Director, Capital Projects Horizontal

Harris County; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 185,000 - 199,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, and dental insurance

Wellness

Professional development opportunities

Flexible spending accounts

457 deferred compensation plans

Retirement pension (TCDRS)

Transportation assistance (Metro Ride)

Disability and life insurance

PSLF eligibility

Job summary

Harris County is seeking a Director of Capital Projects to lead the OCE’s horizontal capital portfolio in delivering roadways, bridges, drainage, and other civil infrastructure. You will oversee planning, design, environmental coordination, procurement, construction, inspection, and warranty phases, ensuring on‑time, on‑budget delivery.

You will provide executive guidance to project managers, establish standards, coordinate with multiple stakeholders, and drive performance across complex county

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or related field.
• Texas PE license or another state PE with plan to obtain Texas PE within six months of employment.
• Minimum ten years of experience in horizontal capital project delivery.
• Experience coordinating with consultants, contractors, regulators, and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to lead multiple projects and manage scope, schedule, budget, risk, and teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for OCE’s horizontal capital projects portfolio, overseeing multiple concurrent projects across all phases.
• Establish division-wide project delivery standards, performance expectations, and priorities.
• Oversee full lifecycle of horizontal capital project delivery—from planning to warranty.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local requirements and County standards.
• Prepare and support Commissioners Court agenda items and funding requests.
• Mentor staff and allocate resources to support workload balance and timely delivery.
• Coordinate with internal departments, consultants, contractors, and regulatory agencies.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Stakeholder coordination

Civil engineering knowledge

Communication

Contract negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a closely related field

Registered Professional Engineer in Texas or other state with intent to obtain Texas PE within six months

Tools

Project controls software

Job description

Position Overview: The Director, Capital Projects, is responsible for planning, directing, and overseeing the delivery of horizontal capital construction projects within the Office of the County Engineer (OCE). This position provides leadership and technical oversight for the Capital Projects Horizontal group. The Director manages the entire project lifecycle, including project planning, engineering design, environmental coordination, permitting, utility coordination, right-of-way acquisition, procurement, contract negotiation and administration, construction management, inspection, project controls, closeout, and warranty administration. Projects may include roadways, bridges, drainage systems, sidewalks, trails, transportation improvements, and other civil infrastructure initiatives supporting County operations and the public. The position works closely with internal County departments, consultants, contractors, utility providers, municipalities, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure projects are completed on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with County standards and applicable regulatory requirements.

Position Description: Position Overview: The Director, Capital Projects, is responsible for planning, directing, and overseeing the delivery of horizontal capital construction projects within the Office of the County Engineer (OCE). This position provides leadership and technical oversight for the Capital Projects Horizontal group. The Director manages the entire project lifecycle, including project planning, engineering design, environmental coordination, permitting, utility coordination, right-of-way acquisition, procurement, contract negotiation and administration, construction management, inspection, project controls, closeout, and warranty administration. Projects may include roadways, bridges, drainage systems, sidewalks, trails, transportation improvements, and other civil infrastructure initiatives supporting County operations and the public. The position works closely with internal County departments, consultants, contractors, utility providers, municipalities, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure projects are completed on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with County standards and applicable regulatory requirements.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

• Provide executive leadership for OCE’s horizontal capital projects portfolio, overseeing multiple concurrent projects across all phases of planning, design, and construction.
• Establish division-wide project delivery standards, performance expectations, and priorities in alignment with County policies and OCE objectives.
• Exercise authority over the full lifecycle of horizontal capital project delivery, including planing, engineering design, environmental review, permitting, utility coordination, right-of-way, procurement, construction, inspection, closeout, and warranty phases.
• Oversee and ensure compliance with civil engineering design and construction activities with applicable federal, state, and local requirements, including County design criteria, roadway and drainage standards, accessibility requirements, environmental regulations, and traffic control standards.
• Prepare, review, and support Commissioners Court agenda items, including professional services contracts, construction contracts, interlocal agreements, amendments, additional fees, change orders/field alterations, right-of-way matters, and funding requests.
• Provide strategic oversight and executive-level guidance to project managers and team leaders on negotiations, scope development, risk management, and contractor performance.
• Establish and oversee quality assurance and quality control standards to ensure consistency, accuracy, and quality of project deliverables.
• Serve as a senior point of coordination and escalation for internal County departments, consultants, contractors, utility providers, municipalities, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Direct, mentor, and hold accountable team leaders, project managers, and technical staff for performance, professional development, and project outcomes.
• Determine staffing strategies and allocate resources across projects to support workload balance, efficiency, and timely delivery.
• Oversee project performance through management systems and review reporting on schedule, budget, risks, and delivery metrics for leadership.
• Provide leadership support during emergency response, recovery efforts, or high-priority County initiatives as required.
• Respond decisively to changing priorities and critical issues to ensure continuity of operations and project delivery.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

Special Services or Accommodations: If you need special services or accommodations, please call [phone] or email [e-mail] .

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a closely related field.
• Registered Professional Engineer in Texas or Registered Professional Engineer in any other state, but be able to achieve TEXAS P.E. within six months of employment

Experience

• Minimum ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in horizontal capital project delivery, civil engineering design, construction management, or program management.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex roadway, bridge, drainage, transportation, or civil infrastructure projects and coordinating multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience working with consultants, contractors, utility providers, regulatory agencies, and internal stakeholders in a public-sector or infrastructure environment.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs)

• Strong knowledge of horizontal construction practices, roadway and drainage systems, utility coordination, construction sequencing, and civil infrastructure project delivery.
• Working knowledge of roadways, bridge, drainage, traffic, environmental, permitting, accessibility, and right-of-way requirements.
• Ability to manage scope, schedule, budget, risk, and stakeholder coordination across multiple horizontal capital projects.
• Proficiency with project management and project controls software.
• Ability to read, interpret, and review engineering plans, specifications, construction documents, cost estimates, schedules, and technical reports.
• Strong leadership, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders in a complex organizational environment.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications .

Preferences

• Education: Master’s degree in civil engineering, Construction Management, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Experience: Experience overseeing horizontal capital projects for governmental, transportation, or large infrastructure clients.
• Experience: Experience preparing or supporting Commissioners Court agenda items related to civil infrastructure and capital construction.

Certifications

• PMP Certification
• Certified Floodplain Manager Certification (CFM)

General Information

Position Type, and Typical Hours of Work: Full-Time | Regular | 40 hours per week. Subject to early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays at times, depending upon the project or workload.

Salary Range: $185,000 – $199,000 annually

Physical Demands and Environmental Exposure: The physical demands described here are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

• Occasional driving of a vehicle with automatic and four-wheel drive controls.
• Frequent standing and walking; prolonged sitting for extended periods of time.
• Frequent stooping, bending, reaching, lifting, and carrying items up to 10 pounds with occasional lifting of up to 20 pounds.
• Extensive use of a video display terminal (computer monitor).
• Occasional sorting, filing, shelving, and handling documents, books, files, materials, and equipment.
• Frequent standing and walking on rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces and ground during field visits.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time:

• Approximately 90% of duties will be performed indoors in a typical office environment with acceptable lighting, temperature, air conditioning, and noise levels.
• Approximately 10% of duties will be performed outdoors, where there will be exposure to heat, cold, moisture, air pollution, wind, and dust.
• Must be willing to work in various weather and working conditions when visiting a field location.

FEATURED BENEFITS

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance.
• Wellness.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• 457 deferred compensation plans.
• Retirement pension (TCDRS).
• Transportation assistance (Metro Ride Sponsor Program).
• Disability and life insurance.
• Harris County is a Qualified Employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.