Utility Director

About the role

Lead utility coordination and delivery for the I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes Project, a major TDOT P3/DB transportation program in the Nashville corridor. This role will manage utility risk, relocation planning, owner coordination, agreement support, schedule integration, and construction-phase utility issue resolution. The ideal candidate is a technically strong utility professional with experience on complex DOT, Design-Build, P3, or alternative delivery projects involving electric, gas, water, sewer, telecom, fiber, SUE investigations, utility agreements, utility easements, and construction coordination.

Responsibilities

• Lead utility program management, coordination, relocation tracking, technical reviews, and construction-phase support for the I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes Project.
• Coordinate with TDOT, utility owners, designers, contractors, consultants, project controls, right-of-way, environmental, quality, and construction teams to resolve utility impacts and reduce schedule risk.
• Manage utility conflict identification using records research, SUE data, potholing results, design reviews, field verification, and utility owner input.
• Maintain utility conflict matrices, risk registers, agreement trackers, easement trackers, action logs, relocation schedules, and utility status reports.
• Support preparation, technical review, negotiation, and execution of Utility Adjustment Agreements, prior-rights reviews, reimbursement determinations, and related utility owner documentation.
• Review roadway, drainage, structures, MOT, ITS, tolling, lighting, signals, and utility plans to identify conflicts, clearance issues, constructability concerns, sequencing constraints, and approval risks.
• Track schedule-critical utility items, including owner approvals, agreements, easements, permits, outage windows, long-lead materials, inspections, and pre-construction certifications.
• Provide executive-level updates on utility risks, unresolved conflicts, owner response issues, schedule threats, cost exposure, and mitigation actions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Construction Science, or related technical field; equivalent utility or transportation experience may be considered.
• Eight (8) + years of utility coordination, utility design management, utility relocation, transportation infrastructure, or heavy civil project delivery experience.
• Experience supporting complex DOT highway projects, preferably Design-Build, Progressive Design-Build, P3, DBFOM, or other alternative delivery projects.
• Working knowledge of utility conflict identification, SUE processes, test-hole data, utility mapping, plan review, field verification, and relocation sequencing.
• Experience coordinating electric, gas, water, sewer, telecom, fiber, and municipal utility owners.
• Ability to interpret civil plans, utility plans, cross sections, profiles, easement documents, utility standards, technical specifications, and construction sequencing documents.
• Experience with utility conflict matrices, risk registers, agreement trackers, relocation schedules, cost estimates, and monthly status reporting.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to drive decisions across utility owners, agency representatives, design teams, construction teams, and project leadership.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Bluebeam, scheduling tools, CAD/GIS review platforms, and document control systems.

Qualifications

• Prior TDOT or major DOT project experience.
• Experience with utility agreements