MANAGER OF RIGHT OF WAY en Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

About the Department

Manager of Right of Way

Join VTA’s Dynamic Multimodal Planning and Real Estate Team!

 At VTA, the newly aligned Multimodal Planning and Real Estate team is a passionate group dedicated to transforming transportation and real estate connections across Santa Clara County. 

The Division 

This division is responsible for conducting all Congestion Management Program and VTA transportation and transit planning activities. As well as programming, grants management and real estate. 

The Planning Division consists of the following areas:

• Planning - Responsible for the planning and conceptual design of all transit projects, forecasting and modeling analysis for capital projects and the CMP, development review, bike and pedestrian planning, and long range planning functions of the CMP.
• Programming and Grants - Responsible for advocating, prioritizing, programming, managing, and ensuring compliance for all federal, state and regional highway/transit/roadway/bicycle/pedestrian grants, as well as the programming of funds for the CMP.

• Multimodal Planning & Real Estate - Multimodal planning is responsible for VTA's long range, land use and bicycle/pedestrian planning efforts.  Real Estate is responsible for right of way acquisition activates  for VTA's capital projects including BART to Silicon Valley, highway and complete streets projects, as well as leasing, licensing, paid parking and advertising.  The Real Estate Department also includes a Transit-Oriented Development Program and Transit-Oriented Communities Program.

Definition

Under general direction, the Right of Way Manager oversees VTA’s real estate property rights, acquisitions, and related right of way programs and real estate project development functions.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This single position classification oversees real estate right of way acquisitions, grants, and agreements, and associated program administration. The incumbent’s primary duties and responsibilities include the management of right of way acquisition functions, development and coordination of right of way budgets, project related interagency agreements, review and negotiation of easement requests on VTA property, contract management, and project development administrative functions.

The ideal candidate is a proven collaborative team lead with extensive experience managing right of way activities for major infrastructure projects, including rail extensions like BART Silicon Valley Phase II, highway improvements, and complete streets. They bring a strong understanding of federal, state, and local regulations, and demonstrate innovation solutions for tracking  complex property acquisition, relocation, and utility coordination challenges. With a focus on customer service, transparency, and efficient project delivery, they are committed to supporting VTA’s core values of promoting safety, integrity, quality, sustainability, diversity and accountability when delivering  transportation solutions for Santa Clara County.

Position Duties

Typical Tasks

• Manages and directs VTA’s right of way and acquisition program including development, implementation, and evaluation of plans, policies, systems, and procedures to achieve goals, objectives, and work standards for assigned programs and projects;
• Plans, organizes, controls, integrates, and evaluates agency activities related to right of way programs and acquisitions;
• Participates in the development of and monitors real estate performance against the annual department budget;
• Coordinates with VTA project stakeholders to establish right of way consulting staff and budget requirements;
• Plans, directs, integrates, and monitors the appraisal, acquisition, and management of properties, relocation of tenants, homeowners, and businesses, and the sale of excess property;
• Reviews right of way project plans including budget, feasibility, and property settlements;
• Prepares and develops VTA Board memos and presentations; 
• Prepares and presents information to the public, boards, committees, and community groups as required;
• Conducts the most difficult appraisals, negotiations, relocation assistance, and excess property sale or disposition functions; performs detailed complex research, analyses and determinations;
• Provides legal staff with market appraisals and other data for use in property settlements and condemnation litigation;
• Oversees professional and technical contracts, including budget, expense and invoice tracking, contract performance, and reporting on status of work products;
• Negotiates and develops cooperative agreements with public agencies, utilities, and other entities;
• Manages the development, application, implementation, and reimbursement functions of grant funded highway and other transportation projects;
• Selects, supervises, trains, motivates, assigns, evaluates, counsels, and disciplines staff;
• Participates in negotiating project support activities, labor, and tasks for contracts and joint agency agreements;
• Ensures compliance with VTA policies and procedures regarding equal employment opportunity and discrimination and harassment prevention;
• Reviews, recommends, and implements departmental policies and procedures;
• Serves as a member of the management team in meetings and negotiations with labor unions concerning a variety of labor relations issues;
• Performs other related duties.

Minimum Qualifications

Employment Standards

Sufficient training, education, and experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the above tasks and possession of the following knowledge and abilities.

Development of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is typically obtained through a combination of training, education, and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business administration, public administration, finance, real estate, or a related field, and six (6) years of increasingly responsible experience in public sector property acquisition, appraisals, relocation, property management, grant administration and management, contract management, and interagency agreement and financial transaction development, including at least two years in a supervisory or project lead capacity.

Professional experience as described above may be substituted for the specified education on a year for year basis.

Other Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of effective supervision, training, employee development and motivation, and discipline processes;
• Terminology, methods, and practices of real estate acquisition, engineering design, land use planning, surveying and mapping, construction processes, and relocation;
• Principles and practices of effective good faith negotiations;
• Principles and practices of organization, administration, and fiscal management;
• Principles and practices of public sector administration including procurement, contract administration, budgeting, and maintenance of public records;
• Fundamental understanding of highway and transportation related funding resources including CalTrans compliance requirements; 
• Federal, state, and regional grant application regulations, reimbursement rules and requirements, and principles of grant management;
• Principles of contract and project management;
• Principles and practices of public sector administration, management analysis, and effective business communications.

Ability to:

• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate a program of property and right of way acquisition and management to meet project and construction deadlines;
• Understand, interpret, explain, and apply federal, state, and local laws and regulations applicable to assigned areas of responsibility;
• Read and interpret maps, engineering drawings, and sketches;
• Prepare clear, concise, comprehensive, and legally sound documents and reports;
• Negotiate effectively and persuasively on behalf of VTA to meet critical deadlines;
• Use tact, discretion, and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive situations and concerned tenants and property owners;
• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate administrative functions including contract management, grant administration, and cooperative agreements to meet project and construction deadlines;
• Analyze technical data and legal requirements, evaluate alternatives, and make sound, timely recommendations within established guidelines;
• Exercise independent professional judgment within general policy guidelines;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with VTA staff, consultants, independent appraisal and title search firms, other governmental personnel, property owners, and others encountered in the course of work.

Working Environment/Conditions and Physical Demands 

Work Environment and Physical Effort:

Good Conditions 

Primarily Sedentary Work 

Work Locations:

Office or similar indoor environment – Frequently

Vehicle and field locations – occasionally   

Exposures: