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Description
On behalf of the Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority, the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Program Director. While this individual will be hired through the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG), the individual will work exclusively on behalf of the Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority. The City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA) are both members of the San Mateo County Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority (SMCEL-JPA). The Program Director will play a critical leadership role in overseeing operations, advancing priorities, and representing the SMCEL-JPA locally, regionally, and statewide.
The Program Director oversees and manages the operations of the San Mateo County Express Lanes. The Express Lane Program Director will help to ensure alignment of the SMCEL-JPA’s mission and goals under the direction of the TA and C/CAG Executive Management Staff. The Program Director will coordinate with staff from both agencies as they deliver tasks and carry out functions related to SMCEL-JPA operations and management. The Program Director will also serve as the representative and advocate of the express lanes locally and regionally. The Program Director is expected to maintain positive working relationships with partner agencies and external parties. Furthermore, the Program Director will liaise, communicate, and keep an outstanding relationship with the TA and C/CAG Executive Management Staff.
This management position will:
- Provide technical and program management support to the San Mateo County Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority (SMCEL-JPA) on any and all express lane related issues.
- Coordinate with internal partners and external stakeholders on all issues and topics related to the SMCEL-JPA.
- Manage and monitor budgets related to the Express Lane program.
- Work with legal and policy teams to draft tolling policies, agreements, and contracts.
- Exercise leadership of diverse professional, technical, and clerical staff through subordinate management and/or supervisory personnel.
Ideal Candidate
- Collaborator, team builder, self-starter, dependable
- Can represent the program externally and internally and with the SMCEL-JPA Board
- Aptitude to learn financial and equity/community benefit considerations and advocate for them.
- Experience with tolling systems, technology solutions, and/or project management software.
- Proven ability to manage budgets, analyze financial data, and oversee contracts.
- Strong communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills, with experience working with diverse stakeholder groups.
- Experience in vendor and contract management, ideally for tolling and transportation services.
- Ability to set scope/schedule/budget and manage the performance of the program.
- Excellent project management abilities to deliver key milestones.
- Detail-orientated to ensure all requirements are being met, tracked, and resolved.
- Excellent at translating department direction to action plans and results.
- Knowledge about the Caltrans’ current programs and policies.
The successful candidate will be:
- A collaborator who can work effectively and positively with a variety of stakeholders.
- Quick and clear thinking, calm under pressure, and tactful in resolving issues.
- Approachable and politically astute with a management style that quickly fosters trust, loyalty, respect, commitment, and partnership from the community, and Regional / State / Federal agencies.
- A strong financial manager that also has the knowledge of financial processes and revenue management.
- An experienced manager with a sound understanding of the Bay Area Infrastructure Financing Authority (BAIFA) and the California Department of Transportation.
- An effective speaker to diverse audiences, including the Board, and professional, civic, legislative, and citizen groups.
- A relationship builder who can effectively represent the SMCEL-JPA to other agencies, public bodies, Regional/ State/ Federal agencies, and professional organizations such as the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA).
The San Mateo County Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority (SMCEL-JPA) is a collaborative effort between C/CAG and the TA), both of which serve as founding member agencies. This partnership was established to jointly oversee the development, implementation, and operations of express lanes on U.S. Highway 101 in San Mateo County.
The following sections provide background on each member agency, their individual missions and responsibilities, and how they work together under the SMCEL-JPA to advance regional mobility and manage the Express Lanes Program.
C/CAG
The City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) is a joint powers agency whose members include the County of San Mateo and the twenty (20) incorporated cities and towns within San Mateo County. C/CAG is governed by a 21-member Board of Directors and is advised by nine standing committees. C/CAG is the designated Congestion Management Agency (CMA) in San Mateo County, also known as the County Transportation Agency (CTA), the Airport Land Use Commission, and the Countywide Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program Manager. C/CAG provides a collaborative forum for all jurisdictions in San Mateo County to pursue our goals for a safe, equitable, and accessible multi-modal transportation network and an environmentally sustainable, climate resilient future. More information on C/CAG can be found at https://ccag.ca.gov/.
