Executive Lead, Vertical Capital Projects

Office of the County Engineer; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 185,000 - 199,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, and dental insurance

Wellness programs

Professional development opportunities

Flexible spending accounts

457 deferred compensation plans

Retirement pension (TCDRS)

Transportation assistance (Metro Ride)

Job summary

Harris County Office of the County Engineer seeks a Director of Capital Projects to lead the delivery of vertical capital construction efforts. You will guide the project lifecycle from planning through warranty, ensuring schedule, budget, and quality across multiple concurrent projects.

Responsibilities include setting division standards, coordinating with internal departments and external partners, and mentoring managers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or related field.
• Registered Professional Engineer in Texas or other state, with ability to obtain TEXAS P.E. within six months.
• Possession of or ability to obtain registration as Registered Architect in Texas within six months.
• Master’s degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for OCE’s vertical capital projects portfolio, overseeing multiple concurrent projects across all phases of design and construction.
• Establish division-wide project delivery standards, performance expectations, and priorities in alignment with County policies and OCE objectives.
• Oversee full lifecycle of vertical capital project delivery including planning, design, permitting, procurement, construction, inspection, closeout, and warranty phases.
• Ensure compliance with building codes, life-safety, accessibility standards, and County design criteria.
• Prepare, review, and support Commissioners Court agenda items including contracts, amendments, and funding requests.
• Provide strategic guidance to project managers and team leads on negotiations, scope development, risk management, and contractor performance.
• Establish QA/QC standards to ensure consistency and quality of deliverables.
• Coordinate with internal departments, consultants, contractors, and regulatory agencies.
• Direct, mentor, and hold accountable team leads and project managers for performance and development.
• Determine staffing strategies and allocate resources across projects.
• Monitor project performance through reporting on schedule, budget, risks, and delivery metrics.
• Support leadership during emergencies or high-priority initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Communication

Staffing & resource allocation

Contract negotiation

Risk management

Building codes knowledge

Education

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

Registered Professional Engineer in Texas or another state with ability to obtain Texas P.E. within six months

Possession of, or ability to obtain within six months, registration as Registered Architect in Texas

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

Harris County Office of the County Engineer seeks a Director of Capital Projects to lead the delivery of vertical capital construction efforts. You will guide the project lifecycle from planning through warranty, ensuring schedule, budget, and quality across multiple concurrent projects.

Responsibilities include setting division standards, coordinating with internal departments and external partners, and mentoring managers.