Initial Posting Date: 08/21/2026
Application Deadline:09/10/2026
Agency:Department of Transportation
Salary Range:$7,537 - $11,098
Position Type:Employee
Position Title:Strategic Initiatives Advisor
Job Description:Operations & Policy Analyst 4 - Strategic Initiatives AdvisorOregon Department of TransportationDelivery and Operations Division - Region 1Policy & DevelopmentPortland / HybridThe role: In this highly visible role, you will serve as the primary staff and advisor for the region's Policy & Development Manager. You will undertake special initiatives related to transportation policy and projects and represent the agency on various committees and multi-agency efforts. In addition, you will coordinate
major cross-disciplinary initiatives and help find resolutions to various challenges related to project development. This job calls for a flexible, entrepreneurial and collaborative approach and someone who can see possibilities and multiple paths to desired outcomes.
A day in the life:- Develop policy and strategy options for unique issues and evaluate and recommend the best course of action.
- Identify and track projects and initiatives designed to advance the agency mission and goals.
- Organize and guide multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional policy group and team projects that deal with complex and politically sensitive issues.
- Serve as the regional liaison to external and internal efforts and standing groups and provide support for ODOT advisory committees.
- Respond to priority requests from state and agency leadership, the legislature and outside agencies, including evaluating proposed legislation.
- Help evaluate grant funding and political support requests made by outside parties.
- Prepare and conduct briefings and presentations to committees and elected officials.
- Develop and maintain communication materials such as reports, presentations, handouts and talking points.
- Take on ad hoc assignments from section and regional leadership as needed.
- Work is primarily performed in a typical office environment with frequent phone and in-person contact.
- This position requires the ability to work flexible hours to accommodate early morning or evening meetings and occasional travel is required. Hybrid work options are available.
- To request a copy of the position description, which includes all duties and working conditions, please email [email protected]
What's in it for you:- Work/life balance, 11 paid holidays a year, flexible work schedules, paid leave and so much more. Learn more about working at the Oregon Department of Transportation and the benefits we offer.
- Comprehensive and equitable base salary offer within the listed range. Through an equal pay assessment, we will determine the salary offer using the information you provide in your submitted application materials. Please ensure your application materials are detailed, accurate and reflect your skills, experience (paid and unpaid) and education as they relate to the position when applying.
- The salary range listed is the non-PERS monthly salary range. If you are already a participating PERS member or once you become PERS eligible, the salary range will increase by 6.95%.
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunity!
Want to know about new job postings? Subscribe to receive weekly email notifications!Minimum qualifications:Any combination of experience and education equivalent to eight years of experience in transportation planning, public policy or a similar field
ORA bachelor's degree in public policy, urban planning, business or public administration, behavioral or social sciences, finance, economics, political science or any degree demonstrating the capacity for the knowledge and skills; and five years professional-level evaluative, analytical and planning work.
Special qualifications:Driving is an essential function of this position. You must have a valid U.S. driver license and an acceptable driving record. We will conduct pre-employment driving records checks on our final candidate(s). Your license does not have to be issued in Oregon to be considered.
What we'd like to see:If you have these attributes, let us know in your application materials! It's how we will choose whom to move forward! You do not need to have all these qualities to be eligible for this position. We may also use transferable skills, experience and education to help us decide who will move forward.
- Demonstrated experience in the analysis and writing of transportation policy.
- Experience with regional politics and the process of influencing multi-agency decision making, including being comfortable engaging senior agency staff and elected officials.
- A history of developing innovative solutions and working collaboratively.
- Experience as a project manager working in a demanding environment.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently under changing conditions with conflicting deadlines.
How to apply: - Complete the following required steps:
- Fill out the application or attach a resume. Please contact the recruiter under the 'Need help?' section if you have any questions about how to fill out the experience fields or to attach a document. Your submitted experience fields or attached resume must include dates (MM/YYYY) for each employer.
- Attach a cover letter. Your cover letter should clearly demonstrate how your experience and training relates to the qualities that you have under the "what we'd like to see" section above.
- Your cover letter must be limited to no more than two (2) pages.
- Please address your cover letter to Chris Ford, Policy & Development Manager.
- Generic cover letters that do not address the qualities that you have under the "what we'd like to see" section may receive lower scores than those that addressed the desired qualities.
- You must upload your cover letter in the 'Resume/Cover Letter' section of the application.
- Complete questionnaire. Answer the checkbox-style questions before submitting your application.
- After you submit your application, please respond to the public records request authorization and gender identity questionnaire. This screen will come after you submit and will complete the process. If you are a current State of Oregon employee, the tasks will come to your Workday inbox.
- If you are a veteran or Oregon National Guard servicemember, you may receive preference. The task to upload your documents will be available after you submit your application. For privacy reasons, please do not attach your military service document(s) to your application or combine it with any other required document attachments.
Need help?Additional information:- We do not offer visa sponsorship. If you are hired, you will be required to fill out the US Department of Homeland Security's I-9 form confirming you are able to work in the US. We are not an E-Verify participating employer, and we are unable to proceed if E-Verify participation is required [e.g., STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) Extension].
- The State of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance or graduation dates from an education institution during the application process.
- We may use this recruitment to fill multiple or future vacancies.
- We will conduct name-based criminal background checks on final candidates, not including current ODOT employees. All applicants may be subject to additional pre-employment check(s) such as driver license, LEDS (Law Enforcement Data System), and/or education verification as required for the position.
- You will become part of the state's management team.
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