Director of Planning and Construction (DOT MAA Executive)

Maryland Department of Transportation; Maryland; On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Maryland Aviation Administration seeks an executive leader to direct engineering and construction for major airport capital projects at BWI and MTN. You will oversee design, procurement, and on-site delivery with DE Directors and 100+ staff, ensuring safety, quality and timeliness.

The role requires extensive experience in airport programs, strong leadership, and collaboration with FAA, MDOT, airlines, and regulators. This is a high-impact, senior position at MDOT's aviation arm.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related field; PE license required; Maryland licensure preferred or reciprocity within 12 months of appointment.
• Fifteen (15) years in airport engineering/construction/capital project management; ten (10) years in supervisory/managerial capacity.

Responsibilities

• Oversee engineering and construction delivery for airfield, terminal, and landside infrastructure at BWI MTN.
• Lead on-call A/E contracts and multi-year procurement processes per COMAR and FAA requirements.
• Coordinate with Deputy Directors, FAA, MDOT leadership, airlines, tenants, and stakeholders for project alignment.
• Direct on-site construction management firms and ensure schedule, cost, and quality compliance.
• Manage risk, budgeting, and funding analyses across the capital program.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Project management

Negotiation

Communication

Public-sector procurement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Construction Management

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Maryland licensure or reciprocity within 12 months

Tools

COMAR regulations

Job description

Open Recruitment

Executive Service Recruitment

The incumbent will serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority

The Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) a modal administration of the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), owns and operates BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and Martin State Airport, serving over 27 million passengers annually.

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This position is the Director of the Office of Engineering & Construction (OEC) is a senior executive leadership role responsible for overseeing and directing all engineering, and construction functions within the MAA’s Division of Planning & Engineering (P&E).

This position reports directly to the Deputy Chief Engineer and supports the Chief Engineer in delivering a complex, multi-billion-dollar capital improvement program across Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Martin State Airport (MTN).

The Director leads multidisciplinary teams through Deputy Directors of Engineering and Construction and is responsible for the delivery of major airfield, terminal, and landside infrastructure projects from planning and design through construction.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Contract management of multiple “on call” consultant contracts worth over $200M budget for Design, Program Management and Construction Management over five (5) year term.
• Leading the preparation, development and procurement of multi-year “on call” A/E professional service contracts for design, program management and construction management and inspection services in accordance with COMAR, State Finance & Procurement regulations, and FAA requirements.
• Reviewing, negotiating and approving all task order proposals from A/E consultants for services rendered; ensuring alignment with project scope, budget, schedule, and funding eligibility requirements.
• Providing leadership and direction to Deputy Directors and over 100 on-site consultant staff managing/supporting design and construction delivery across the capital program.
• Overseeing all engineering and design activities which include design of runways, taxiways, and other airfield improvements; terminal buildings, cargo buildings, and ancillary buildings/facilities; bridges, roadways, parking structures, other landside infrastructure and associated utility systems.
• Leading multidisciplinary stake holder coordination and design review processes to review contract documents across all phases of project development to ensure alignment with operational, regulatory, and program requirements.
• Procuring public works construction contracts through comparative bid process in coordination with various offices including the procurement, legal and compliance.
• Directing on-site construction management firms responsible for daily management of contractor’s performance, quality control, construction inspection, along with schedule and cost of various airport improvement projects both airside and landside of both airports.
• Supporting various office’s engineering services request and respond to facility related emergencies.
• Overseeing various types of engineering studies, forensic analysis, facilities condition assessment and defining capital projects scope and budget.
• Co-ordinating with office of capital program for funding approval and cash flow analysis.
• Leading implementation of formal “Partnering” program on all projects costing S10M or more of construction value to complete the major capital projects on time and within budget.
• Serving as a liaison with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), MDOT leadership, airlines, tenants, and external stakeholders, providing executive-level coordination and recommendations.
• Establishing strategic direction for engineering and construction delivery aligned with MAA’s long-term Mission and Vision.
• Overseeing program-level risk management, cost control, and scheduling performance across the capital program portfolio.

This position is located at BWI Marshall Airport in Anne Arundel County, MD.

Preferred Qualifications:

Education: Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field. A valid Professional Engineer (PE) license in the applicable discipline is required. Maryland licensure is preferred; however, candidates licensed in another state must be eligible to obtain Maryland licensure through reciprocity within twelve (12) months of appointment.

Experience: Fifteen (15) years of professional experience in airport engineering, construction, or capital project management, including responsibility for complex development projects, consultant and contractor coordination, budget and schedule oversight, and regulatory compliance. Ten (10) years of this experience must have been in a supervisory and/or managerial capacity.

The ideal candidate will possess the following preferred experience:

• Experience in coordinating complex development or infrastructure projects with consultants, contractors, regulatory agencies, and other key stakeholders.
• Strong leadership, strategic thinking, project management, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Any relevant certifications like Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Construction Manager (CCM), American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation.
• Demonstrated experience managing capital programs or portfolios valued at $500M–$1B or greater.
• Strong knowledge of FAA regulations, including AIP and PFC funding requirements or similar regulation and funding sources.
• Experience with public-sector procurement, including COMAR and State Finance and Procurement regulations or similar regulations.
• Experience delivering projects in active operational environments.

Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.

Your application must be received by: 12/7/2026

Appropriate auxiliary aids and services for qualified individuals with disabilities will be provided upon request. Please notify in advance. MD Relay Service Number (711). Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. The selected candidate may be subject to background and reference checks.

The Maryland Department of Transportation is not sponsoring new employees in application of the H-1B Visa or providing an extension of an existing H-1B Visa at this time due to budgetary constraints. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Federal regulations prohibit H1B Visa candidates from paying sponsorship fees, all sponsorship fees must be assumed by the potential employer.

For education obtained outside the U.S., at the time of application, you are required to provide proof of the equivalent American education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service, such as the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (http://www.naces.org) or World Education Services: International Credential Evaluation (https://www.wes.org/).

The incumbent in this position will not be a member of a covered bargaining unit.

WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER, MAA does not discriminate based on age, ancestry, color, creed, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religious affiliation, belief or opinion, sex, or sexual orientation.

Issue Date: 11/9/2026