OPERATIONS PROGRAM MANAGER - 55004335

Florida; Lake City (FL); On-site; USD 99,000 - 128,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance (employer paid)

Life insurance (employer paid)

Dental and vision insurance

State retirement package

Paid holidays

Generous vacation and sick leave

Career advancement opportunities

Tuition waiver for public college

Job summary

Florida Department of Transportation in Lake City, FL is seeking an Operations Program Manager (SES) to lead the maintenance and contract administration for the local Operations Center. The role emphasizes strategic planning, program oversight, and cross-functional leadership across engineering, contracts, and field operations.

The successful candidate will supervise staff, manage multiple projects, and coordinate with agencies and the public to ensure maintenance and safety goals are met.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of transportation engineering principles, permitting, contract production and administration.
• Strong management, conflict resolution, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to lead teams, supervise, motivate and manage multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Oversees maintenance program management at the Operations Center, including contract administration and budget oversight.
• Directs and coordinates the Permits and Contracts sections to ensure compliance with state rules.
• Provides leadership and mentoring to staff; serves as Operations Engineer delegate when needed.
• Coordinates with internal and external stakeholders for maintenance contracts and emergency response.
• Prepares and reviews procurement, specifications, and engineering reports; ensures safety and quality standards.

Skills

Management principles

Conflict resolution

Problem solving

Lead teams

Tools

Personal computer

Job description

Requisition No: 885099

Agency: Department of Transportation

Working Title: OPERATIONS PROGRAM MANAGER - 55004335

Pay Plan: SES

Position Number: 55004335

Salary: $98,864.57 - $127,942.39

Posting Closing Date: 10/23/2026

Anticipated Hiring Salary: $3,802.48/Biweekly ($98,864.57/Annually)

Join FDOT and be part of the team that works as one to improve safety, enhance mobility and inspire innovation in the Florida transportation system.

To ensure honesty and transparency, all applicants must provide their own work. Unless explicitly requested, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to assist with qualifying questions, work samples, or interviews is strictly prohibited, and any breach of this requirement will lead to the applicant being removed from consideration.

Candidates must be United States (U.S.) citizens or lawfully authorized alien workers. Visa sponsorship is not available.

The Mission

The mission of the Florida Department of Transportation is to provide a safe statewide transportation system that promotes the efficient movement of people and goods, supports the state’s economic competitiveness, prioritizes Florida’s environment and natural resources, and preserves the quality of life and connectedness of the state’s communities.

The Vision

As a OneFDOT team, we serve the people of Florida by providing a transportation network that is well planned, supports economic growth, and has the goal of being congestion and fatality free.

The Difference You Will Make

Through cooperation, coordination and collaboration among the OneFDOT team, you will be contributing to a strong and empowering culture of TRREC: Trust, Relationships, Respect, Empowerment, and Communication.

How You Will Grow

FDOT encourages our team members to grow through engagement, empowerment, training, and professional development. Through our agency’s learning management system, you have access to hundreds of computer-based training and instructor-led courses.

