Contents

PART II (ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS)

Chapter 12 (Office of Professional and Corporate Development)

1. What is the mission of the Office of Professional and Corporate Development? Improves the quality of the Nation’s transportation system by sharing knowledge, best practices, and innovations both within FHWA and throughout the transportation community through training, education, knowledge management, and distributed learning. Facilitates the continuous improvement of FHWA's programs, processes, and products in response to customer needs. Serves as the FHWA’s expert on program reviews and evaluations, organizational quality and continuous improvement techniques, and knowledge management.

2. What are the functions of the Office of Professional and Corporate Development?

   1. Advocacy. To instill a climate of learning, development and continuous improvement, serves as an advocate for and promotes training and continual learning, workforce development, knowledge sharing, technology transfer, best practice identification and exchange, and process improvement. Champions organizational quality, knowledge management, analysis and use of data for program assessment, and enhancement of our relationships with our partners and customers.

   2. Strategic Planning. Develops a strategic vision, goals, and objectives for many of the crosscutting corporate objectives of the Agency, and for the professional development of FHWA and the highway community. In the area of organizational excellence, develops and implements initiatives to advance DOT and FHWA strategic goals and objectives, the Agency Performance Plan, professional and Corporate Management Strategies, and other priority crosscutting initiatives. Through a collaborative process with the Office of Human Resources and other organizations, identifies available resources and develops a coordinated budget to serve as the basis for allocating budget authority within FHWA for advancing the Agency’s professional development strategies.

   3. Outreach and Consultation. Works closely with FHWA Headquarters and field offices, and partners and customers, to ensure open and continuous coordination and cooperation in the advancement of the Quality Cornerstones (Leadership; Strategic Planning; Customer and Market Focus; Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management; Human Resource Development and Management; Process Management; and Business Results), training and learning, technology transfer, knowledge sharing, and the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information. In cooperation with FHWA Headquarters and field offices, provides and maintains ongoing communication links with FHWA’s stakeholders to seek their feedback. Develops and coordinates mechanisms for obtaining and responding to customer feedback, e.g., customer satisfaction surveys. In collaboration with the Office of International Programs, works with customers and partners internationally in the area of training and learning.

   4. Quality and Continuous Improvement. Initiates system and process improvements to continually improve the quality of programs, products, and services. Provides advice and assistance to FHWA offices on performing quality self-assessments, as well as promoting programs, processes, and training that result in better customer satisfaction, improved quality, and organizational performance.

   5. Program Review and Evaluation. Coordinates and assists FHWA Headquarters and field offices in conducting evaluations, and/or special surveys of FHWA programs, policies, and operations to identify best practices and opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Provides for the dissemination of this information throughout the Agency, as well as through training and knowledge sharing. Initiates special reviews at the request of the Office of the Administrator.

   6. Process Management and Assistance. Provides training, guidance, and assistance to Headquarters and field offices in the analyses of processes and the application of both sound business principles and best practices in reengineering for continuous improvement.

   7. Information and Analysis. Serves as an organizational proponent for agency-wide use of information and analysis to support quality assessments and program reviews. Assists the organization in identifying appropriate information, processes, and tools.

   8. Workforce Development. Focuses efforts on attracting, training, developing, and retaining the Nation’s transportation workforce. Assesses the current state of, and works with FHWA’s partners to meet the training needs of, the Nation’s current and future transportation workforce. Within FHWA, works as a coordinating partner in setting the strategic direction for developing FHWA’s leaders, technical expertise and multi-disciplinary workforce.

   9. Technology Transfer. Serves as FHWA’s lead office regarding the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) and its tribal component, i.e., the Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP). Primarily through the LTAP Centers and the National Highway Institute, and in coordination with the FHWA Resource Center, works with other FHWA offices to transfer new technologies to State, local, and tribal agencies, metropolitan planning offices, and other transportation professionals. Supports the Office of International Programs in obtaining information on technological and innovation programs abroad, promoting U.S. transportation expertise and increasing technology sharing between the U.S. and the international community.

   10. Knowledge Management and Transfer. Champions and facilitates the development of processes and systems that leverage sharing FHWA knowledge assets corporately and across the highway community. Works with Headquarters and field offices, and customers and partners, to foster communities of practice, expertise location, and other knowledge management concepts to capture, exchange, and evaluate corporate and legacy knowledge, highway community best practices, and state-of-the-art technologies. Continuously monitors cross‑cutting team results and information exchange media to foster a corporate culture of shared knowledge and continuous learning. Works with NHI, LTAP and other Agency training initiatives to leverage knowledge management concepts for enhanced learning.

   11. Innovation. Explores new ideas and concepts in support of organizational excellence and learning. Develops and maintains knowledge of training technology and innovations to enhance learning and development. Develops and assesses strategies for enhancing the Agency’s learning environment and evaluates new technologies to help advance professional skills and capacity.

   12. National Highway Institute. Manages the NHI and, in cooperation with the highway community, develops and administers educational, training, and technical assistance programs for the FHWA, State, local, and foreign highway employees, as well as private sector members of national and international organizations. Provides technical training and assistance to FHWA’s Headquarters and field offices and to State and other non‑Federal employees. Assists FHWA’s Headquarters and field offices in developing and delivering NHI courses, including certification of trainers, cataloging and scheduling of courses, and establishing overall program standards. Uses multiple venues for training including distance learning, web-based training, and partnerships with other organizations to deliver knowledge to the transportation community

   13. Partnerships and Formal Agreements. Provides a focal point within FHWA to reach out to external organizations to establish partnerships for learning and professional development throughout the transportation community. Establishes and promotes forums and partnerships for learning/training, technology transfer, and workforce development. Manages FHWA’s formal partnership agreements with numerous national-level associations, in coordination with the appropriate FHWA offices, and ensures the professional development aspects of the partnership agreements are implemented. Manages all Agency corporate memberships with professional associations.

   14. Universities and Colleges Programs. Promotes student and faculty understanding and interest in the transportation industry and transportation-related fields. Serves as FHWA’s lead office regarding the University Transportation Centers Program. Administers the Dwight D. Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program for the Department of Transportation. In coordination with FHWA’s Office of Human Resources, assists students in locating programs and resources to enable them to pursue transportation-related interests and education.

3. The Associate Administrator for Professional and Corporate Development provides executive direction over the activities of the following organizational elements:

   • Office of Professional and Corporate Development, including the National Highway Institute