Strategic Initiatives

Senior Operator PositionThe Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is seeking a senior operator to support the Executive Director and Director of Communications in delivering enterprise-level priorities. This role manages special projects; provides executive communications support; and supports intra-agency strategic goals.Key ResponsibilitiesCoordinate and deliver cross-functional initiatives from scope through results, including schedule, budget, risks, and KPIs.Support the Director of Communications in drafting and editing executive presentations, talking points, memos, and briefs; synthesize complex topics for high-level audiences.Prepare briefs, stakeholder maps, and meeting materials; prepare for and sometimes attend high-visibility meetings with elected officials and C-level leaders.Translate enterprise goals into executable roadmaps; run project cadences; track decisions, dependencies, and risks; drive accountability across functions.Run a simple intake and prioritization process for special projects; maintain a unified initiatives roadmap and a concise status dashboard for leadership.Build lightweight project budgets and forecasts; monitor spend against plan; flag variances early and recommend corrective actions; coordinate with Procurement division.Develop stakeholder analyses, communications plans, and adoption metrics for key initiatives; facilitate training/enablement and track outcomes.Design effective agendas; lead cross-functional coordination, prep executive leaders for decision meetings, and post-mortems; document decisions, owners, and due dates.Define success metrics and leading indicators for strategic initiatives; drive accountability for results; work with Technology & Innovation team to create concise dashboards and executive updates, as appropriate.Build workback schedules; coordinate speakers and VIP protocols; manage run-of-show; ensure accessibility and safety plans are in place and executed.Create high-quality drafts of decks, memos, op-eds, and talking points; tailor for elected officials, agency leaders, and external partners.Establish post-mortems and continuous improvement for major initiatives and events.Minimum QualificationsAt least five (5) years of experience in one or more of the following areas: communications, program/project management, strategy/operations, public policy, or external affairs.Ability to manage scope, schedule, budget, vendors, and cross-functional teams.Exceptional writing and editing for executive audiences; strong slide storytelling (PowerPoint/Google Slides).Executive presence; comfortable in high-stakes settings with elected officials and C-level leaders.Strong critical thinking, synthesis, and problem-solving; thrives with open-ended direction.PreferencesPublic sector familiarity: Experience with state agencies, DOTs, FHWA, or local governments; comfort with legislative cycles, public meetings, and regulatory environments.Data literacy: Able to interpret basic operational data and translate it into clear visuals and executive narratives.Discretion and judgment: Handles sensitive information with confidentiality; excellent political acumen and situational awareness.Writing range: Demonstrated ability to switch between technical summaries, plain-language public materials, and executive-ready narratives.Event management: Experience managing conferences or summits, including VIP protocols, speaker preparation, and vendor coordination.Procurement fluency: Experience developing SOWs, RFP inputs, evaluation criteria, and vendor performance measures; familiarity with Utah Procurement Code and Administrative Rules (or ability to learn quickly).Supplemental InformationWorking Conditions: Risks found in the typical office setting, which is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated, e.g., safe use of office equipment, avoiding trips and falls, observing fire regulations, etc.Physical Requirements: Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform the work; however, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying light items; driving an automobile, etc. Special physical demands are not required to perform the work.Employee may be reassigned to a different location as deemed necessary by the Region Director/Group Leader.Why Should You Join Our Team?The work we do matters. If you want to make a positive difference doing meaningful work, this is the right place for you. Our mission statement is, Enhance quality of life through transportation. We define quality of life through a framework of Good Health, Connected Communities, Better Mobility, and Strong Economy. We help the State of Utah and its traveling public to get to where they want, when they want, in the way they want -- and we make sure they can do it safely. You will become part of a team with an internal culture of Trust, Teamwork, and Flexibility. Our organization lives by the values of Respect, Integrity, and Caring. If these are your values too, you'll be a great fit. Aside from working for a cause-driven, cutting edge agency that is leading all other transportation departments in the nation, you will receive great health and retirement benefits. Working for the State of Utah provides a positive work-life balance.The AgencyUDOT is a strengths-based organization, which means its approach is based on identifying and developing individual and organizational strengths. Our philosophy is to address challenges by bringing our strengths to each situation and create the best solutions. Candidates are encouraged to be familiar with their strengths and consider how they may potentially be of benefit to the roles for which they are applying. UDOT uses the Clifton Strengths Assessment, but there are multiple strengths assessment tools available online, and no formal assessment is required. For more information on the Utah Department of Transportation, please click here.