Assistant Director, Rapid Bus Network Development

Department of Transportation; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Transportation in New York City seeks a City Planner to lead rapid bus network development, overseeing infrastructure projects and coordinating with MTA and city partners. The role emphasizes extensive community outreach, grants management, environmental reviews, budgeting, and staff leadership, with opportunities to present to senior leadership and boards.

Required are a master’s degree in planning or related field and substantial city planning experience in transportation

Qualifications

• Master's degree in relevant field (city planning, urban planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, transportation engineering, public administration, economic development or related)
• Bachelor's degree plus one year of city planning experience
• Equivalent education/experience as described; 30 graduate credits may substitute for one year of experience
• Two additional years of professional experience for Assignment Level III

Responsibilities

• Develop infrastructure‑intensive bus projects with MTA coordination
• Conduct extensive community outreach and public workshops
• Oversee grants to finance projects through federal/state programs
• Navigate environmental review and project development phases
• Manage budgets and track project progress
• Develop designs with other sub‑units and coordinate with MTA on bus services
• Hire, mentor, and develop staff and present executive materials

Skills

Transportation planning

Street design

Transit priority

Communication skills

GIS CAD Adobe

Grant funding

Education

Master's in City Planning

Bachelor's + 1 year experience

Equivalent education/experience

Graduate credits substitution

Job description

*** To be considered for this position, candidate must be serving permanently in the title of City Planner, or be reachable on the open competitive civil service list for Exam No. 5045. ***

Transit Development (TD), within NYC DOT’s Division of Transportation Planning & Management (TPM), is responsible for developing public transit-supportive street infrastructure and policies to improve mobility for all New Yorkers. The unit manages the bus-related components of the NYC Streets Plan, including the Bus Action Plan and transit policy initiatives, and develops location-specific projects to help improve the quality and safety of bus operations and to improve pedestrian access to transit. TD also serves as a resource to the agency on public transit-related matters, including acting as one of the key points of contact with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

TD seeks a highly motivated candidate to help oversee a sub‑unit tasked with developing new and improved rapid bus service in conjunction with MTA to further the goals of the Mayor and the NYC Streets Plan. Reporting to the Deputy Director of the Rapid Bus Network Development team, the successful candidate would work to develop infrastructure‑intensive bus projects that reshape the built environment to bring quality transit service to all New Yorkers. The candidate would assist with oversight of a team that, among other duties: 1) conducts extensive community‑centered and inclusive public outreach; 2) proactively pursues and manages grants to finance projects through competitive federal and state funding programs, including FTA programs; 3) navigates environmental review and project development phases; 4) manages budget and tracks project development; 5) develops designs in coordination with other sub‑units; 6) coordinates with the MTA on bus service concepts and operations; and 7) develops project implementation plan (in‑house and/or capital). The selected candidate would also be expected to help hire, mentor, and develop staff, and to prepare and present executive briefing materials. The candidate would meet extensively with the general public, work with community boards and other public stakeholders in public workshops, presentations, and other settings, including evening and weekend work, and ust by equally effective at communicating technical material and making the case for projects with various audiences.

This is an opportunity to work in a high‑profile, fast‑paced public sector environment with a team dedicated to improving safety, accessibility, and mobility throughout New York City.

The Division of Transportation Planning & Management is responsible for the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods on the City's streets, supporting the larger goals of economic and social vitality for people living, working, and doing business in New York City. The Division’s responsibilities include planning, street design, technical analysis, signs, transit development, freight mobility, and markings, ensuring the safety of motor vehicle occupants, pedestrians, and cyclists.

CITY PLANNER - 22122

Minimum Qualifications

• 1. A master’s degree from an accredited college or university in city planning, urban planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, transportation engineering, public administration, economic development or a related field; or


• 2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and one year of satisfactory full‑time experience in city planning such as in the review and development of housing, transportation, environmental, and city‑owned land planning projects; or


• 3. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience that is equivalent to "1" above. Graduate education in city planning, urban planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, transportation engineering, public administration, economic development or related fields may be substituted for experience on the basis of 30 graduate semester credits from an accredited college or university for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree.


• 4. To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level III, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, two additional years of professional experience as described in "2" above.

Preferred Skills

Extensive experience in transportation planning, street design, or transit‑priority project development, with demonstrated expertise in delivering bus lanes, busways, and other transit‑supportive street treatments strong multimodal street design perspective. Exceptional written, verbal, and visual communication skills are required, including experience presenting to senior leadership, community boards, and elected officials familiarity with design, mapping, or analysis tools such as GIS, CAD, or Adobe Creative Suite is preferred. Experience with federal funding, grants, and environmental review is desirable.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55‑a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55‑a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.