San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA)
The TA plans, funds and delivers transportation programs and projects throughout San Mateo County and was formed to administer the proceeds from Transportation sales tax measures (Measure A and Measure W) to fund a broad spectrum of transportation-related projects and programs. The TA has invested approximately $2 billion in transportation infrastructure projects in San Mateo County since 1988. More information on the TA can be found at https://www.smcta.com/.
San Mateo County Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority (SMCEL-JPA)
The San Mateo County Express Lane is a dual-agency project constructed with the goal to reduce traffic congestion, and to promote carpooling and transit use on US Highway 101 (US 101) in San Mateo County. The project was initiated in 2018 between the city/county Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA).
In June 2019, C/CAG and TA approved a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (JEPA), allowing both entities equitable involvement in the SMCEL program. The agreement designated a JPA to manage the express lanes, which would be governed by a Board containing equal representation from each agency. Additionally, the JEPA established an Executive Council, which is formed by the Executive Directors of both agencies, and hired consultant support to develop and implement policies.
Since the JPA was established in 2019, two segments of the Express Lanes have been constructed. The south segment opened in 2022, and the north segment opened in 2023. The JPA manages 22 miles of express lanes on US 101 from Interstate 380 in South San Francisco to the San Mateo County/Santa Clara County border. More information on the JPA can be found at https://101expresslanes.org/.
Both C/CAG and the TA aim to create an environment where all employees are treated with fairness and respect, regardless of their background, and one where their unique perspectives are celebrated. The agencies are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, and welcome candidates who share commitment to these values.
The current vacancy is an unclassified position. Unclassified positions are at will positions and are not covered by San Mateo County Civil Service Rules. However, the eligible list generated as a result of this recruitment may be used to fill future temporary, unclassified and permanent classified vacancies.
Example of Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Oversee contractors’ operations and management of the San Mateo US 101 express lanes, including but not limited to toll operations, enforcement activities, toll system/roadway maintenance, and incident response.
- Provide direction and develop a collaborative relationship with the consultant support team.
- Establish relationships and direct coordination and collaboration with relevant regional and state agencies as well as other express lanes operators.
- Manage contracts and provide oversight related to tolling operations, including but not limited to toll operations, enforcement, and maintenance.
- Assist with the oversight of the community transportation benefits program.
- Review express lanes performance and related reports, provide relevant updates to JPA Executive Management, and recommend any modification and/or refinement to the performance algorithms.
- Identify and recommend best practices for toll operations and traffic management to JPA Executive Management to optimize system performance.
- Prepare written reports and present them to SMCEL-JPA Executive Management and the SMCEL-JPA Board.
- Monitor budgets to ensure consistency with projections and tolling operations are financially sustainable.
- Coordinate with the TA’s Finance Division to provide regular revenue forecasts and ensure timely development of monthly revenue and expense reports, annual budgets, and audits.
- Review and approve program related invoices.
- Stay current with emerging technologies, industry standards, and trends in tolling systems and transportation infrastructure.
- Serve as the primary liaison for SMCEL-JPA-related topics at Regional Toll Operators meetings and the California Toll Operations Committee (in close coordination with TA and C/CAG leadership).
- Coordinate with the TA’s Government and Community Affairs staff on legislative issues at the state and federal level.
- Coordinate timely responses to media inquiries in coordination with JPA Executive Management and the TA’s Communications Division.
- Engage and collaborate with community-based organizations related to the Community Transportation Benefits Program (CTBP).
- Coordinate with the TA’s Communications Division to communicate program goals, benefits, and updates through press releases and marketing campaigns.
- Monitor local, state, and federal regulations related to tolling and express lanes operations and recommend updates to relevant policies to JPA Executive Management to ensure compliance with current standards.
- Work with the SMCEL-JPA general counsel and JPA Executive Management to draft and enforce tolling policies, agreements, and contracts.
- Support SMCEL-JPA representation at regional, statewide and national transportation and tolling organizations.
- Complete initiatives and activities under the direction of the TA and C/CAG Executive Management.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable policies.
- Establish performance objectives.
Qualifications
Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.
- A typical way to qualify is five years of increasingly responsible managerial experience preferably in the transportation field.
Application/Examination
IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the “Apply” button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required application materials. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.
Tentative Recruitment Schedule
Final Filing Date: Thursday, August, 7 2025
Application Screening: Monday, August 11, 2025
Civil Service Panel Interview: Week of August 25, 2025
