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Plans, directs, and manages assigned functional units within Community Relations, which includes local government and external affairs, community education, program management/capital projects, and other special projects agency wide. The Deputy Executive Officer, Community Relations will oversee community engagement programs and communications campaigns for large-scale transportation projects that require enviornmental planning in accordance with state and federal laws. They will oversee a team whose work portfolio includes project delivery of more than 100 projects from the planning phase into construction and operations.

• Develops and implements the strategic framework for public outreach, engagement, mitigation, and education for Metro's programs, projects, and initiatives agency wide in compliance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and other governing and regulatory agencies

• Establishes, reinforces, and fosters relationships with regional and local elected officials and business, professional, civic, government and community groups, and key stakeholders to build trust in Metro's plans, policies, programs, and services

• Provides executive direction and carries out the policies of the agency for business units

• Ensures coordinated and consistent reporting of issues and communications at all levels with large and complex sets of stakeholders and constituencies

• Develops, implements, and promotes meaningful public engagement strategies and programs

• Leads inter-departmental and inter-agency collaboration and cooperation among Metro staff on Metro projects

• Oversees the department's budget planning; continuously and proactively evaluates and optimizes resources on an ongoing basis

• Directs the development and implementation of department work plan goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and work standards and monitors progress

• Analyzes the department's operations to identify successes and areas for improvement; modifies processes as necessary to ensure alignment with Metro's mission and goals

• Develops community outreach scopes of work and negotiates contractual agreements, directs and oversees activities of outside consultants, and ensures services are provided as expected

• Consults and advises Board members and Metro management on the most effective means of informing the public and stakeholders about controversial and sensitive matters

• Recruits, manages, motivates, and evaluates assigned staff

• Establishes and implements performance measures for staff

• Ensures coordinated and consistent reporting of issues and communications at all levels

• Oversees department's participation in and management of responses to internal and external investigations related to department-specific matters

• Coordinates Metro participation in local and regional government arenas

• Prepares and presents written and oral reports to Board members, Metro management, government officials, key stakeholders, community groups, and the general public

• Represents Metro before public officials, private entities, and professional, civic, governmental groups, and task forces at career fairs, community, and special events

• Communicates Metro's safety vision and goals; oversees the implementation of agency and departmental safety rules, policies, and procedures; and maintains accountability for safety performance of all assigned employees

• Contributes to ensuring that the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and programs of Metro are carried out

  
  May be required to perform other related job duties

A combination of education and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Additional experience, as outlined below, may be substituted for required education on a year-for-year basis. A typical combination includes:

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Communications, Political Science, or a related field; Master's Degree in a related field preferred

Experience

• Five years of relevant senior management-level experience in public affairs, community relations, public relations, or communications for a public or government agency

Certifications/Licenses/Special Requirements

• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions

Preferred Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications (PQs) are used to identify relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) as determined by business necessity. These criteria are considered preferred qualifications and are not intended to serve as minimum requirements for the position. PQs will help support selection decisions throughout the recruitment. In addition, applicants who possess these PQs will not automatically be selected.

The following are the preferred qualifications:

• Experience developing, implementing, and managing community engagement programs, particularly in the context of large-scale development projects

• Experience utilizing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes, for community engagement and communication

• Experience creating complex plans and policies, and applying political dynamics influence to the decision-making processes.

• Experience handling communications during sensitive or challenging situations, including contentious public debates, environmental concerns, and stakeholders

• Experience developing strategic communication plans that support community relations for large, complex projects

Knowledge of (defined as a learned body of information that is required for and applied in the performance of job tasks)

• Theories, principles, and practices of community relations, public affairs, and regional and local government affairs, communications, community outreach and engagement, and crisis management
• California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Title VI, and Metro's Public Engagement requirements
• Applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations governing human resources for a public agency
• EEO and Affirmative Action rules and regulations
• Organizational structures, functioning, and protocols of public agencies and local governments
• The diverse constituents of Los Angeles County, including awareness of social and cultural sensitivities
• Social, political, and environmental issues influencing transportation programs
• Research and report preparation methods
• Land use processes and regulations
• Public speaking techniques
• Administrative principles and methods, including planning, goal setting, program and budget development and implementation, capital and operating budgets, and funding sources
• Modern management theory
• Theories, principles, and practices of human resources management, including recruitment, selection, training, benefits, classification, and/or compensation
• Digital communications and social media
• Applicable business software applications

Skill in (defined as the proficient manual, verbal, or mental utilization of data, people, or things)

• Planning, organizing, and leading the work of a department
• Strategic and critical thinking, planning, and implementation
• Analyzing complex planning concepts
• Analyzing situations, identifying problems, recommending solutions, and evaluating outcomes
• Exercising sound judgment and creativity in making decisions
• Communicating effectively in writing and orally
• Interacting professionally with Metro employees, Board of Directors and their staff, elected officials, stakeholders, and the public
• Exercising interpersonal skills with tact and diplomacy
• Engaging the public

Ability to (defined as a present competence to perform an observable behavior or produce an observable result)

• Develop and implement policies
• Develop and edit high quality content and materials
• Represent Metro before the public
• Understand and navigate the diverse constituencies of Los Angeles County
• Think and act independently
• Work well under pressure of multiple projects and priorities
• Meet tight time constraints
• Prepare comprehensive reports and correspondence
• Plan and monitor financial and staffing needs
• Understand, interpret, and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, contracts, budgets, and labor/management agreements
• Handle highly complex and confidential information
• Read, write, speak, and understand English

Special Conditions

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Metro provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions

• Typical office situation

• Close exposure to computer monitors and video screen

Physical Effort Required

• Sitting at a desk or table

• Operate a telephone or other telecommunications device and communicate through the medium

• Type and use a keyboard and mouse to perform necessary computer-based functions

• Communicating through speech in the English language required

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