Division Chief, Utilities Division (Transportation Engineer Manager II Supervisor

ANNUALLY $93,138.00 - $

The Division Chief of Utilities serves as the Statewide Utility Engineer (SUE). The purpose of this position is to administer the Utilities Program for the State Highway Administration (SHA) to plan, organize, implement, administer and supervise the interpretation and application of SHA utility policies, directives and procedures designed to accomplish the mission of SHA; in ensuring that highway standards are met;

that utility relocation costs are equitably distributed; and that federal funds are secured for relocation work.

The SUE administers SHA’s Resource Sharing Program for the management and implementation of large department-wide information technology (IT) and telecommunications contracts and task orders. This requires direct interaction with other Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) modal IT teams and the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) to evaluate proposals, prepare recommendations, negotiate agreements, and implement specific information technology and telecommunications contracts and task orders on behalf of SHA.

The SUE administers SHA’s Miss Utility Program as required by the recently passed legislation. This position planned, organized, developed, implemented, and currently manages the Miss Utility Ticket Tracking System (MUTTS) to ensure SHA complies with Title 12 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

The SUE is the manager of the Utilities Team of the Office of Construction and, as such, supervises staff activities in coordinating utility facilities placed, removed, adjusted, and/or relocated in SHA right-of-way and/or in SHA construction projects. The SUE responsibilities include overseeing third-party cost responsibility for utility work incorporated into SHA projects, including agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs), to ensure that utility relocation costs are equitably distributed and recovered.

This position develops goals and performance measures for the Utilities Team in the Office of Construction’s Business Plan and develops the Utility Program budget.

Within SHA, the SUE has a leadership role in upper management for program review, evaluation, development, implementation, and coordination to promote new initiatives and incentives for utility coordination/relocation activities. This position mediates and resolves various policy and procedural disputes between utility companies and SHA; conducts and participates in meetings to train, educate, mentor, counsel, and provide technical expertise & direction to SHA and Utility Companies.

This position acts as a liaison between the SHA and the Utility Companies to eliminate or minimize utility impacts associated with active SHA construction projects and to provide resolutions to these impacts, reducing or eliminating delays and claims.

This position also represents SHA at National and Regional Utility Conferences and other workshop/training activities and is nationally recognized as an expert in the utilities field. The SUE co-chairs the Maryland Quality Initiative (MdQI) Utility Subcommittee. It is the Vice-Chair for Utilities on the Executive Board of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Subcommittee for Right-of-Way and Utilities.

Education:

Possession of a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited college or university.

Experience:

Eight (8) years of experience in professional engineering, including one (1) year of supervisory or consultant management experience.

Selective

Qualification:

One (1) year of experience in professional construction and/or design project work to include any aspects of utility planning, policies/procedures, design, coordination, relocation, and/or scheduling.

Candidate must possess a motor vehicle operator’s license.