Supplemental Information

Minimum Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

A baccalaureate degree plus three years of professional level experience in accounting; administrative services; architecture; budgeting; economics; engineering; geography; human resources; information technology; landscape architecture; loss prevention; management analysis; policy planning; purchasing; risk analysis; project management for transportation/public works structures; in the development and implementation of a safety program to include safety education, teaching, training, facility inspection and/or accident investigation; or in the development, implementation, administration of a transportation program such as: urban/regional planning, compliance, program management or facility management in one of the following types of programs or systems: aviation, rail, marine or public transportation.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

Six years of full-time work experience in any field may be substituted for the required baccalaureate degree.

Candidates without a baccalaureate degree may combine work experience and college credit to substitute for the baccalaureate degree as follows:

A maximum of 120 semester hours may be combined with experience to substitute for the baccalaureate degree.

30 to 59 semester hours credit will substitute for one year of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

60 to 89 semester hours credit will substitute for two years of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

90 to 119 semester hours credit will substitute for three years of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

120 or more semester hours credit will substitute for four years of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

College credit earned without obtaining a baccalaureate degree may be substituted for a maximum of four years full-time work experience towards the baccalaureate degree. Candidates with 120 or more semester hours of credit, but without a degree, must also have at least two years of full-time work experience to substitute for the baccalaureate degree.

Paraprofessional experience in technical areas at a governmental highway/transportation agency will substitute for the professional level experience in the development, implementation, administration of a transportation program, on the basis of one year of paraprofessional level experience will substitute for six months of the professional level experience, for a maximum of three years.

NOTE:

Paraprofessional experience in technical areas at a governmental highway/transportation agency is defined as substantial duties performed at a public (State/Federal) transportation organization in practical or mechanical training in a highly technical engineering specialty; complex interpretation, selection, adaption and application of engineering guidelines/principles; and/or technical consultation in a highly technical engineering specialty or program function, at a pay level equivalent to or higher than the state classified TS 311.

NOTE:

Any college hours or degree must be from an accredited college or university.

Job Concepts

FUNCTION OF WORK:
To serve as a program/project manager over a program specific to DOTD.
LEVEL OF WORK:
Program Manager.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
Broad from higher-level personnel.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
May provide functional supervision over one or multiple DOTD Program Specialists, in conjunction with the management of assigned program/project.
LOCATION OF WORK:
Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD); may be used statewide as deemed appropriate by the Department of Civil Service.
JOB DISTINCTIONS:
Differs from DOTD Program Specialist 4 by the presence of program/project management responsibility for a specific DOTD program.
Differs from DOTD Program Supervisor by the absence of supervisory responsibilities.

Examples of Work

Prepares the STIP (State Transportation Improvement Plan) document for submission to FHWA and FTA. Receives joint approval before funding can be authorized for any phase of a federal project. Reviews and maintains a working knowledge of all Federal Laws and Regulations pertaining to the STIP. Interprets federal guidelines and negotiates the structure, format and information included in the STIP document with administrators at FHWA and FTA. Prevents omissions that can cause costly delays in awarding the engineering contracts, acquiring right of way and utilities or bidding construction projects. Timely distribution of the document once federal approval has been obtained. Activities included in the STIP are initiated from a variety of sources, such as DOTD’s Highway Priority Program, the MPOs, MPO TIPs (Transportation Improvement Plans), the Transportation Alternatives Program, the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, the Federal Lands Program, Congressional Earmarks, etc.
Maintains a database system for collecting, storing, editing and retrieving data for all activities included in the STIP document. Resolves any database inconsistencies among the various mainframe systems or other data supply sources. Tracks the progress of projects through various stages and estimates associated costs. Identifies phases for all activities proposed for federal funding over a four-year period. Summarizes estimated federal participation costs for each funding category to demonstrate financial constraint. Formulates methods for automating distribution of information pertaining to the STIP. Assists in development of customized reports to identify all activities and costs for federal projects in each MPO area to assist them in developing their TIPS. Participates in discussions and negotiations with MPO staff and DOTD administrators over structure, format and data included in TIP submissions and revisions.
Coordinates activities between DOTD, MPOs and FHWA in reference to the STIP. Confers with FHWA administrators and managers, MPOs and others to determine the availability and levels of funding for various types of proposed projects. Participates in frequent discussions and resolutions of problems to ensure that the STIP document is consistent with the eleven MPOs’ TIPS while maintaining financial constraint.
Assists the Highway Program Engineer and Assistant Highway Program Engineer in ongoing development and implementation of the LaGov PS project management system which monitors pre-construction activities which includes assessing data submitted for project creation to determine if project number is required, entering initial project data for feasibility, right-of-way, utility, engineering and construction phases, ensuring that project data meets legislative and federal requirements for planning and authorization and working with Asset Accounting in Financial Services to meet project accounting requirements at project creation. Tracks the cash flow on federally funded projects to ensure that funding is budgeted accordingly. Extracts customized reports (such as funding expenditures, status and schedule of projects, needs assessments and associated costs, and historical data) from several data applications (LaGov and Mainframe) to assist DOTD management in decision-making and public relations. Provides similar data and explanations to the MPOs, FHWA and other government and private entities. Trains section staff in acquiring report generating computer skills.
Prepares amendments to the STIP for submission to FHWA to request the addition/postponement of project activities or changes in funding sources. Confers with the MPOs’ Planning Directors on projects in their areas to secure concurrence and obtain certification that changes are reflected in their TIPs. Monitors project cost to confirm that federal requirements for financial constraint remain satisfied. Distributes amendments once FHWA approval has been obtained.
Confers with DOTD Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Programming and other administrators, engineers and managers to provide technical assistance regarding DOTD expenditures and projected cost estimates for federal and state construction projects. Develops procedures to provide the data for establishing performance indicators in the Department’s Operational Plan and quarterly progress reports to the Legislative Budget Office.
May be required to perform other duties as necessary including, but not limited to, emergency/disaster support activities.
While in official capacity, DOTD employees must comply with applicable Louisiana and Civil Service laws and regulations, as well as DOTD policies, procedures, manuals and directives.