[Hiring] Regional Planner / Program Manager @Boston Region MPO / CTPS

Role Description

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) seeks a Regional Planner/Program Manager to join a forward-thinking and ambitious team of policy and planning experts committed to helping support a safe, reliable, equitable, and resilient transportation system. The core responsibility of this position is to coordinate the development of the document that describes the Boston Region MPO’s transportation planning priorities (called the Unified Planning Work Program or UPWP) with staff, directors, and MPO board members.

The UPWP conveys how certain federal transportation planning funds allocated to the region each year support the MPO’s regional transportation planning efforts toward improving the quality of life and access to opportunity for the people who live and work in the 97 cities and towns in the Boston region.

In addition to coordinating the document development process, the selected candidate will support other MPO work, which may include:

• Developing the region’s Long-Range Transportation Plan
• Conducting equity-related research and analysis that aims to increase transportation access for underserved and underrepresented population groups
• Researching emergent transportation planning issues and best practices to support the MPO’s planning and decision-making processes

Qualifications

• At least three years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience in urban or regional planning, transportation planning, civil or environmental engineering, public policy, program or project administration, environmental science, or another field that would support the candidate’s ability to carry out the above responsibilities
• A bachelor’s degree in a similar field may substitute for two years of professional experience
• A master’s degree in a similar field may substitute for the professional experience
• Strong project management, organization, and analytical skills—both qualitative and quantitative
• Ability to prepare clear and concise reports
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to facilitate inclusive dialogue with diverse stakeholders, including those with differing opinions
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• Excellent written and verbal presentation skills and the ability to effectively communicate to a variety of audiences, including boards of directors, elected officials, technical staff, and members of the public
• Proficiency in working with spreadsheets and databases
• A professional commitment to working toward transportation equity, environmental sustainability, climate resiliency, safety, and economic vitality
• Attention to detail and to applying quality-assurance procedures to all products and activities

Requirements

• Familiarity with regional and local transportation issues in the Boston region
• Processes and practices of MPOs
• Federal transportation legislation, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
• Spatial analysis and map production using ESRI’s ArcGIS software

Benefits

• This is a full-time position and the starting salary range is $65,000 - $80,000 annually, contingent upon qualifications and experience
• The agency offers excellent Massachusetts state employee benefits
• A flexible, supportive work environment
• A commitment to ongoing professional development