Description: Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) seeks a General Manager responsible for the leadership, management, and administration of WTA, including accomplishing WTA’s mission and vision, as established by the Board of Directors.

Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) provides public transportation services throughout Whatcom County which is in the northwest corner of Washington State. Located just south of the Canadian border, Whatcom County (population 229,000) is made up of several rural communities and smaller towns, as well as the City of Bellingham (population 90,000), the county seat, and home to WTA’s headquarters. With its proximity to Mt. Baker, beautiful Puget Sound and the world-renown San Juan Islands, it is an extremely desirable place to live and work. With 15,000 students, Western Washington University (WWU) is the largest employer in Bellingham, as well as a major contributor to Bellingham’s liveliness and culture. WWU students account for 40 percent of WTA ridership.

WTA’s services include fixed routes, paratransit service and a vanpool program. The agency is composed of seven divisions: Finance, Fleet & Facilities, Human Resources, Information Technology, Marketing & Community Relations, Operations, and Planning. WTA has an operating budget of $37.2 million and employs about 270 FTEs. In 2019, WTA provided 4.6 million fixed route boardings.

Duties and Responsibilities: Working under the direction of a 10-member Board of Directors, the General Manager is responsible for the leadership, management, and administration of WTA, including accomplishing WTA’s mission and vision, as established by the Board of Directors. The General Manager supervises the Finance Director, Fleet and Facilities Director, Human Resources Director, IT Director, Operations Director, Planning Director, Marketing and Community Relations Manager, and an Executive Assistant II.

Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree in a job-related field of study from an accredited four-year college or university is required, along with 5 years of leadership and management experience in a public or private agency. The selected candidate will have a thorough knowledge of all aspects of public transportation service delivery and labor relations experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to perform the essential functions of the job will be considered. A graduate degree in business, public administration, or a related field is preferred.

Application Procedure: For a complete position profile/full job description and to apply online, visit Prothman at https://www.prothman.com/, click on “Open Recruitments” and then click the position title. To apply, click on “Apply Online” and follow the directions provided. For questions, call 206-368-0050. WTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.