Principal Planner

Toole-Design-Group; Silver Spring (MD); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedule with in-office team

Employee-ownership

Paid time off & holidays

Competitive salary & benefits

Job summary

Toole Design is seeking a Principal Planner in Silver Spring, MD to lead multimodal transportation projects and mentor the planning team. The role focuses on safety, livability, and accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users, with oversight of budgets, schedules, and client relations.

Ideal candidates have 15+ years of transportation planning experience in the Mid-Atlantic, strong leadership skills, and a track record of delivering public-sector projects and winning work.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in urban planning or transportation planning (AICP preferred).
• 15+ years of transportation planning experience in Mid-Atlantic/DMV region.
• 4+ years supervising staff and teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead project teams on complex multimodal transportation projects.
• Provide strategic oversight and ensure high-quality deliverables.
• Mentor planners and help recruit for the growing planning team.

Skills

Public speaking

Written communication

Client relationships

Business development

Education

Master's degree in urban planning, transportation planning or related field

AICP preferred

Job description

Design streets and public spaces that connect people. At Toole Design, our multidisciplinary teams are creating safer and more accessible streets, trails, parks, civic spaces, and mobility networks. We're looking for a Principal Planner to join our team in Silver Spring, MD.

Why You'll Love Working Here

We are an employee-owned, purpose-driven team of engineers, planners, landscape architects, and urban designers who believe streets and public spaces should work for everyone. At Toole Design, you'll work alongside thought leaders and industry experts who are committed to mentoring and helping you grow your expertise. We offer:

• A collaborative, inclusive culture that supports your growth and advancement
• Hybrid schedule with in-office team days (Tuesday–Thursday)
• 8 paid holidays; and at least 16 days of PTO accrued annually
• Competitive salary, excellent benefits, and transportation perks: Benefits and Support
• Projects that truly improve lives through safe, inclusive design rooted in ethics, empathy, and equity
• Employee-ownership, so we all share in the success we build together -- and the financial security that comes with it

What You'll Do

Our Silver Spring office is truly interdisciplinary: urban designers, landscape architects, planners, and engineers work side by side to tackle issues from multiple perspectives. Our projects focus on improving safety, livability, and accessibility for people walking, biking, and taking transit. We work on projects across the design spectrum, from high-level systemwide planning and visioning to final engineering designs.

Our planning team's diverse portfolio includes Vision Zero Action Plans, Active Transportation Plans, Trail Planning, Safe Routes to School projects, Urban Design and Placemaking projects, and supporting multiple transportation planning and design on-call contracts for area jurisdictions. We regularly collaborate on projects with our offices and colleagues in the Mid-Atlantic and across the country.

As a Principal Planner, you'll lead project teams on complex and impactful multimodal transportation projects, providing strategic oversight and ensuring the delivery of high-quality work. You'll help reinforce our firm's reputation as trusted experts and engage with a broad range of stakeholders to create impactful plans that build momentum towards positive change in communities. You'll help supervise and mentor planners in the Silver Spring office, manage workload and staff utilization, and help recruit forour growing planning team.

What You Bring:

• Master's degree in urban planning, transportation planning or a related field; AICP preferred
• 15+ years of transportation planning experience in the Mid-Atlantic, ideally the DMV region
• 6+ years at a private consulting firm managing and delivering public-sector projects and business development
• 4+ years of supervisory experience, including staff management, coaching, and professional development
• Extensive knowledge of multimodal transportation planning practices
• Proven track record managing complex projects (clients, subconsultants, schedules, budgets) delivered on-time and on-budget
• Experience winning work: client relationships, business development, proposals, and interviews
• Excellent written, verbal, and public speaking skills

We are targeting a salary range of $120,000 to $145,000 for this position.

Questions, assistance or accommodations? Contact [e-mail] or call 301-927-1900, press 5.

At Toole Design, we foster a collaborative culture and welcome people of all backgrounds to help build more inclusive communities. We strongly encourage women and applicants from underrepresented communities – people of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, first-generation college students/graduates, those with disabilities and people at all the intersections in between – to apply. We're proud that about half our managers are women and we are committed to diverse leadership that reflects the communities we serve. Toole Design is a woman-owned, equal opportunity employer (EO/AA/VEV/Disabled employer).

For more information about Toole Design, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook.