Job Details

Operations Director, Parking & Transportation Services

Position Number: 6242699
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Position Type: Facilities Management

Operations Director, Parking & Transportation Services
Knoxville, TN, United States

Job Identification: 2905
Job Category: Operations
Posting Date: 05/20/2025
Job Schedule: Full Time
Locations: 2121 Stephenson Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996, US (On-site)

Job Description
The Operations Director in Parking and Transportation Services supports the Executive Director in overseeing daily operations, including parking, transit, maintenance, enforcement, and special events. The Operations Director leads strategic initiatives, manages budgets and personnel, ensures regulatory compliance, and fosters stakeholder engagement. In the absence of the Executive Director, this position assumes full leadership and operational responsibility for the department.

This role offers a unique chance to significantly impact the daily experiences of students, faculty, staff, and visitors across campus. It combines strategic planning with hands-on operational leadership in a dynamic environment. The position requires innovative thinking to balance efficiency, sustainability, and customer service within the broader mission of higher education. With a focus on mobility, technology integration, and space optimization, it allows professionals to lead initiatives that enhance campus accessibility and service delivery. This role is ideal for someone looking to grow as a leader while contributing to a vital area of university operations.

Ideal candidates excel at being responsive to customer needs and anticipating stakeholder requirements. They provide thoughtful solutions, present options rather than obstacles, and take ownership of challenges through completion. Their meticulous attention to detail ensures high stakeholder satisfaction, as they thoroughly review their work while balancing competing priorities and meeting deadlines. Their greatest strength is empathy toward evolving customer needs. They actively listen to understand underlying concerns, adapt seamlessly to changing requirements, and maintain composure during urgent situations.

Responsibilities
Key Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for daily parking and transportation operations, policy development, and financial oversight.
Supervise and coordinate staffing needs, performance management, and customer service initiatives.
Manage key departmental projects, including technology upgrades, sustainability initiatives, and infrastructure improvements.
Engage with campus departments and external partners to align transportation strategies with university goals.
Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and institutional policies and represent the department in campus and community forums.

Qualifications
Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, Facilities Management, or a related field.
5-7 years of progressive experience in parking, transportation, or facilities management, including 3-4 years of supervisory responsibility.
Proficiency in parking management systems, enforcement operations, and transit coordination.
Demonstrated success in managing personnel, developing policy, and executing operational strategy.
Strong analytical, communication, and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree in Business Administration, Transportation Planning, Public Administration, or related field.
7-10 years of experience in higher education or large institutional environments.
Experience with automated parking systems, LPR technology, TDM programs, and capital construction projects.
Certifications such as PTMP or involvement with industry organizations (e.g., IPMI).
Demonstrated leadership in sustainability or innovation-focused transportation initiatives.

Why UT?

UT is experiencing unprecedented growth across the University. Join a leading public research university dedicated to innovation, operational excellence, and service. The University of Tennessee offers an exceptional work environment, and the opportunity to shape the future of campus mobility.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range $120,000 - 140,000/year DOEQ
Generous leave, accruing up to 24 days of vacation and 12 days of sick leave annually, plus 14 paid holidays and administrative closing days.
Education benefits for employees and their dependents at any UT System campus.
Retirement and deferred compensation plans, including 401(k), 403(b), etc.
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
Find more information on benefits.

To Apply

Formal applications should be submitted via our application portal and include a cover letter, a current resume and contact information for three (3) professional references. To be assured of full consideration, please submit your application and requested materials on or before Sunday, June 22^nd, 2025. Confidential inquiries may be directed to Brooke Swart, Senior Executive Recruiter at bswart@utk.edu.

About Us
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees-the Volunteers-who uphold the university's tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee's flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy's largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices that attract and retain a diverse community and that support a culture where everyone matters and belongs.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as "Best Employer for New Graduates," "One of America's Best Large Employers," and "Best Workplace for Women," and has been designated as "Best Place for Working Parents" by Forbes Magazine.

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!

To apply, visit https://fa-ewlq-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/2905/?mode=location