.
• Direct go/no‑go decisions, teaming strategies, and proposal development.
• Position the firm for future work through targeted outreach and strategic marketing.
• Mentor staff in business development, client service, and ODOT relationship management.

• Make strategic decisions that support practice growth and staff development.
• Implement mentoring, training pathways, and succession planning.
• Evaluate performance of project leaders and multidisciplinary teams.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, ethical decision‑making, and continuous improvement.
• Support recruitment and strategic hiring to meet workload and growth needs.

• Monitor project performance, ensuring quality, schedule, and financial health.
• Strengthen QA/QC processes to ensure compliance with ODOT manuals and specifications.
• Provide insight on workload forecasting, resource allocation, and financial planning.
• Assess engineering economic analyses and risks associated with complex solutions.
• Develop and oversee risk…