The search is underway for an executive director of the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).
The MPO is a regional transportation planning entity comprised of local communities and transportation agencies in the Greater Des Moines region. The Des Moines Area MPO maintains the region’s long-range transportation plan and has invested more than $75 million in local transportation projects over the past five years. The MPO has also served as a launching pad for regionally significant projects such as the Des Moines Transload Facility.
“The MPO is excited to start a new chapter with its next executive director,” said Bob Andeweg, Mayor of Urbandale and Chair of the MPO Policy Committee (board of directors). “We have the privilege of working on long-lasting, impactful projects on behalf of the region, we have more big things on the horizon, and we have well-qualified team of staff to execute the region’s vision. We look forward to joining forces with an executive director who has the confidence of our board and staff in continuing the fulfillment of the MPO’s important mission.”
The executive director will have the opportunity to help guide several important planning efforts. These include an update to Mobilizing Tomorrow, the region’s long-range transportation plan, which will help shape $80 million in upcoming investments. They also include the development of a comprehensive safety action plan for the region, which aims to eliminate serious injuries and deaths from the region’s transportation network.
The MPO Policy Committee and Search Committee are working with a local team of Cassandra Halls of 2 THE TOP and Diana Deibler of Deibler & Company to lead the search. A new job description was developed utilizing input from the representatives of the MPO’s Policy Committee and Transportation Technical Committee, as well as from staff. The job posting will be open through Friday, January 26. Additional details including the job description and position announcement with details on how to apply are below. The executive director is anticipated to start in April.
The MPO Policy Committee and the previous executive director parted ways by mutual agreement in 2023. Since then, the organization has been operating with Interim Executive Director Dylan Mullenix at the helm.