Provide leadership and oversight for a diverse portfolio of applied transportation research projects spanning multiple subject areas.
Manage selected complex or high-profile research projects personally, including contractor oversight and delivery of final products.
Ensure research activities meet TRB and National Academies standards for rigor, relevance, objectivity, and usefulness.
Identify cross-project risks, dependencies, and opportunities; implement corrective actions as needed.
Advise the Deputy Director on portfolio performance, emerging issues, and resource needs.
Team Leadership & People Management
Provide direct supervision to approximately 5-6 professional staff, including senior-level project managers.
Assign work, set priorities, and balance workloads across the team's portfolio.
Establish clear performance expectations and hold staff accountable for results.
Conduct performance evaluations and support professional development and succession readiness.
Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture.
Program Execution & Strategic Alignment
Translate division and program priorities into integrated work plans for the team.
Exercise independent judgment in resolving operational, project, and personnel issues.
Escalate only strategic, fiscal, or reputational risks to the Deputy Director.
Contribute to program planning, process improvement, and operational decision-making.
Governance & Volunteer Leadership
Provide senior-level support to volunteer committees and research panels, including facilitation of discussions and resolution of issues.
Navigate consensus-driven environments involving diverse technical and institutional perspectives.
Ensure compliance with TRB and National Academies governance, ethics, and conflict-of-interest requirements.
Sponsor & Stakeholder Engagement
Serve as a primary point of contact for sponsors and stakeholders on assigned portfolios.
Lead project-level and portfolio-level briefings, reviews, and follow-up discussions.
Address sponsor concerns and contractor issues independently within delegated authority.
Coordinate with the Deputy Director on sensitive or high-impact matters.
Communication & Collaboration
Prepare executive-ready written materials, including project summaries, briefing notes, and decision memos.
Communicate clearly and authoritatively with staff, volunteers, contractors, sponsors, and leadership.
Collaborate across CRP teams and TRB units to support integrated program outcomes.
Operational & Administrative Effectiveness
Oversee project tracking, reporting, and documentation for the team's portfolio.
Ensure effective use of project management systems and collaboration tools.
Identify and implement improvements to workflows, project management practices, and team processes.
Requirements
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of cooperative or committee-driven research programs and familiarity with transportation research sponsors and policy environments.
Understanding of the National Academies' mission, structure, and culture.
Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage complex portfolios and competing priorities.
Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
Ability to negotiate funding and manage high-risk or complex research initiatives.
Ability to train, develop, and support staff.
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Benefits
Vision insurance
Additional Information
Job Description Summary:
** NOTE A COVER LETTER IS REQUIRED FOR CONSIDERATION **
The Senior Team Leader provides senior-level leadership and management for a team of professional staff responsible for delivering a complex and diverse portfolio of cooperative transportation research projects. The position combines advanced people leadership, portfolio-level accountability, and hands-on management of high-visibility research projects.
Reporting to the Deputy Director, the Senior Team Leader exercises substantial independent judgment in managing staff, overseeing project portfolios, resolving complex issues, and engaging with volunteers and sponsors. The role is accountable for ensuring research quality, operational effectiveness, and timely delivery across multiple topic areas, while aligning team activities with division priorities.
The Transportation Research Board (TRB), a division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, provides leadership in transportation innovation through objective, evidence-based research and convenes experts from government, industry, and academia to address complex transportation challenges. Within TRB, the CRP are applied research programs-including NCHRP, ACRP, TCRP, and BTSCRP, and others-that develop practical, implementable solutions to current and emerging transportation issues through stakeholder-driven research and collaboration.
Job Description:
Nas · Keck Center