Transportation Planner job in Sammamish

CITY OF SAMMAMISH POSITION DESCRIPTION

POSITION TITLE............ Transportation Planner

DEPARTMENT.............. Public Works

DIVISION..................... Traffic

REPORTS TO................ Deputy Director

FLSA STATUS................ Exempt

SALARY RANGE............ $91,880 - $125,745 per year (Grade Q)

GENERAL FUNCTIONS

The City of Sammamish is a young but growing city with more than 63,000 residents. It is located on the eastern shore of Lake Sammamish, approximately 12 miles east of Seattle. Public Works is seeking an experienced Transportation Planner who is motivated, team oriented, a great communicator, and wants to join a fun and growing department. Managing traffic and relieving congestion are extremely high priorities of the City Council, residents and business owners. This position will be instrumental in helping to create and implement the City’s first Transportation Master Plan and working with our regional transit partners to find solutions to meet the City’s vision and goals for its transportation network and mobility.

Under the supervision of the Deputy Public Works Director, this senior level Transportation Planner will develop policies and make recommendations to department and executive management. This position will act on behalf of and represent the priorities and interests of elected officials and the department on a variety of cross-functional and department teams with an emphasis on significant programs and regional transportation projects. The successful candidate requires extensive knowledge of transportation and traffic engineering and planning principles, practices, and procedures. Assignments are carried out with considerable latitude for independent judgement and action to fulfill the City's transportation and traffic policies, programs and project objectives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Analyze transportation policies, identify problems and potential solutions, evaluate alternatives, recommend policies, plans, and projects, prepare reports of findings, and ensure implementation of proposed solutions.

Serve on behalf of the City in regional transportation meetings and presentations to discuss transportation policy development; reviews policies, plans and regulations of other jurisdictions to assure consistency with City policies.

Act as project manager/coordinator for significant transportation programs and regional projects by establishing, monitoring, and facilitating the project work plans, schedules, and budgets to ensure the project initiatives are completed on time.

Perform professional transportation planning, research, and analysis for local and regional transportation plans to meet the City’s transportation goals and objectives.

Brief and advise the Mayor, Council and Department Heads on major transportation policies, which involve long-term impacts to the City, regional partners, and the public.

Participate in transportation, consultant selection process, negotiate scope of work, monitor conformance to contracts, review, approve work products, and approve payments to consultants.

Provide professional technical input to engineering and planning staff; collaborate with other professional staff to ensure engineering and design meets federal, state, and city codes and department requirements.

Answer inquiries, analyze issues, review available data, and respond to the public and regional agencies on transportation policy and planning issues; provide information and recommendations.

Deliver formal presentations to the public, government agencies, community groups and elected officials; regularly provide information through informal communications with public, government agency staff and elected officials.

Take leadership of and/or provide direction to staff; ensure resolution of problems; and establish and maintain a working environment conducive to positive morale, individual style, quality, creativity, and teamwork.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND SKILLS

Knowledge of:

Transportation and traffic policy development and implementation.

Project management.Urban transportation planning, especially in areas transitioning from rural to urban.Transit Planning and operations.Transportation and traffic engineering practices.Current and future trends, innovation and issues that may impact local government’s ability to proactively incorporate them into an efficient and safe transportation system.

Ability to:

Provide clearly written, accurate documents in lay terms, facilitate meetings to intended outcomes, and make compelling formal oral presentations.Work collaboratively with large diverse teams and manage complex projects to meet scope, schedule and budget.Apply knowledge and understanding of urban transportation and traffic planning principles and practices, including transit to provide practical solutions that meet priority needs.Interpret and make recommendations regarding engineering proposals and designs.Communicate with and work effectively with community, stakeholders, staff and elected officials in developing, adopting and implementing transportation policies.Manage diverse teams and delivery of complex transportation projects and programs.Synthesize all aspects of urban transportation and traffic planning principles and practices (streets, transit, non-motorized, and the relationship to land use planning).Practical understanding of transit and nonmotorized design and operations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree in public policy, public administration, engineering, architecture, urban planning, or related field and minimum of five (5) years of professional transportation planning experience.Master's degree and public policy development and implementation experience preferred.Any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.Skilled in using Microsoft Office software specifically, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Good driving record and possession of a valid Washington State Driver’s license, or ability to obtain one within one month of hire is required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Work is predominately performed indoors in an office environment. Occasional driving to other locations and attendance at evening meetings may be required. The work requires sitting, talking and hearing; frequently requires the use of hands to fingers, handling writing instruments, computers and office supplies, which require repetitive arm wrist and hand movement. Occasionally, requires standing and reaching with arms and hands, climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, bending or crawling. May require occasional lifting, which would not exceed 20 pounds.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing this job. The noise level in the work environment is moderately noisy. Work is performed indoors, with prolonged periods of sitting. Work on weekends, evenings or holidays may be required.

DISCLAIMER

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

THE CITY OF SAMMAMISH IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER