Senior Transportation Planner

We are pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for a Senior Transportation Planner to join the CCTA team. This recruitment will remain open until filled. The Authority has adopted a Flexible Work Site Policy to allow for a hybrid work schedule. However, during your 6-month probationary period you will be required to work in the office Monday through Thursday to build relationships and better understand the Authority’s culture. The anticipated first review of applications will be held during the last week of May. 

The Senior Transportation Planner supports developing, updating, and implementing the Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP), the Authority’s long-range vision for transportation in Contra Costa County. The CTP establishes a vision for a safe, connected, accessible, and multimodal transportation future that supports mobility, sustainability, and economic vitality throughout Contra Costa County. This position assists in the implementation of the Measure J Growth Management Program and the State-required Congestion Management Program. The duties range from developing new transportation plans and initiatives, working with the Regional Transportation Planning Committees (RTPC) to develop subregional Action Plans, and coordinating with local jurisdictions to develop or update the Authority’s plans and policies. The Senior Transportation Planner reports directly to the Director, Planning.

Specific Functions and Responsibilities

Countywide Transportation Plan

• Support the development, updates, and implementation of the Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP), the Authority’s long-range transportation vision for Contra Costa County.
• Translate CTP goals, strategies, and policies into actionable programs, initiatives, and implementation plans.
• Coordinate with local jurisdictions, Regional Transportation Planning Committees (RTPCs), transit agencies, and regional partners to advance CTP priorities and implementation strategies.
• Monitor progress toward CTP goals using performance measures and key performance indicators, and prepare implementation progress reports.
• Support development of funding strategies and prioritization of projects consistent with CTP goals and investment priorities.
• Identify emerging trends, technologies, and policy opportunities and integrate them into future CTP updates and planning efforts.
• Support development of blueprint strategies, corridor studies, and policy initiatives aligned with the CTP.
• Assist in preparing presentations, reports, and materials for Authority Board, committees, and stakeholders related to CTP updates and implementation.
• Coordinate with internal departments to ensure alignment between planning, programming, and project delivery consistent with the CTP.
• Support stakeholder engagement and public outreach efforts related to long-range transportation planning and the CTP.

• Assist the Director of Planning in maintaining, updating, implementing, and interpreting the policies and procedures of the Growth Management Program (GMP) through the Authority’s Implementation Documents, and prepare revisions in response to legislative and policy changes.
• Update the CTP by analyzing existing and forecast changes in demographics and travel patterns and their effects on the multimodal transportation system; identify new or revised goals, policies and actions to better address these changes; and outline a program of implementation activities to carry out the CTP recommendations.
• Work with the RTPCs to update their Action Plans for Routes of Regional significance.
• Organize and staff Authority advisory committees and working groups assigned to address specific technical and policy issues.
• Support other plans and studies needed to carry out the purposes and goals of Measure J and its GMP.
• Assess local compliance with the GMP through management of the Measure J GMP Checklists Compliance process and coordinate the Checklist approval process; work with the Authority’s advisory committee as assigned and local jurisdictions for review of the GMP Compliance Checklists and compliance issues.

Congestion Management Agency

• Work with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to help ensure that the needs and perspective of Contra Costa is reflected in MTC plans, policies, and programs; this work includes serving on various advisory committees and preparing comments and recommendations on potential and proposed MTC policies.
• Administer funding allocation programs, including those that use various federal funds that relate to non-motorized transportation needs such as the One Bay Area Grant program or others that may replace it.
• Manage consultant resources for ongoing congestion management updates and specific projects, as needed.
• Conduct other research and public outreach.

Other Duties

• Maintain and refine the Comprehensive Transportation Project List (CTPL) and related database to support both the CMP and GMP.
• Assist, as needed, in public outreach, including preparing outreach documents, making presentations to citizens and local agencies, and responding to questions from the public.
• Assist with selection of projects and coordination of projects funding and implementation in conjunction with the Projects department.
• Develop and review CEQA related documents and address CEQA process issues.
• Provide information for Authority Board and Committee meetings and attend, as required.

The Senior Transportation Planner has experience in multimodal transportation planning studies, transportation impact analysis of land use projects, performance-based planning, consultant management, and demonstrated ability to work within a complex and diverse public sector environment. Excellent communication skills are essential for the position. The Senior Transportation Planner is required to have in-depth knowledge and experience in the following areas:

• Principles and practices of land use planning, transportation planning, and transportation engineering;
• Conducting transportation planning effort, including corridor plans, transit studies, and active transportation project coordination;
•  Developing policy recommendations and staff reports for consideration by decisionmakers;
• Familiarity with project management and contract management principles, including developing requests for qualifications/proposals documents, the consultant procurement process, and Federal contracting rules;
• Familiarity with transportation-based performance measures, including VMT-based metrics for roadways, transit, bicycles and pedestrians, among other ways of measuring the user experience including development of Key Performance Indicators, data collection, measurement, and reporting;
• Federal, State, and local roles and requirements in transportation planning and funding;
• Understanding of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) relative to transportation planning and project and environmental (EIR/EIS) review processes;
• Providing technical assistance supporting local jurisdictions in land use planning with assessments of transportation impacts and development of appropriate mitigation;
• Ability to collect, analyze and interpret demographic, travel demand and other transportation-related data;
• Ability to work closely with a variety of more than 20 local and regional agency staff persons, including elected officials;
• Facilitation and support of cooperative, integrated, multi-jurisdictional planning efforts;
• Being solutions-oriented in order to effectively address the changing landscape of transportation, and the ability to address problems as they arise, in an independent working environment; and
• Proficiency with standard computer spreadsheet, word processing, database software, cloud- based solutions, and familiarity with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and travel demand forecast modeling software.

• BA/BS degree in transportation planning, transportation engineering, urban planning or related field from an accredited college.
• Six (6) years of experience in transportation, land use planning or related field.
• Familiarity with CEQA and NEPA desirable.
• Professional certification desirable, e.g., American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

For the Authority and the employee to function effectively, the individual in this position must possess the following attributes:

• The ability to (1) work in a dynamic environment requiring timely responses to changing circumstances; (2) function effectively under the pressure of recurring deadlines; (3) prioritize workload; and (4) exercise sound judgment;
• The ability to exercise tact, diplomacy and courtesy in working with members of the general public, Authority Board members, other government officials, professional and technical colleagues and staff;
• Excellent customer service skills and diplomatic demeanor;
• Good presentation skills;
• Excellent negotiation skills;
• Proficiency with standard computer programs including word processing, spreadsheets, database and internet access;
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Self-motivated;
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally, both verbally and in writing; and
• Maintains high ethical standards in personal behavior.