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Location: Riverside, CA | Schedule: Full-time, exempt, primarily on-site with regular field travel

Overview

A heavy civil construction firm serving Southern California is seeking an experienced Traffic Control Manager to lead daily traffic control operations across multiple active roadway, utility, and infrastructure projects. This hands-on operations leadership role blends dispatch and scheduling with regular field oversight to ensure crews perform safely and in compliance with Caltrans, California MUTCD, and project-specific requirements.

What you'll do

• Manage daily traffic control operations across multiple active heavy civil and infrastructure projects
• Dispatch traffic control crews, trucks, signs, arrow boards, message boards, and other equipment based on daily project requirements
• Develop and coordinate daily crew schedules and equipment assignments
• Adjust manpower, equipment, and assignments in response to callouts, schedule changes, emergency work, and changing field conditions
• Communicate job scope, traffic control requirements, schedules, and site-specific instructions to Foremen and Crew Leads
• Track crew locations, start and stop times, equipment movement, and daily job status
• Coordinate lane closures, flagging operations, detours, temporary traffic control, and work-zone setups
• Review Traffic Control Plans (TCPs) and ensure field installations comply with approved plans
• Conduct regular field visits to evaluate crew performance, safety, productivity, and traffic control compliance
• Verify proper placement and maintenance of signs, cones, barricades, channelizers, temporary barriers, and other traffic control devices
• Coordinate traffic control operations around active roadway, utility, grading, paving, concrete, and heavy civil construction activities
• Communicate with contractors, customers, agency representatives, inspectors, and field personnel regarding project-specific traffic control requirements
• Coordinate with Superintendents and Project Managers regarding upcoming work, lane closure requirements, manpower, and equipment needs
• Identify staffing shortages, equipment conflicts, scheduling issues, and operational risks before they impact project execution
• Collect and review crew timecards, field reports, work orders, and daily documentation for accuracy
• Assist with incident reporting and documentation when required
• Ensure company safety procedures and traffic control standards are consistently followed
• Support emergency and priority traffic control requests when necessary
• Mentor Foremen, Crew Leads, and traffic control personnel to improve field performance and operational consistency

Required qualifications

• 5+ years of traffic control operations experience
• Strong knowledge of traffic control plans, lane closures, work zones, detours, and flagging operations
• ATSSA Traffic Control Supervisor (TCS) certification required
• Strong working knowledge of California MUTCD, Caltrans Standards, Traffic Control Plans, WATCH Manual, and Work-Zone Safety Requirements
• Strong understanding of traffic control operations supporting active heavy civil construction
• Proven ability to dispatch and coordinate multiple crews and equipment simultaneously
• Ability to make quick operational decisions as schedules and field conditions change
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with field crews, contractors, inspectors, and clients
• Ability to speak, read, and write English
• Valid driver's license required
• Must be willing to work early mornings, nights, weekends, and varying schedules when project requirements dictate
• Out-of-town assignments and occasional overnight stays may be required
• Strong experience with crew dispatching, workforce scheduling, equipment coordination, traffic control plans, lane closure operations, flagging operations, temporary traffic control, work-zone safety, crew leadership, field operations, emergency response, equipment tracking, daily field reports, timecard review, customer coordination, and agency and inspector coordination
• Strong understanding of traffic control requirements associated with Caltrans and California public works construction, including California MUTCD requirements, Caltrans Standard Plans, Caltrans traffic control requirements, lane closure procedures, temporary traffic control devices, construction area signs, flagging procedures, detours and road closures, pedestrian traffic control, work-zone safety, and traffic control plan implementation
• Must successfully complete applicable pre-employment requirements, including background screening, drug testing, and a post-offer physical examination

Preferred qualifications

• Previous experience in a Traffic Control Manager, Traffic Control Supervisor, Dispatch Manager, Operations Manager, or similar leadership position preferred
• Experience supporting traffic control operations for Caltrans projects, heavy highway construction, roadway and freeway improvements, underground utility construction, water, sewer and storm drain, asphalt paving, earthwork and grading, structural concrete, bridge and structure construction, lane closures, road closures and detours, public works, municipal infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, and emergency traffic control
• ATSSA Traffic Control Designer (TCD) certification
• Flagger Certification
• OSHA safety training
• First Aid / CPR
• Previous Caltrans project experience
• Previous heavy civil construction experience
• Prior traffic control dispatch experience
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred

Compensation and benefits

• Company vehicle provided

Why this role

This is an opportunity to take direct ownership of traffic control operations supporting challenging heavy civil, Caltrans, roadway, utility, paving, grading, and infrastructure projects throughout Southern California, with hands-on responsibility for crew deployment, field execution, safety, equipment coordination, and operational performance alongside experienced heavy civil construction teams.