Job Description

Public Involvement Lead Strategist

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is seeking an experienced, forward-thinking Public Involvement Lead Strategist to serve as the statewide framework architect and primary technical advisor for public engagement.

About the Role

Operating as a strategic leader, this role is responsible for establishing system-wide governance, standardized toolkits, and vendor management guidelines across all UDOT Regions.

Rather than managing day-to-day tactical outreach for individual local projects, you will focus on building the infrastructure, policies, and quality standards that "level up" UDOT’s public engagement. You will serve as an internal consultant to Region Offices, Project Managers, and Program Managers—ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations early in the transportation process, mitigating legal risks during NEPA studies, reducing project delays, and creating consistent, high-quality public experiences across Utah.

Position Information

• Salary Range: $46.67 - $74.06
• FT/PT Status: Full Time
• Background Check: You must successfully pass a criminal history check.
• Schedule Code: AX - Career service exempt (at-will)
• Location: Calvin Rampton Building, 4501 South 2700 West, Taylorsville
• Recruiter: Jill Barela I jbarela@utah.gov
• Application Deadline: 10/20/2026
• *This job posting may close at any time after the minimum advertising period of three (3) business days has passed, should a sufficient applicant pool be received. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Key Responsibilities

• Long-Range Transportation Planning & Governance
• Statewide Guidance: Develop, maintain, and update a unified Statewide Public Involvement Plan (PIP) aligned with federal requirements and UDOT goals.
• Regional Integration: Partner with Region Offices to embed robust public involvement strategies into early corridor studies, sub-area plans, and long-range modal plans. Document and centralize engagement lessons learned and messaging across project phases.
• Demographic Analysis: Utilize GIS and demographic tools to identify Environmental Justice (EJ) and Title VI populations, ensuring equitable, early, and continuous access to the planning process.
• Engagement Analytics: Establish quantitative metrics and feedback loops (public sentiment tracking, demographic reach analytics, digital engagement rates) to evaluate outreach effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
• NEPA Environmental Studies & Internal Advisory
• PM Advisory Support: Serve as the central expert and internal consultant for Region Project Managers, offering technical assistance and strategic guidance on public engagement strategies.
• Workforce Capacity Building: Design and deliver ongoing training for Region staff, Project Managers, and consultants on public involvement best practices, legal risk reduction, and proactive community engagement.
• Risk Mitigation & Legal Compliance: Ensure public notices, hearing formats, comment periods, and responsiveness summaries strictly adhere to Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) legal standards.
• Innovative Engagement Toolkits: Modernize and standardize accessible digital and in-person engagement toolkits (e.g., virtual public meetings, interactive mapping, hybrid workshops).
• Consultant Quality Management: Establish vendor performance criteria and scoping guidelines to ensure contracted outreach aligns with state standards and expectations.
• Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Support
• STIP Cycle Management: Design and execute the annual public comment and engagement process for the STIP and major amendments. Benchmark Utah's STIP outreach against national DOT best practices.
• Data Translation: Translate complex financial, programming, and project-selection data into highly visual, easy-to-understand materials for stakeholders and the public.
• Inter-Agency Coordination: Synchronize outreach efforts with Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs) to eliminate community outreach fatigue and conflicting messaging.
• Project Lifecycle Continuity & Conflict Resolution
• Phase-to-Phase Handover: Establish communication protocols to seamlessly transition stakeholder relationships and public commitments from the environmental study phase to construction teams, ensuring NEPA commitments are honored during construction.
• Lifecycle Relationship Upkeep: Maintain long-term community touchpoints to track and communicate project statuses—from early-stage needs to completed studies awaiting construction.
• Construction Outreach Guidance: Develop and implement uniform statewide standards for construction-phase public communications to address impacts, schedule changes, and concerns transparently.
• Risk Mitigation & Conflict Resolution: Provide direct advisory support and clear protocols for managing high-conflict projects, contentious public hearings, and complex community opposition.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the following criteria:

• A Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Urban and Regional Planning, Public Administration, Public Policy, or a closely related field, plus eight (8) years of professional experience in public engagement, transportation planning, NEPA, public involvement, or public affairs within infrastructure projects.
• Note: Directly related professional experience may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis (e.g., 12 years of total related experience if no degree is held).

Preferred Qualifications

Our ideal candidate is someone who possesses:

• Certifications: IAP2 (International Association for Public Participation) Certification.
• Federal Compliance Expertise: Demonstrated, hands-on experience with federal compliance requirements (Title VI, Environmental Justice, CEQ/FHWA regulations).
• Technical & Analytical Skills:
• Proficiency with modern engagement and GIS platforms (e.g., PublicInput, ArcGIS StoryMaps, virtual open house software).
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex demographic datasets for Title VI and Environmental Justice outreach targeting.

Why You Should Join Our Team

A Mission That Matters – At the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), our mission is to “Enhance quality of life through transportation." We help the traveling public get where they want, when they want, as safely as possible. By joining our team, you contribute to the framework of Good Health, Connected Communities, Better Mobility, and a Strong Economy for all of Utah.

Our Culture and Values – We aren't just a state agency; we are a team built on an internal culture of Trust, Teamwork, and Flexibility. We live by the values of Respect, Integrity, and Caring. If these values resonate with you, you will find a home here!

The Agency

For more information on the Utah Department of Transportation, click here.

EEO Statement

The State of Utah is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. For accommodations, please contact (801) 957-9390.