Freight Program Lead; Strategic Advisor

Join us in shaping Seattle’s streets!

At the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), we don’t just move people—we connect communities, build safer streets, and create a more sustainable city.

With a bold vision for the future, we’re tackling big challenges: making travel safer, cutting carbon emissions, and ensuring reliable, affordable transportation for everyone—no matter who they are or where they live.

Seattle is growing fast, and we’re growing with it. Thanks to a historic voter‑approved $1.55 billion investment in transportation in 2024, we’re building sidewalks, fixing bridges, and improving transit connections to keep our city moving.

We’re a team of problem solvers, planners, engineers, communicators, and field crews—bringing purpose‑driven work to life. Now, we need passionate, innovative talent like you. Let’s build a Seattle that works for everyone—together!

The Freight Program Lead is the primary subject matter expert and strategist for freight investments in Seattle. The Freight Program Lead will take‑on the program’s $45 million Seattle Transportation Levy portfolio and will be responsible for delivering on all Freight Program levy and non‑levy commitments.

The position will oversee a team of two planners and two engineers with expertise in freight and rail operations in urban and industrial settings. This team is tasked with turning the vision of the Seattle Transportation Plan into actionable projects. In addition, the Freight Program Lead will act as a bridge and foster partnerships between SDOT, Seattle’s Maritime Industrial community, and partners amongst government agencies and the academic community.

• Oversee the planning, preliminary design, and implementation of $45 million of Freight Program commitments in the Seattle Transportation Levy.
• Lead a team of two transportation planners and two civil engineers tasked with turning the Seattle Transportation Plan into actionable projects.
• Advance Freight and Goods Movement project and planning efforts in coordination with Pedestrian, Bicycle, Transit, Vehicle, and Emerging Technology modal goals.
• Act as the main bridge between SDOT and entities like the Port of Seattle, Northwest Seaport Alliance, Sound Industrial Association, Business Improvement Areas, Amtrak, and railroads and support the development of interagency agreements.
• Coordinate with other City organization units such as the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD), Capital Projects and Roadway Structures (CPRS), Policy and Planning (P&P), and Construction Management (CM).
• Provide recommendations for SDOT and city leaders to help shape policy and decision‑making on the local and regional levels.
• Develop communication channels to better engage business and industrial stakeholders such as marine, maritime and rail businesses.
• Foster collaboration with academic institutions like the University of Washington Urban Freight Lab.
• Act as the staff liaison to the Seattle Freight Advisory Board and participate as a voting member on the Puget Sound Regional Council Freight Advisory Committee.
• Track project and program budgets, scopes of work, risks, and schedules, and coordinate projects delivery across SDOT divisions and with interagency partners.
• Fulfill mandatory reporting requirements to federal and state agencies for railroad crossing conditions.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, transportation planning, or related field

Experience:

• Seven (7) years of experience overseeing complex freight transportation programs or projects.
• Five (5) years of direct supervisory experience, including staff development and conducting performance evaluations.

OR: An equivalent combination of education and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the position duties.

Though not requirements, strong candidates will have some of the following experience or are able to describe comparable experience:

• Professional licensing such as a PE or AICP.
• Experience in one or more of the following
  • Maritime, marine, rail or other goods movement modes
  • Intergovernmental relations both horizontally (across…