Maintenance & Operations Director (PCN 250286)

Maintenance & Operations Director (PCN 250286)

Salary

$4,766.25 - $7,013.25 Biweekly

Location

Juneau or Anchorage or Fairbanks, AK

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

54505

Department

Transportation and Public Facilities

Division

CRD-Support Services

Opening Date

07/09/2026

Closing Date

7/20/2026 5:00 PM Alaska

Division

Commissioners Office

Position Open To

All Applicants

Bargaining Unit

Partially Exempt

Range

27

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Description

ATTENTION ALL APPLICANTS!

Lead Operations Where the Road Ends and the Weather Begins

Alaska is not a typical transportation environment and this is not a typical operations role.

From Arctic winter storms and coastal erosion to remote rural airports and mountain passes, Alaska's transportation system operates in one of the most demanding environments in the world. The Maintenance & Operations Director is the leader responsible for keeping that system moving, safely, reliably, and efficiently, across a vast and diverse landscape.

If you are driven by purpose, complexity, and impact, this is a rare opportunity to lead statewide operations.

Depending on the selected applicant, this position may be located in Fairbanks, Anchorage, or Juneau. Salary will be determined based on the selected applicant's qualifications and experience and will be paid according to the applicable Range 27 salary schedule for the assigned duty station.

Fairbanks: Unit Designation XE - Partially Exempt and Exempt Executive Branch Employees

Anchorage: Unit Designation XE - Partially Exempt and Exempt Executive Branch Employees

Juneau: Unit Designation XE - Partially Exempt and Exempt Executive Branch Employees

What you will be doing:

As the Maintenance & Operations Director, you will serve as the administrator responsible for the statewide operation of Alaskas transportation system. You will provide strategic leadership for highway maintenance, rural airport maintenance, emergency response, operational readiness, and stewardship of transportation assets that connect communities across Alaska.

You will lead one of the nations most geographically diverse transportation operations organizations, working through regional leaders to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient service delivery. Success in this position depends on building high-performing teams, establishing clear expectations, allocating resources strategically, and ensuring the department is prepared to respond to changing operational demands and emergencies.

You will work closely with engineering, project delivery, aviation, and leadership to ensure maintenance operations, capital investment, and long-term asset management remain aligned.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for Alaskas statewide maintenance and operations organization.
• Establish statewide operational priorities, performance expectations, and consistent service standards.
• Lead workforce development, succession planning, organizational culture, and leadership development.
• Direct statewide emergency preparedness and operational response during severe weather, disasters, and transportation disruptions.
• Oversee operating budgets, equipment fleets, facilities, and public resources to ensure responsible stewardship.
• Partner with engineering and capital project organizations to improve lifecycle performance and long-term sustainability of transportation assets.
• Champion continuous improvement through performance management, innovation, technology, and data-driven decision making.
• Represent the department before leadership, the Legislature, federal agencies, local governments, Tribal partners, and industry stakeholders.

Our organization, mission, and culture:

DOT&PF is modernizing how transportation services are delivered across Alaska. Functional divisions establish statewide strategy, policy, standards, and performance expectations while regional organizations focus on delivering excellent service locally.

The Maintenance & Operations Director serves as the departments statewide operational leader, ensuring consistent performance while empowering regional leadership to meet local needs. This position plays a critical role in improving reliability, resilience, workforce capability, and stewardship of Alaskas transportation system.

The benefits of joining our team:

Working for Alaska DOT&PF means leading transportation operations at a scale and impact few agencies offer. Our teams maintain infrastructure that connects communities, supports economic development, and ensures access to essential services across one of the most geographically vast states in the nation.

This role offers:

• High level leadership responsibility with meaningful public impact
• The opportunity to modernize and strengthen transportation operations
• Engagement with complex operational and environmental challenges
• Collaboration with experienced professionals committed to serving Alaskans

Few places offer the opportunity to lead transportation operations across terrain ranging from Arctic tundra to coastal rainforests while directly affecting the daily lives of communities across an entire state.

Join the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities is building a modern, resilient, and agile transportation organization capable of meeting today's challenges and tomorrow's demands.

We are looking for a leader ready to help guide that future. If you are motivated by mission, leadership, and the opportunity to serve Alaska, we encourage you to apply.

The working environment you can expect:

Leading transportation operations in Alaska requires adaptability, resilience, and strong operational judgment. The Maintenance & Operations Director oversees maintenance activities spanning urban highways, remote road systems, and rural airports that serve as lifelines for many communities.

Operating conditions include:

• Long winter seasons with extreme cold and heavy snow
• Remote logistics and equipment challenges
• Emergency response to earthquakes, floods, avalanches, wildfires, and coastal storms
• Environmental stewardship and regulatory compliance requirements
• Complex coordination across districts, agencies, and stakeholders

This role operates at the intersection of strategy and execution, aligning engineering, environmental

compliance, district operations, equipment coordination, fiscal management, and performance accountability into a cohesive framework.

