Deputy Director, Citywide Mobility (Manager 3- Engineering & Plans Review)

Full Job Description

Join us in shaping Seattle’s streets!

At the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), we don’t just move people—we connect communities, build safer streets, and create a more sustainable city.

With a bold vision for the future, we’re tackling big challenges: making travel safer, cutting carbon emissions, and ensuring reliable, affordable transportation for everyone—no matter who they are or where they live.

Seattle is growing fast, and we’re growing with it. Thanks to a historic voter-approved $1.55 billion investment in transportation in 2024, we’re building sidewalks, fixing bridges, and improving transit connections to keep our city moving.

We’re a team of problem solvers, planners, engineers, communicators, and field crews—bringing purpose-driven work to life. Now, we need passionate, innovative talent like you. Let’s build a Seattle that works for everyone—together!

Position Overview:
SDOT seeks a skilled Deputy Director, Citywide Mobility (under the City's classification title of Manager 3- Engineering & Plans Review) to provide strategic leadership for our Citywide Mobility group. This group is responsible for ensuring mobility and access are top priorities during the years when downtown Seattle is deeply impacted by public and private infrastructure and development projects, including Revive I-5, FIFA World Cup, and Sound Transit 3. The primary function of this position is to provide support and leadership for the office that guides and oversees SDOT’s efforts to maintain mobility across the city. Mobility for travelers—regardless of the mode they choose—during this critical time is the focus of this office.

The Deputy Director will provide strong leadership to a highly matrixed team of professionals, guide the vision, mission, policy and strategic direction for the department related to mobility across Seattle. This position oversees policy, communications, and technical subject areas and must translate high level strategic guidance into organizational direction, strategic goals, and implementation. Key responsibilities of this division include allocating resources to ensure deliverables are met, making strategic decisions, evaluating performance, responding to media interest and public discourse regarding projects, and navigating issues and responsibilities that are highly political in nature. In coordination with the Division Director, the Deputy Director will recommend and negotiate funding and project positions in regional forums and present the decisions made to elected officials and represent SDOT and the City at industry, business improvement and community group meetings, as well as meet with individuals and advocates.

Requirements

• Provide strong leadership to a highly-matrixed, multi-disciplinary team of professionals focused on urban mobility.
• Guide the vision, mission, policy, and strategic direction for the Division and Department related to citywide mobility.
• Oversee policy, communications, and technical subject areas related to urban mobility.
• Translate high-level strategic guidance into organizational direction, strategic goals, and implementation.
• Direct the work of a multi-discipline team to plan, define, and execute urban mobility goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics.
• Serve as the department's representative on a variety of interdepartmental task forces, committees, boards, transportation forums, legislative proceedings, and statewide committees, as well as represent Seattle at local, regional, state, and federal levels.
• Recommend and negotiate funding and project positions in regional forums and present the decisions made to elected officials
• Represent the Department and the City at industry, business improvement and community group meetings.
• Support department goals in promoting diversity and social justice.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Transportation Planning, Public Administration, Economics, Engineering, or a related field.
• Five (5) or more years of increasingly responsible experience in the management of complex government programs in a public works, utilities, construction, urban mobility, or operational context, including two (2) years in a senior advisor, supervisory, or management position.
• Current Washington State driver's license or evidence of equivalent mobility.

OR: A combination of education, training and/or experience that provides an equivalent background to perform the job.


Your success in this position will depend on your ability and/or experience in the following:

• Demonstrated success briefing and presenting to elected officials and the public.
• Experience working across department and agency lines.
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive issues with diplomacy and poise..
• Demonstrated ability to creatively manage limited resources, especially for portfolios of major capital projects and major events.
• This position requires good judgment, creative and strategic thinking and the ability to develop strategic and program plans.
• Must work well under pressure.
• Thrive in a multi-cultural workplace and serve a diverse customer base with professionalism and inclusivity.

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

• Most work is performed in a normal City work/office environment with hybrid options at this time.
• May be required to work nights, evenings, weekends, and/or holidays, and in all types of weather conditions.
• Overnight travel may be required.

Additional Information

Offers of employment are contingent on verification of information provided by the applicant as part of the application process, including potential background check.

Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

The full salary range for this position is $61.90 - $92.84 per hour.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans

Who May Apply: This position is open to all candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, veterans and those with diverse life experiences.

Accommodations for people with disabilities are provided on request.

The City is a Drug Free Workplace.