Director, Public Arts and Design (Public Art Program)

LA Metro

LA Metro

Salary $120,993.60 - $181,459.20 Annually

Location Los Angeles, CA

Job Type Regular Employee

Cabinet CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OFFICE

Opening Date 05/07/2025

Closing Date 5/21/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

FLSA Exempt

Bargaining Unit Non-Contract

Metro’s mission is to provide a world-class transportation system that enhances the quality of life for all who live, work, and play within LA County.

Description

Directs and administers quality management and construction of assigned capital projects and related planning, percent for art, design, asset management and/or public engagement programs and initiatives.

The position will lead the integration of public art into a range of transit capital projects, curate impactful arts programs, and develop innovative arts partnerships and community engagement initiatives.

Recruitment Timelines: Interviews are projected to be scheduled for the week of June 2nd, 2025. These dates are subject to change. We encourage you to monitor your governmentjobs.com profile and emails for the latest updates.

NW

Metro is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, age, veteran status, or disability. Learn more about Metro’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program. Metro does not deny participation in the application process to anyone with prior justice system involvement, in line with Fair Chance hiring practices.

Responsibilities

Examples of Duties

  • Develops and implements policies and procedures for the planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling of assigned major construction projects associated with public art and design

  • Formulates and implements strategies, procedures, and guidelines promoting the enhancement of the visual quality of the transit system

  • Plans, organizes, and supervises arts and outreach programs

  • Manages the public arts aspect of large-scale and highly visible capital and operating projects to ensure that expenditures are on-time and under budget

  • Coordinates transit design and construction activities with utilities, public and private organizations, and other individuals

  • Develops quality control and curatorial standards and oversees the conservation and maintenance of artworks in the transit system

  • Directs the development of Requests for Proposal/Qualifications (RFP/RFQ) and oversees artist selection processes/procurements

  • Oversees preparation of final design documents, bid forms, pre-bid conferences, and evaluation of received proposals

  • Negotiates, develops, and manages complex contractor/consultant contracts, including technical reviews of bids, materials, milestones, and schedules

  • Manages coordination of complex projects between structural civil engineers, architects, landscape architects, lighting designers, safety personnel, and artists

  • Negotiates scope of work and associated costs for Design Services (DS) consultants and Construction Management Support Services (CMSS) consultants

  • Oversees the Design Services consultants and Construction Management Support Services consultants in the execution of DS and CMSS

  • Ensures contracted work is on schedule, within budget, and complies with technical and legal requirements

  • Reviews architectural designs of major transit development construction projects

  • Develops design criteria for artwork materials, finishes, and placement within the Metro system

  • Interfaces with design professionals to ensure quality and integrity of design projects

  • Assists in negotiating with contractors regarding changes to design, construction work scope, and schedules

  • Interfaces with other internal departments and serves on various task forces to provide technical advice on artwork and design features

  • Prepares technical analysis of complex art project budgets and bids, including comparative pricing and overall fair price analysis of art projects

  • Supervises preparation of public information materials with Metro Design Studio and Marketing

  • Prepares and presents reports to management, Board, outside agencies, and the public

  • Researches applicable laws and regulations

  • Coordinates contractual matters with County Counsel, including copyright and artist’s rights issues

  • Communicates and implements safety rules, policies, and procedures in support of the agency’s safety vision and goals; and maintains accountability for the safety performance of all assigned employees

  • Contributes to ensuring that the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and programs of Metro are carried out

May be required to perform other related job duties

Special Conditions

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Metro provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions

  • Close exposure to computer monitors and video screen

  • Sitting at a desk or table

  • Operate a telephone or other telecommunications device and communicate through the medium

  • Type and use a keyboard and mouse to perform necessary computer-based functions

  • Walking (distance 5’ to 100’)

  • Good distance vision and/or depth perception to judge distances

  • Color recognition (e.g., distinguishing wires, resistors, containers, light signals, etc.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

A typical combination includes:

Education

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Art, Architecture, Design, Transportation and/or Urban Planning or Design, Arts Administration, or a related field; Master’s Degree in a related field preferred

Experience

  • Five years of relevant management-level experience in public art, design, and construction of capital projects and related public engagement initiatives, or closely related

Certifications/Licenses/Special Requirements

  • A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions

Preferred Qualifications

Experience leading and delivering high visibility, large scale percent-for-art capital projects in public places

  • Experience curating and implementing a range of impactful transit related art exhibition programs

  • Experience leading arts programming partnerships with major arts organizations and cultural institutions

  • Experience leading procurements of artists services and managing compliance with artist rights, artwork licensing agreements, copyright and intellectual property requirements

  • Experience managing, evaluating and providing guidance to staff, artists and contractors

Knowledge of

  • Transportation design, construction methods, practices, and processes

  • Concepts, practices, and procedures of architecture, environmental design, navigational schemes, user interaction, industrial design, urban planning and design, landscape architecture, and materials and fabrication techniques and processes

  • Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and funding governing the design and construction of capital projects for a public transit agency

  • Art law, artist moral rights, and copyright issues

  • ADA standards and foreign language requirements

  • Theories, principles, and practices of project planning, budgeting, and cost estimating

  • Public sector procurement, contracting, budgeting, and accounting processes

  • Financial and analytical methods/processes

  • Modern management theory

Skill in

  • Developing and implementing policies and procedures for the planning, organization, coordination, and control of major construction projects

  • Planning, organizing, and directing the total activities of a design and construction department for a large public agency

  • Reading and analyzing architectural/construction drawings and specifications

  • Analyzing contract requirements and developing construction strategies

  • Resolving legal and contractual issues

  • Determining strategies to achieve goals

  • Analyzing situations, identifying problems, recommending solutions, and evaluating outcomes

  • Exercising sound judgment and creativity in making decisions

  • Negotiating consensus solutions

  • Communicating effectively orally and in writing

  • Communicating design concepts and construction scenarios effectively to the public and elected officials

  • Interacting professionally with various levels of Metro employees, the Board of Directors, elected officials, and outside representatives

Ability to

  • Demonstrate/communicate an overall appreciation of quality design and construction methods in the built environment

  • Direct and oversee external consultants

  • Negotiate contract terms and monitor multiple contracts to ensure compliance with schedule, budget, and specifications

  • Represent Metro before the public

  • Plan financial and staffing needs

  • Prepare comprehensive reports and correspondence

  • Think and act independently

  • Be innovative in leveraging limited resources

  • Make financial decisions within budget

  • Understand, interpret, and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, contracts, budgets, and labor/management agreements

  • Supervise, train, and motivate assigned staff

  • Read, write, speak, and understand English

How to Apply

Selection Procedure

Applicants who best meet job-related qualifications will be invited to participate in the examination process that may consist of any combination of written, performance, or oral appraisal to further evaluate job-related experience, knowledge, skills and abilities.

Application Procedure

To apply, visit Metro’s website at www.metro.net and complete an online Employment Application.

Computers are available to complete online Employment Applications at the following Metro location:

METRO Headquarters, Employment Office

One Gateway Plaza

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Telephone: (213) 922-6217 or persons with hearing or speech impairments can use California Relay Service 711 to contact Metro.

All completed online Employment Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the closing date. Late applications will not be considered.

*Open to the public and all Metro employees

This job bulletin is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Employees may be required to perform other related job duties.

Employer Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CA)

Address

One Gateway Plaza

Los Angeles, California, 90012

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lametro

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Posted on May 8