Decisions made in this role directly affect public safety, community access, and economic stability across Alaska.

Minimum Qualifications

Positions in this job class are in the Partially Exempt Service under AS 39.25.120(c)(2).

Who we are looking for:

We are seeking a manager with demonstrated success leading large, geographically dispersed operations. The ideal candidate excels at building teams, leading organizational change, managing complex operations, and making sound decisions under pressure.

Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• High level leadership of large operational organizations.
• Experience managing budgets, workforce, and strategic priorities.
• Emergency management or complex operational response experience.
• Ability to build organizational alignment across diverse teams.
• Experience improving operational performance through innovation and continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of transportation infrastructure, public works, aviation, utilities, military logistics, or comparable large-scale operations.
• Technical or engineering experience sufficient to understand transportation infrastructure and support sound operational decision-making.

Core Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking: Formulates long-term objectives and priorities that align maintenance operations with statewide transportation goals. Anticipates future operational, fiscal, and environmental challenges and positions the organization for resilience and modernization.

• Program Oversight: Plans, directs, and monitors complex, multi-district maintenance programs to ensure consistent standards, operational effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and accountability across the state.

• Leadership: Influences, motivates, and aligns diverse teams across districts and functional areas. Adapts leadership style to varied operational environments and builds a culture of accountability, collaboration, and performance.

• External Awareness: Understands and anticipates legislative, political, economic, and public factors that affect statewide transportation maintenance operations. Aligns operational decisions with statewide priorities and effectively represents the organization in professional and interagency settings.

• Financial Management: Develops and administers large operational budgets, allocates resources strategically, and ensures fiscal stewardship aligned with performance objectives and public accountability expectations.

• Change Management: Leads organizational and operational transformation initiatives, modernizes maintenance systems and processes, and guides districts and teams through change while maintaining operational continuity.

Special Note:

Departments are authorized by Personnel Rule 2 AAC 07.015 to identify Division Directors by their specific division titles.

Additional Required Information

• PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY*

COVER LETTER

Applicants are requested to submit a one-page cover letter that addresses the following:

• Their philosophy for leading large operational organizations.
• An example of building culture and accountability across dispersed teams.
• A major operational challenge or emergency they led through.
• Their vision for the future of transportation operations in Alaska.
• Why they are interested in serving as Alaskas Maintenance & Operations Director.

EDUCATION

To verify education is being used to meet and/or support the required minimum qualifications/competencies, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials used to meet or support the minimum qualifications/competencies for a position and are required with each application. (Unofficial is okay; please ensure the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts). Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview; if not, transcripts will be required before employment.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

WORK EXPERIENCE

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer's name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported, and minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment.

NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

Contact Information

For specific information about this position, please contact the hiring manager at the following:

Name: Jody Thomas, Special Project Liaison

Phone: (907) 322-4141

Email: Jody.Thomas@alaska.gov

Careers with the State of Alaska offer MANY benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits

• Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
• The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
• AVTEC
• Confidential
• Correctional Officers
• Marine Engineers
• Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
• Supervisory
• Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatmans Union
• Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)

The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.

• General Government
• Labor, Trades and Crafts
• Public Safety Employees Association
• Masters, Mates & Pilots

Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

Optional Insurance Benefits

• Group-based insurance premiums for
• Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
• Long-term and short-term disability
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment
• Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
• Supplemental Survivor Benefits

Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers Retirement System (TRS)
• Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
• Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
• Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
• Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

See https://drb.alaska.gov/retiree/ for additional information

Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Twelve (12) paid holidays a year

01

Statewide Operational Leadership: Describe your experience leading large, geographically dispersed maintenance or operational programs. How did you ensure consistency, accountability, and performance?

02

Emergency and High-Risk Environment Leadership: Provide an example of a significant emergency event or operational disruption (e.g., severe weather, natural disaster, infrastructure failure) that you led or managed. What was your approach to decision-making, coordination, and communication?

03

Change Management and Modernization: Describe a major operational improvement or modernization initiative you led. What challenges did you encounter, and how did you ensure successful implementation across diverse teams or regions?

04

Financial Leadership and Resource Stewardship: Describe your experience developing, managing, and overseeing large operational budgets. How did you prioritize limited resources, ensure fiscal accountability, and align funding decisions with strategic and operational goals?

Required Question

Employer State of Alaska

Address PO Box 110201

Juneau, Alaska, 99811

Phone (800) 587-0430 (Statewide toll-free number)

(907) 465-4095 (Juneau and out-of-state callers)

Website http://workplace.alaska.gov/