Where You Will Work

FDOT - Lake City Operations/Maintenance

710 NW Lake Jeffery Road, Suite #101

Lake City, Florida 32055

Your Specific Responsibilities

Supervises employees spending the majority of the time communicating with, motivating, training, and evaluating employees, and planning and directing employees’ work. Has the authority to effectively recommend the hiring, transferring, suspension, lay off, recall’s, promotions, discharges, assignments, rewards, or disciplinary actions for subordinate employees. Plans and directs workloads, deadlines, work objectives and time utilization with subordinate staff. Provides direction and ensures that all subordinates receive training and instruction in methods and techniques necessary to safely perform their assigned tasks. Performs highly advanced maintenance and transportation engineering duties responsible for the administration of management activities for the maintenance program at an Operations Center to include the oversight and direction of contract administration, contract production, and permits. Supervises by communicating regularly, motivating, training, coaching and guiding subordinate employees to improve the quality and quantity of work performed while conducting work activities. Plans and directs workloads, deadlines, work objectives and time utilization with subordinate staff. Evaluates work and recommends production planning, scheduling and control methods. Formulates and recommends safe work procedures, and develops new, innovative and improved work methods. Performs the duties of the Operations Engineer during his absence as required, answers correspondence of a general nature and ensures all documents meet Department rules and policies. Investigates complaints and resolves within Department policy and procedures. Serves on a regular basis as liaison with the public on matters concerning state maintained roads and bridges and to City, County and other State agencies on maintenance problems, contractual agreements and other matters as they arise. Directs and supervises the Contracts section, providing management, technical and engineering guidance in the preparation of all local and District Maintenance Contracts. Acquires and assembles information for maintenance contracts, emergency contracts, and special reports that are required or requested. Develops and implements the maintenance contracts program for the unit. Oversees the preparation of specifications, other contract documents and engineering reports. Ensures that maintenance contracts assigned to the maintenance section are properly administered in accordance with the contract documents and Department procedures. Makes field inspections as needed of these items and any other special project items. Coordinates the Emergency Management Program of the unit. The incumbent has a Purchasing Card which allows a single purchase exceeding the threshold amount of $35,000 provided for in Section 287.017, F.S., for Category Two; Incumbent has financial disclosure responsibility in accordance with Section 112.3145, F.S. Ensures proper resources are assigned and accounted for during natural disasters and other emergency situations. Ensures cost accounting measures are followed and properly documented to maximize the potential for reimbursement from federal partners. Directs and supervises the Permits section, providing management, and technical and engineering guidance to assure the Department's permit issuance and project inspection goals are met for all permits within the state highway system. Coordinates with other department personnel, utility organizations, engineering consultants, developers, and other government agencies to assure compliance with federal and state laws, rules, policies, and procedures. Ensures all permits received, reviewed and processed at the local unit are done so in accordance with Department rules and procedures and applicable State of Florida Statute and Administrative Code. Oversees a system of conducting and tracking Quality Assurance Reviews (QARs) on all active Operations Center construction projects. These responsibilities include providing coordination between Construction and Maintenance units, making sure all activities are in compliance with contract documents, provide coordination of warranty requirements, implements a system that will reduce time and money impacts caused by utility conflicts, and meets Maintenance Rating Program (MRP) standards. Also ensures that all Operations Center projects meet the Department goals as tracked on the Unit Business Plan. Oversees the Plan Reviews for all roadway and bridge designs at initial and final development. Contributes design input to resolve and avoid future design problems related to construction. Assists the Operations Engineer in evaluating technical reports or procedural changes, policies, materials, operational practices, and other departmental matters. Provides leadership, professional development and mentoring to assigned personnel, including professional engineer trainees. Serves as a delegate for the Operations Engineer, as necessary, and maintains the unit's Contingency Plan, Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plan, and Hurricane Plan and runs the unit's Emergency Operations Center during emergencies. This requires frequent coordination with internal Florida Department of Transportation customers and interface with other agencies, local municipalities and members of the general public. Prepares budget requests and monitors budget allocations as well as reviews and approves purchasing activity for the maintenance program components as assigned by the Operations Engineer. Directs and implements cost control programs.

The Successful Candidate will have the following required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge Of

• Knowledge of transportation engineering principles and practices, permitting procedures, contract production and administration.

Skills In

• Skill in management principles and practices, conflict resolution and problem solving techniques.

Ability To

• Ability to administer and manage multiple projects, determine priorities and needs and meet deadlines in accordance with procedures.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret pertinent engineering data, plans, specifications, design standards, manuals and maps.
• Ability to identify and document personnel performance evaluations.
• Ability to perform field inspections and evaluations.
• Ability to collect, evaluate, and analyze data to prepare reports and to develop alternative recommendations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to lead teams, supervise, motivate, manage, train, and work with diverse groups of people.
• Ability to communicate technical engineering information verbally and in writing to all audiences.
• Ability to interpret and apply state and federal policies, guidelines, regulations, and other required documents relating to engineering issues.
• Ability to use a personal computer.

Other Job-Related Requirements

• This position will be required to respond before, during and following emergency situations.

Benefits

• Health insurance (over 90% employer paid)
• $25,000 life insurance policy (100% employer paid)
• Dental, vision and supplemental insurances
• State of Florida retirement package
• 10 paid holidays a year
• Generous vacation and sick leave
• Career advancement opportunities
• Tuition waiver for public college courses
• A variety of training opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

For additional benefit information available to State of Florida employees, visit: https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

You will be required to provide your Social Security Number to conduct required verifications. Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion in the Career Service, or appointment in the Selected Exempt Service (SES) or Senior Management Service (SMS), unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, provide a letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS, or provide other documentation as proof of an exemption.

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION VALUES AND SUPPORTS EMPLOYMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.

In accordance with Section 110.112, Florida Statutes, and the Florida Department of Transportation’s Individuals with Disabilities Aff… Upon request and as appropriate, reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities may be provided. Please contact the Florida Department of Transportation’s Human Resources Office at [phone] for assistance.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735).

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

Only current Department of Transportation Employees will be considered for this position

Selected Exempt Service

Full-Time

Contact Person: Rebecca Buyama

Contact Phone Number: [phone]

Contact Email Address: [e-mail]

292 / Lake City Maintenance

Internal Agency

State of Florida Department of Transportation