Executive Director

About GCPD

The Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD) is a special-purpose district created by the Texas Legislature under S.B. 1160, 87th Regular Session, to serve as the non-federal sponsor for the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay (S2G) and Coastal Texas (CTX) coastal storm risk management projects. Partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a 65/35 federal-to-local cost-share, GCPD is responsible for managing nearly $1 billion in state appropriations and coordinating one of the largest coastal infrastructure programs in the nation, protecting millions of people and billions of dollars of assets along the Texas Gulf Coast.

GCPD’s service area covers about 5,220 square miles across Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, and Orange counties.

As non-federal sponsor, GCPD carries full responsibility for operating and maintaining completed works. It signed a Design Agreement with the USACE Galveston District in August 2024 for the Galveston Bay Storm Surge Barrier System, including the Bolivar Roads Gate System. The Legislature has also authorized GCPD to manage coastal barriers, improve seawalls, establish environmental mitigation facilities, and address interior drainage.

GCPD is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors, with one director appointed by the commissioners court of each of the five member counties and six appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, representing Harris County, municipalities, ports, industry, and environmental interests. GCPD is a small, high-impact organization with a lean professional staff.

Position Summary

The Executive Director is GCPD’s chief executive officer, reporting to the Board of Directors and accountable for delivering the District’s share of one of the nation’s largest coastal infrastructure programs on schedule, within budget, and with public transparency.

The Executive Director turns Board policy into action. The role leads the District’s staff and consultants, manages the partnerships with USACE and the District’s state Funding Partner, assembles the non-federal funding, and serves as GCPD’s principal voice with elected officials, member counties, industry, ports, and residents.

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Department: Executive Office

Reports To: Board of Directors

Direct Reports: Senior staff (finance, program management, legal, government affairs, communications) and key consultants

Classification: Full-Time, Exempt (FLSA); serves at the pleasure of the Board

Salary Range: Commensurate with Experience

Location: Houston, Texas, with regular travel across the five counties, to Austin, and to Washington, D.C.

Posting Date: Posting Closes December 4, 2026

Application: Application can be found here. Inquiries should be sent to khanen@abhr.com

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Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Program delivery and federal partnership

• Serve as the District’s lead representative to the USACE Galveston District and Southwestern Division on the Coastal Texas and Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay programs.
• Negotiate, execute, and administer Design Agreements, Project Partnership Agreements, and related cost-share instruments as authorized by the Board.
• Oversee non-federal sponsor obligations, including land, easement, relocation, and disposal-area acquisition, in-kind contributions, and work-in-kind credit.
• Track schedule, cost, and risk across project features such as the Bolivar Roads Gate System and the Galveston Bay Storm Surge Barrier System, and report progress to the Board.
• Plan for long-term operation, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of completed works.

Finance and funding strategy

• Develop and execute a funding plan for GCPD’s 35% cost share, drawing on state appropriations, federal programs, bonds, local revenue, and other sources authorized by Chapter 9502, Texas Special District Local Laws Code.
• Administer the District’s Local Cooperation Agreements with its state Funding Partner, including reimbursement requests, funding drawdowns, and compliance with agreement terms.
• Prepare the annual budget and capital plan for Board approval, in coordination with the Chief Financial Officer, and maintain sound financial controls, audits, and procurement practices.
• Work with financial advisors, bond counsel, and rating agencies on any debt issuance.

Government and stakeholder relations

• Build working relationships with the Texas Legislature, the Governor’s Office, the District’s state Funding Partner, the Texas congressional delegation, and federal agencies.
• Coordinate closely with the five member counties, cities, drainage districts, ports, the petrochemical and energy industry, and environmental organizations.
• Represent GCPD before legislative committees, commissioners courts, and public forums.

Board relations and governance

• Act within authority delegated by the Board and in accordance with Board-adopted policy.
• Advise the Board on policy, strategy, and major decisions, and prepare clear materials for each meeting.
• Ensure compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Public Information Act, Local Government Code Chapters 171 and 176 (conflicts of interest), applicable ethics rules, and the District’s enabling statute.
• Recommend Board policies on procurement, contracting, investment (consistent with the Public Funds Investment Act), and delegation of authority, and administer the policies the Board adopts.

Organizational leadership

• Build and lead a lean, high-performing staff and manage engineering, legal, financial, and communications consultants.
• Set performance standards, a positive workplace culture, and succession plans for key roles.

Public engagement and communications

• Lead a transparent outreach program that explains project benefits, impacts, and timelines to residents, businesses, and media.
• Respond to community concerns, including environmental, navigation, property, and drainage questions.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, public administration, business, finance, law, planning, or a related field.
• At least 15 years of progressively responsible experience, including 7 or more in senior executive leadership.
• Demonstrated success delivering or sponsoring large public infrastructure programs, ideally above $1 billion.
• Working knowledge of federal water resources development, including USACE civil works processes and non-federal sponsor responsibilities.
• Experience working with elected boards and in a public-sector environment subject to open-government laws.
• Track record of securing and managing public funding from multiple sources.

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degree (MPA, MBA, JD, or MS in engineering) and/or a Texas Professional Engineer license.
• Prior leadership of a special district, port, river authority, flood control district, or similar public entity.
• Experience with coastal storm risk management, levee or gate systems, or flood control operations and maintenance.
• Established relationships with Texas state leadership, the Texas congressional delegation, and Gulf Coast stakeholders.
• Experience with public finance, including bond issuance.

Core Competencies

• Strategic vision. Keeps a multi-decade program moving through changes in funding, politics, and project scope.
• Coalition building. Aligns counties, cities, ports, industry, environmental groups, and residents whose interests sometimes compete.
• Political judgment. Works effectively with officials across parties and levels of government while keeping GCPD nonpartisan.
• Financial stewardship. Treats public funds with discipline and explains financial choices plainly.
• Technical fluency. Engages credibly with engineers and USACE on design, risk, and cost without needing to be the engineer of record.
• Integrity and transparency. Models ethical conduct and open communication with the Board and the public.
• Speaks and writes clearly to legislators, technical experts, media, and community audiences.

Working Conditions, Compensation, and How to Apply

The Executive Director works primarily in an office setting, with frequent evening Board and community meetings and regular travel to project sites, Austin, and Washington, D.C. The role carries heightened duties before, during, and after major storm events.

• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a comprehensive background screening, including criminal history, employment verification, and education verification.
• Pursuant to Section 9502.0203(b), Texas Special District Local Laws Code, an individual may not be employed by the District if, within the preceding 24 months, the individual had an interest in, was employed by, or was affiliated with a person who submitted a bid or entered into a contract for a District project.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Retirement benefits through TCDRS (Texas County and District Retirement System).
• 457(b) deferred compensation plan.
• Group life insurance.
• Paid holidays per fiscal year.
• Paid vacation and sick leave accruing from date of hire.
• Paid parental leave.
• Professional development and training opportunities.

How to Apply

Application can be found here. Inquiries should be sent to khanen@abhr.com with the subject line “Executive Director Application - [Your Name].” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. GCPD reserves the right to close the posting at any time once a qualified candidate pool has been established.

The Gulf Coast Protection District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. GCPD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.