Planner IV – Long Range

About the role

The Planner IV reports directly to the Manager, Cross-Agency Transit & Mobility. This position partners with senior leadership and is responsible for assigned work involving planning, developing, and implementing planning processes for long-range projects. Assigned projects may include development of long-range transit plans, major investment studies, environmental analysis, preliminary engineering studies, and other related activities. Duties also include regional planning coordination, federal grant support for the regional Transportation Improvement Plan, the Regional Transportation Plan, and related activities, including grants management from application to closeout.

This position leads and manages capital planning exercises with Planning leadership’s guidance and approval for capital transit projects, including development of alternatives, technical and financial analysis of alternatives for the federal grants process and application, and environmental impacts of projects required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other federal regulations. Additional duties may include creating materials for CapMetro Planning leadership to develop project funding scenarios, complete alternative analysis, preliminary engineering, and environmental studies necessary for capital projects, including the Project Connect program.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Planning & Program Duties
  • Lead initiatives to evaluate, design, implement, and communicate community-beneficial programs.
  • Manage and advance long-range planning studies, including financial scenario modeling, environmental assessments (EA/EIS), preliminary engineering, and related analyses.
  • Collaborate with internal stakeholders, institutional partners, business, and community leaders to develop consensus-driven, cost-effective, and responsive planning solutions.
• Analysis, Forecasting & Decision Support
  • Develop and lead complex analytical efforts regarding planning, operations, infrastructure, and organizational initiatives.
  • Produce ridership modeling, capital and financial forecasts, and prioritization frameworks to inform Planning leadership decision-making.
  • Create strategic regional mobility planning materials supporting financial, operational, asset, and infrastructure decisions across services (e.g., fixed route, on-demand, facilities).
• Project Management, Budgeting & Operations
  • Develop and manage capital and operating budgets, including procurement processes from initiation through closeout, invoice review, and financial tracking.
  • Lead tasks related to Planning efforts for project delivery for major initiatives (e.g., Project Connect), collaborating cross-functionally to proactively resolve issues and ensure successful implementation.
• Communication & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Prepare executive-level correspondence, reports, and decision-making materials for internal leadership, external partners, developers, and government entities.
• CapMetro Support & Other Duties Assigned
  • Support Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Safety Management Systems (SMS) process by ensuring staff follows safety and security policies, considers safety in every action, and reports safety and security concerns.
  • Perform other position-related duties as required and/or assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban or Regional Planning, Transportation Planning, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geography, or a relevant discipline. Related experience may substitute for educational requirements on a year-for-year basis for up to four years.
• Master’s Degree preferred. Relevant Land Use, Economic Development, or Real Estate specialties are preferred.
• Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in the transit planning field, including project management experience and two (2) years of experience in presentations to public groups and governing boards.
• Three (3) or more years of supervisory or lead project/program-related experience, with responsibility for staff oversight, workload management, and day-to-day operational decision-making preferred.

Skills

• Experience with reaching legally binding agreements with private developers, local government entities, community interests, and similar entities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build collaborative relationships, deliver professional presentations, and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Advanced proficiency with database and office productivity programs (MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint).
• Advanced proficiency with ARC GIS and mapping analysis tools.
• Ability to apply strategic thinking and sound judgment to support agency goals, service delivery priorities, and organizational decision-making.
• Expert-level project management skills.
• Strong business acumen and agency representation.
• Leadership, accountability, and oversight for planning staff, work products, and day-to-day business operations.
• Extensive experience in interpreting and applying federal, regional, state, and local transportation planning regulations, funding programs, and grant requirements.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Work is generally performed in an office environment with minimal exposure to unpleasant and/or hazardous working conditions. This position works with multiple project timelines and is responsible for managing employees performing work of a complex nature. Incumbent must be able to stand and sit frequently throughout an eight-hour period, reach vertically for overhead use as well as horizontally. Must be able to use a telephone or headset equipment. Incumbents must be able to lift and move material weighing up to 20 lbs., perform work at a computer terminal for 6-8 hours a day, and function in an environment with constant interruptions. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Schedule

As a Hybrid position, onsite presence is guided by team collaboration needs, customer and front-line team member interactions, and role responsibilities. People leaders will set expectations for onsite presence; however, incumbents are generally encouraged to work 8 to 12 days in office per month. Mobility status is subject to change at any time based on business needs or organizational decisions.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. All applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.