Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) Director

CRTPO Director

The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Charlotte urban area, serving Mecklenburg, Iredell, and Union counties. The largest MPO in North Carolina, CRTPO works with 24 member jurisdictions to plan and prioritize transportation investments that support more than 1.6 million residents. The Charlotte Planning, Design and Development Department serves as CRTPO’s lead planning agency (LPA).

CRTPO seeks a collaborative and visionary leader with a strong background in transportation planning, regional partnerships, and organizational management to serve as Director of the organization. The ideal candidate will be a consensus builder with the ability to navigate political landscapes and a strategic thinker who can implement the organization’s vision of creating a connected and equitable transportation system that provides mobility choices for the region.

This individual will possess exceptional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to inspire and develop staff, foster innovation, and guide the organization through growth and change. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of managing complex transportation programs, funding initiatives, and long-range planning efforts while maintaining strong fiscal stewardship and regulatory compliance.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Advocacy

• Provide strategic leadership and vision for CRTPO, guiding development and implementation of regional transportation policies, programs, and initiatives.
• Advocate for transportation investment and policy implementation.
• Oversee development and implementation of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP), Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), performance-based planning and programming requirements, public engagement, and all elements of the 3-C metropolitan transportation planning.
• Provide direction for major initiatives, such as the Strategic Plan, Beyond 77 Coalition, Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, Discretionary Grants Program, and multimodal activities.

Governance & Regional Collaboration

• Serve as the principal advisor to the CRTPO Board and Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC).
• Facilitate consensus-building among a diverse Board of elected officials and the Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC).
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with officials from all member jurisdictions.
• Coordinate closely with NCDOT, Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority, Centralina Regional Council, and neighboring MPOs.

Organizational Leadership & Staff Development

• Direct, manage, and oversee the operations of CRTPO, including supervision of a multidisciplinary team of 17 staff members.
• Recruit, hire, develop, mentor, and retain a high-performing workforce.
• Lead implementation of organizational improvements and recommendations identified through the Staffing and Resources Study.

Program & Financial Management

• Lead CRTPO’s financial strategy by overseeing the distribution, compliance, and performance of all federal and state funding streams, including the Discretionary Grants Program and transit funding partnerships.
• Guide the development and stewardship of the MPO operating budget and UPWP, ensuring financial integrity and alignment with long range planning goals.
• Maintain high level oversight of the quarterly reimbursement framework. While day to day management is performed by the Finance Officer and Senior Analyst, ensure that reimbursement outcomes, funding questions, and allocation issues are addressed promptly and in compliance with federal and state requirements.
• Provide executive leadership to the Finance Officer, ensuring effective supervision of the Senior Analyst and alignment of all financial operations with CRTPO’s mission.
• Foster collaborative relationships with local jurisdictions and partner agencies to support efficient financial workflows and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Provide executive oversight of consultant procurement, contract management, and project delivery, ensuring consultant performance, compliance, and timely execution of transportation planning initiatives

Public Engagement

• Champion a robust and inclusive public outreach program to ensure transparency and participation from historically underserved communities.
• Serve as the public face of the MPO, communicating complex planning data into actionable insights for the media, business leaders, and the general public.
• Develop and maintain effective communication strategies that build public understanding and trust

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Leadership & Organizational Management

• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, develop, and retain a high-performing professional staff while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to establish priorities, manage competing interests, and guide the team through change while maintaining operational effectiveness

Transportation Planning & Policy

• Extensive knowledge of metropolitan transportation planning principles, practices, regulations, and funding programs.
• Thorough understanding of federal transportation planning requirements, including 23 CFR 450.300, other additional FHWA and FTA regulations, and applicable federal transportation legislation.
• Knowledge of North Carolina’s Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) process, transportation funding mechanisms, and transportation project prioritization methodologies.

Governance & Regional Collaboration

• Demonstrated ability to build consensus among elected officials, government agencies, transportation providers, business leaders, and community stakeholders with diverse and sometimes competing interests.
• Strong political acumen and the ability to effectively navigate complex intergovernmental and multi-jurisdictional environments.

Financial & Program Management

• Experience developing, administering, and overseeing budgets, transportation funding programs, grants, and contracts.
• Ability to ensure compliance with federal and state funding requirements, procurement regulations, and financial accountability standards.
• Strong project and program management skills, including performance measurement and implementation oversight.

Communication & Engagement

• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex transportation and technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong relationship-building, negotiation, facilitation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives while building trust and maintaining productive partnerships.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) or PE (Professional Engineer) certification is strongly desired.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Four-year degree in Planning, Architecture, Urban Design, Geography, Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Political Science, Public Administration, Social Science or related degree, with a strong preference that it be supplemented by a master’s degree in above fields of study.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive leadership experience in a transportation planning or MPO environment with five (5) years of supervisory experience in the related field preferred.

Posting closes on Friday, August 7, 2026 at 12:00 AM