Director of Public Realm Design and Capital

Job Description

***To be considered for this position candidate must be serving permanently in the civil service title of City Planner, or be reachable on the City Planner List, or be eligible under the 55-a Program.***

Transportation Planning and Management (TPM) is responsible for the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods on the City's streets, supporting the larger goals of economic and social vitality for people living, working, and doing business in New York City. The Division’s responsibilities include planning, street design, technical analysis, signs, transit development, freight mobility and markings, ensuring the safety of motor vehicle occupants, pedestrians, and cyclists. The Office Livable Streets (OLS) is tasked with prioritizing strategic planning, community engagement, research, policy, design, implementation, and long-term management. Their goal is to create streets that are livable, supporting safety, accessibility, inclusion, resiliency, active modes, community cohesion, and economic vitality citywide. Additionally, they aim to enhance New York City's pedestrian, bicycle, and micromobility networks, providing comfortable, connected, green, and reliable transportation options across the five boroughs. They place special emphasis on Priority Investment Areas, mode shift, and reimagining streets. The office also develops innovative new programs, design typologies, project delivery, and analysis tools to meet the demands of a rapidly changing population with evolving needs and technologies.

Reporting to the Sr. Director of Public Realm, the Director of Design and Capital will oversee the unit’s capital portfolio and advance high priority State of the City capital projects such as Broadway Vision, Chinatown Connections, Future of Fifth Avenue, and other high priority capital projects. The selected candidate will coordinate capital project priorities to accelerate and advance delivery while mitigating challenges that occur across the project lifespan. This position requires a candidate that can uphold Public Realm design values and can develop consensus among many different parties, working collaboratively with DOT’s Capital Management team, the Department of Design and Construction, the Economic Development Corporation, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and other inter-agency partners. In addition, the selected candidate will play a critical role in centering Public Realm Partner maintenance and operational parameters in design and construction to ensure success in the long-term management of the Public Realm capital portfolio. The selected candidate must be able to work both independently, as part of a team, problem solve, have strong decision making, design, graphic, communication, project management, and time management skills with the ability to meet critical milestones. The ideal candidate will also be familiar with public space design, construction, and management challenges and best practices.

The Director will; manage a team focused on design and capital coordination, work closely with other senior staff in the unit, preparing regular updates on development and issues with A/C Public Realm, as well as TPM and Agency Leadership, and work collaboratively with the Public Realm Partnerships & Programming Team to develop responsive designs based on lessons learned from concessions, events, regulation, and usage. The team will create materials to engage agency and public stakeholders in phasing and scoping priorities at the neighborhood scale, develop innovative design standards and treatments, advance concepts that prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users, while enhancing the public realm in NYC, and provide guidance in the design of both the unit’s project portfolio, as well as projects throughout the agency.

The Department of Transportation s (DOT) mission is to provide for the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods in the City of New York and to maintain and enhance the transportation infrastructure crucial to the economic vitality and quality of life of our primary customers, City residents. DOT is an equal opportunity employer, committed to recruiting and maintaining a diverse workforce in an open and inclusive environment.

Preferred Skills
Minimum 5-10 years’ experience managing intra-agency, inter-agency, and other teams on large, complex projects, demonstrating strong collaborative tendencies. Thorough knowledge of the City’s pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and furnishing issues. Through knowledge of NYCDOT’s review and installation procedures. Experience with CAD, Adobe Suite and/or graphic design software desirable. Candidates should also have experience in budgeting, grants management, managing staff, and working to advance projects in a complex regulatory environment. Excellent written, editorial, and v