Jim Sinnette

Experience

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  Federal Highway Administration

  Jan 1983 - Jan 1985

  Cooperative Education Student

  As a Cooperative Education Student, had four temporary assignments in the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division while attending the University of Maryland: the Construction Office, the Bridge Inspection Office and 2 assignments in the Project Development Office.

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  Federal Highway Administration

  Jan 1986 - Jan 1986

  Civil Engineer

  Worked in a Plans Specifications and Estimate (PS&E) design squad in the Project Development office for the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division. Prepared plans, special contract requirements, and Engineer's Estimates.

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  GPI / Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.

  Jan 1986 - Jan 1987

  Junior Engineer

  Prepared site development plans, utility plans, stormwater management plans, and sediment and erosion control plans for private developments in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

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  Federal Highway Administration

  Jan 1987 - Dec 2020

  Spearhead multidisciplinary teams of 14 members across financial and policy, management programs and analysis, and travel policy and procedures platforms. Oversee financial grants, internal controls, technical support, government audits, and proper implementation of government travel regulations within FHWA.Deliver evaluations and vital performance reports to 52 division offices and headquarter program offices. Manage full lifecycle of key projects ranging from audits and procedural streamlining to policy updates, improvements in risk controls, and re-staffing of Office of Financial and Management Programs.Select Accomplishments:• Facilitated identification of potential risk areas for improper payments via multidiscipline approach to identifying and correcting root causes - reducing improper payments from 2.2% to 0.9% in one year. • Coordinated partnership with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ (AASHTO) Build America Transportation Investment Center (BATIC) Institute – delivering six regional peer exchanges involving 26 State Departments of Transportation focused on optimizing knowledge-sharing.• Achieved Administrator’s Team Award from FHWA Executive Director for excellence in teamwork, streamlining conference approval process for new FHWA guidance on travel policy. Show less Coordinated team in development of FHWA policies for financial, grant, and internal controls management. Led support of Departments of Transportations (DOTs) and FHWA staff with focus on improving financial management practices. Provided technical review and assistance on highway reauthorization activities.Select Accomplishment:• Recognized with award for comprehensive multidiscipline guidance and best practices to help FHAW division offices implement key funds management principles for oversight of federal funding recipients. Show less Orchestrated full lifecycle of 100+ major active projects nationally, ranging in cost from $500M to over $6B. Ensured operational readiness by working with FHWA field offices as well as major public and private project sponsors on establishing up-to-date PM and annual financial plans, risk and cost reviews, management policies, and training for field team.Completed six-month task as Acting Director of FHWA’s Office of Innovative Program Delivery – leading 28 multidisciplinary team members and controlling over $3M. Briefed FHWA Administrator and Executive Director on status of Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) projects, US DOT’s Build America Bureau, FAST Act highway program reauthorization legislation, and tolling programs.Select Accomplishments:• Woodrow Wilson Bridge replacement across Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia.• Chicago Regional Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program encompassing public and private rail companies.• Miami Intermodal Center at Miami Airport included construction of rental car facility, people mover, rail station, and roadways.• San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Seismic Retrofit, encompassing heavy rail construction.• Denver’s I-25/I-225 Southeast Corridor – a large design and build project with light rail.• Construction of Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport Consolidated Rental Car Facility.• Developed performance measures for cost and schedule estimates, improving process and impacting 100+ active major projects – resulting in cost improvements in completed major projects from averaging over 8.2% over budget to 1.8% under budget in four years. Show less Teamed with Division Administrator in leading 16 multidisciplinary staff members assigned to diverse projects while overseeing $500M annual federal aid program. Liaised with Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) as well as external partners such as Arkansas State Highway Commission, trade groups, elected officials, and public. Took on Division Administrator position for three months.Select Accomplishments:• Headed delivery of $15M discretionary grant to Razorback Regional Greenway in Northwest Arkansas for construction of pedestrian and bike network. Selected by Office of Secretary of Transportation to receive Secretary’s Partnership for Excellence Award from pool of staff organization-wide.• Selected by Arkansas Division Administrator to coordinate Every Day Counts (EDC) program, working with State DOTs, private, and additional stakeholders on improving project delivery through deployment of proven innovations – including Warm Mix Asphalt and Safety Edge within state and local transportation agencies. Show less National expert in the development and evaluation of federal-aid policies related to major projects. Provided overall management, review and monitoring of the engineering and financial aspects of major projects and provided technical assistance and services to HQ, Division Offices, State DOT’s and other external partners. Provided technical and policy comments on Project Management Plans and Financial Plans to ensure that they were in compliance with FHWA guidance. Led cost estimate reviews for major projects with other FHWA, State and local participants. Show less Held various Team Leader positions in the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD) of the FHWA. As Programs Team Leader, responsible for the management of the National Park Service (NPS) portion of the EFLHD Design and Construction Program.As the Planning Team Leader, responsible for managing the preparation of Engineering Studies, coordinating transportation planning studies, working with Federal Lands Highway (FLH) headquarters office in the preparation of transportation planning regulations, and being the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) Program Coordinator for EFLHD.As the Environmental Planning Team Leader, responsible for EFLHD’s environmental compliance activities. Show less I administered A/E design projects in the A/E Branch of Technical Services for the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD). I reviewed and prepared comments on Plans Specifications & Estimate (PS&E) packages and support documents for all stages of highway design. I represented EFLHD in field reviews, resolution meetings, public meetings, and A/E negotiations. My duties also included monitoring the A/E's progress by reviewing invoices and progress reports to ensure that the contract and budget requirements were being satisfied. I reviewed Contract statements of work and A/E design fee estimates and I prepared Contract Modifications and independent Government estimates. I also served on Selection Boards for the procurement of A/E Firms. Show less

  • Acting Director, Office of Financial Management and Programs

    Jan 2019 - Dec 2020

  • Financial Management and Policy Team Leader

    Jan 2017 - Jan 2019

  • Project Delivery Team Leader, Major Projects Team Leader

    Jan 2012 - Jan 2017

  • Assistant Division Administrator

    Jan 2009 - Jan 2012

  • Highway Engineer

    Jan 2003 - Jan 2009

  • Various Team Leader Positions

    Jan 1993 - Jan 2003

  • Highway Engineer

    Jan 1987 - Jan 1993
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  Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

  Jan 2021 - now

  Program Manager - Transportation