Examples of Duties:

The Principal Planner position is responsible for managing core planning and development functions as assigned, including a wide variety of professional and technical analysis, reporting, and compliance activities in accordance with transit, mobility, and transportation demand management activities. Work includes responsibility to prepare important plans and reports that are supplemental to the agency's Metropolitan Transportation Plan. Position activities include coordination with external and internal stakeholders in ensuring information is accurate. Work requires applying a wide range of technical and professional transit and urban planning knowledge to work activities, which include funding existing systems and new transit options in Central Ohio. The position will manage planning projects that include contractors, consultants, and internal employees for the Mobility team.

Typical Qualifications:

• Knowledge of the principles, best practices, and techniques of transportation planning and engineering.
• Effective communication skills (both written and verbal) demonstrated experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods, strong statistical and analytical skills, and an understanding of various data collection and visualization methods.
• The ability to use phone, computer, and participate in meetings in person and virtually.
• Oversee the 5310 Designated Recipient Program.
• Monitor federal regulations to assure compliance with 5310 guidance.
• Ensure the subrecipients are complying with all federal guidelines including Title VI
• Lead evaluation of all 5310 applications.
• Manage partnerships with ODOT and FTA Region 5.
• Administer MORPC's DOT TrAMs reporting and user management.
• Oversee the Transit Planner in development and administration of the 5310 programs.
• Lead Interregional Connections and Passenger Rail Initiatives.
• Assist in the development of interregional transportation projects.
• Manage the intercity passenger rail program and long-range studies with Amtrak/FRA.
• Monitor local, state, and federal laws towards mobility, safety, and funding guidance.
• Manage and coordinate the development and operations of Transportation Demand Management and Mobility Management Programs.
• Guide the development and implementation of the Transportation Demand Management Strategic Plan.
• Oversee the Mobility Manager in the development of the Regional Mobility Plan (RMP) and Franklin County specific plans.
• Participate in professional and leadership development opportunities.
• Partake in the Ohio Public Transit Association (OPTA) and American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
• Assist in strategic planning opportunities for the department.
• Continually advance leadership skills.

Acceptable Experience and Training:

• Completion of a Bachelor's degree in City and Regional Planning, Engineering, Economics, Public Administration, Political Science or comparable subject matter from an accredited college or university.
• Applicants with additional accreditations and advanced degrees in appropriate fields of study are given preference in the application process.
• A minimum of two years of related work experience is required.

Essential Functions:

• Lead development of the LinkUS initiatives.
• Monitor federal and state regulations to ensure compliance and consistency.
• Lead project manager for the agency on all LinkUS initiatives.
• Participate in public meetings and workshops to collaborate with local officials, agencies, districts, groups and the public to advance transit projects and programs.
• Utilize existing plans including corridor concepts, MTP, and housing strategy to promote metrics and actionable items.
• Assist with MPO Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and CORPO Transportation Plan (CTP) related tasks relating to active transportation and safety.
• Review local active transportation and safety planning activities and assist with identification of candidate projects.
• Assist in strategy and project development as they relate to Active Transportation and Safety.
• Assist with other tasks as needed for MTP & CTP development.
• Guide County Connections Playbook Activities.
• Coordinate with COTA on the development of a county connections playbook to support integrations with surrounding transit agencies and providers.
• Assist in the development and maintenance of comprehensive transit plans, programs, and related studies.
• Participate in the county meetings with stakeholders and the public to initiate feedback.
• Provide project management to surrounding transit agencies to implement suggestions coming out of the playbook.
• Assist in design, implementation and evaluation of passenger or public surveys.
• Participate in system route analysis, identifying opportunities for system performance improvement.
• Short- and long-range planning.
• Assist in the development of the transit initiatives of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan.
• Provide technical support for any transit and/or mobility initiatives in the Central Ohio region.
• Ensure transit compliance with Transportation Improvement Program process.