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/…

8 paid holidays; 16 days PTO

Benefits and Transportation perks

Employee-ownership

Job summary

Toole Design in Silver Spring, MD is seeking a Principal Planner to lead multidisciplinary teams on multimodal transportation projects, delivering strategic plans and engaging stakeholders to advance safe, inclusive streets and public spaces.

The role emphasizes supervision, mentoring, workload management, and staff recruitment within our collaborative, employee-owned firm. Salary targeted at $120,000–$145,000, with a hybrid schedule and strong benefits.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Lead project teams on complex multimodal transportation projects with strategic oversight.
• Mentor and supervise planners in the Silver Spring office.
• Manage workload and staff utilization; help recruit for the planning team.
• Collaborate with clients, subconsultants, and jurisdictions to deliver projects.

Skills

Public speaking

Leadership

Client relations

Education

Master's degree in urban planning or transportation planning

Job description

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 for our growing planning team.

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.

Requirements

• 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