Assistant Director, Savannah Department of Transportation

City of Savannah GA

Savannah, GA

JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$101,673–$147,426 Per Year
SKILLS
Background Investigation, Budget Management, Building Permits, Capital Project, Cargo/Freight, Civil Engineering, Compensation and Benefits, Construction Inspection, Construction Projects, Consulting, Contract Management, Credit Union, Cross-Functional, Dental Insurance, Driver's License, Economic Development, Employee Assistance Plan, Engineering Management, Event Management, Financial Management, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Healthcare, Intelligent Transportation, Leadership, Operational Improvement, Operations, Operations Planning, People Management, Performance Metrics, Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Professional Engineer, Project/Program Management, Reimbursement, Retirement Plan, Set Goals, Staff Development, Strategic Planning, Sustainability, Team Lead/Manager, Technical Leadership, Time Management, Transportation Planning, Travel Industry, Urban Transportation, Vision Plan
LOCATION
Savannah, GA
POSTED
11 days ago

Assistant Director, Savannah Department of Transportation

Salary

$101,673.00 - $147,426.00 Annually

Location

14 Interchange Drive, Savannah, GA

Job Type

Full-Time Permanent

Job Number

2502811

Department

Department of Transportation

Division

Traffic Engineering

Opening Date

07/09/2026

Closing Date

8/9/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

  • Description
  • Benefits
  • Questions

Purpose

SDOT Recruitment Video

Shape the Future of Transportation in Savannah

Savannah is entering a defining phase of growth. With increasing development, tourism, freight movement, and safety priorities, the City is investing in forward-thinking transportation leadership.

This position has been strategically established as the departments leadership succession role, offering an exceptional opportunity for an accomplished engineering leader to work alongside the Senior Director while preparing for future executive leadership.

The Assistant Director of Transportation serves as a key executive leader within the Savannah Department of Transportation, helping guide how the city's transportation network evolves over the next decade. This role provides strategic oversight of major engineering programs while supporting the long-term planning, development, and delivery of transportation infrastructure.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Transportation, the Assistant Director leads critical departmental programs including capital improvement projects, traffic safety initiatives, private development review, right-of-way permitting, construction oversight, and GIS operations.

This is an opportunity to lead complex engineering programs, influence citywide transportation strategy, and deliver projects that directly impact residents, businesses, and visitors.

.

In addition to our comprehensive benefits package, this position is eligible for enhanced incentives, including:

  • Hiring and retention bonus up to $15,000 ($5,000 upon hire, $5,000 at six months, $5,000 at 12 months)
  • Up to 40 hours of incentive leave in addition to our leave plan and 12 paid holidays.
  • Relocation assistance up to $10,000
  • Reimbursement of Professional Engineering License-related expenses up to $2,000

Essential Job Functions

Why This Role Stands Out

  • Direct influence on citywide transportation strategy
  • Oversight of major infrastructure and traffic safety initiatives
  • Leadership of multidisciplinary teams (CIP, traffic engineering, GIS, permitting)
  • Executive visibility with City leadership and elected officials
  • Potential leadership succession pathway to Senior Director

Savannah offers a unique environment where engineering leaders can see the real-world results of their work, from corridor improvements and safety enhancements to development integration and multimodal planning.

Key Responsibilities

The Assistant Director provides leadership and oversight for major transportation programs and operations, including:

  • Transportation Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
  • Private development review and coordination
  • Right-of-way permitting and construction inspections
  • Traffic engineering and safety improvement initiatives
  • Special event traffic planning and management
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) operations

Additional responsibilities include:

  • Supervising and developing engineering and technical staff
  • Reviewing and approving engineering plans and specifications
  • Managing consultant contracts and construction projects
  • Supporting departmental budget development and financial oversight
  • Establishing program goals, priorities, and operational improvements
  • Providing technical guidance to developers, engineers, contractors, and the public
  • Representing the department with city leadership, agencies, and community stakeholders

The Assistant Director serves as a key advisor to the Senior Director and functions as Department Head in their absence, helping guide both daily operations and long-range planning.

This position is also identified as a potential leadership succession pathway for future departmental leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in civil engineering
  • Six (6)+ years of traffic or civil engineering management experience
  • Experience supervising staff and managing engineering programs
  • Georgia Professional Engineer (PE) License
  • Valid driver's license with acceptable driving history

Additional Requirements:

Background investigation, including supervised drug screen, post offer/pre-employment medical screen, and verification of education, certifications, and licenses required prior to employment.

Compensation & Benefits

  • Salary: $101,673-$147,426 annually, with placement within the range based on qualifications and experience. Exceptional candidates with extensive executive or transportation leadership experience may be considered for a salary at the upper end of the range.
  • Performance-based hiring and retention bonuses
  • Public-sector retirement and benefits
  • Professional development support

This position offers something different: stability, influence, civic impact, and long-term legacy-building in a growing coastal city.

Who Should Consider This Role

  • Senior traffic or civil engineering managers ready for executive-level influence
  • Public-sector engineering leaders seeking broader operational authority
  • Private-sector professionals looking to transition into strategic municipal leadership
  • Current traffic engineers seeking a leadership opportunity

Hiring & Retention Bonus:

  • $5,000 upon hire
  • $5,000 after six months
  • $5,000 after 12 months

CITY OF SAVANNAH EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Overview of Benefits

Paid Holiday

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Defined Benefit Retirement Pension Plan

Protective Services Retirement Plan (select positions)

Deferred Compensation Retirement Plan

Retirement Seminars

PPO Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts

Wellness Programs

Health & Wellness Incentives

Long Term Disability

Excellence and Service Recognition

Employee Development and In-Service Training

Educational Assistance Program

Uniform Allowance (select positions)

Employee Assistance Program

Discounts and Memberships

Employee Relations

Direct Deposit

Credit Union

Pretax Parking Deductions

Employer Assisted Home Purchase Program

Domestic Partnership Benefits

Healthcare

PPO Medical Plus Plan

PPO Medical Basic Plan

Dental Plus Plan

Dental Basic Plan

Vision Service Plan

Life Insurance

Basic Life and ADD

Supplemental Life Employee

Supplemental Life Spouse

Supplemental Life Child

Benefits costs are paid by the City of Savannah, by the employee or shared by both the City and the employee.

01

This role involves managing multiple divisions with specialized transportation functions (e.g., traffic engineering, traffic operations, street/sidewalk maintenance, and planning). How have you successfully led and motivated senior leaders across diverse technical teams while fostering accountability, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration?

02

Savannah's unique transportation challenges include historic preservation, tourism, economic development, and equitable access. How would you approach transportation planning and infrastructure improvements to support growth while maintaining the city's character and serving all communities?

03

Provide an example of a project where you played a key role in traffic management operations that involved the deployment of transportation technology-such as intelligent transportation systems, adaptive signal control, or traffic monitoring tools. What challenges did you face, how did you ensure effective implementation, and what was the outcome?

04

Describe a complex transportation project you managed from planning through implementation. How did you ensure it stayed on time, within budget, and aligned with performance or policy goals such as safety, mobility, or environmental sustainability?

05

Have you developed and implemented a comprehensive transportation or mobility strategy (e.g., citywide transportation master plan, Vision Zero, complete streets)? What performance metrics did you use, and how did your plan align with organizational objectives?

06

Have you led or facilitated coordination between your agency and a major development project (such as a large-scale commercial, residential, or infrastructure development)? How did you ensure transportation impacts were effectively managed, what stakeholders were involved, and what strategies did you use to align project goals with transportation planning and operations?

07

Are you currently registered as a Professional Engineer in Georgia or have a Professional Engineer License in another state with the ability to obtain registration as a Professional Engineer in Georgia within six months of employment?

  • Yes
  • No

08

I understand that the pay range for the Assistant Director of Transportation Services is $101,673.00 - $147,426.00

  • yes

Required Question

Employer City of Savannah

Address 6600 Abercorn Street

Suite 100

Savannah, Georgia, 31405

Phone 912-651-6484

Website http://www.savannahga.gov

About the Company

C

City of Savannah GA