Principal Transportation Planner

Prince William County Government; Woodbridge (VA); Hybrid; USD 83,000 - 139,000; Full time

Job summary

Prince William County's Department of Transportation & Capital Construction is seeking a Principal Transportation Planner to lead and expand county-wide transportation planning efforts, review development proposals for consistency with plans, and serve as a liaison to regional agencies.

The role requires a bachelor's in a relevant field, a minimum of 7 years' experience, and strong communication and analytical skills to manage multiple projects and deliver high-quality planning solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., urban/ transportation planning).
• AICP or PTP certification preferred.
• 7+ years of urban/regional or transportation planning experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deliver timely results.

Responsibilities

• Oversee planning studies and updates for County transportation plans.
• Review development proposals for consistency with plans and policies.
• Represent the Department at local, regional, and state planning forums.
• Coordinate with transportation agencies and act as liaison to multiple bodies.
• Lead and expand transportation planning efforts within the County.
• Provide technical planning assistance on development cases and studies.
• Manage specialized planning projects and communicate recommendations to officials.
• Present to Planning Commission, Board of County Supervisors, and others.

Skills

Transportation planning

Project management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in urban planning/transportation planning

AICP or Professional Transportation Planner certification preferred

Job description

The Department of Transportation & Capital Construction is looking for a dynamic individual who wants to join a high- performing team of professionals to improve the quality of life for the community through planning, engineering, and building of multimodal transportation facilities.

If you are a motivated, hardworking individual who has a passion for improving mobility, the Department is searching for a Principal Transportation Planner to work in our Planning Section.

Duties focus on overseeing planning studies and updates and reviewing development proposals for consistency with County transportation plans and policies. Other responsibilities include representing the Department and County at local, regional, and state planning forums, as well as coordinating with other transportation or transit agencies. This highly responsible position functions as the County liaison and subject matter expert in transportation and mobility planning matters to other Departments, County agencies, the Federal Government, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the Transportation Planning Board (TPB), the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), Virginia Railway Express (VRE), and other regional and sub-regional agencies.

This is a key employee within the largest and most successful locality-led transportation construction program in the Commonwealth. This position provides an opportunity to see your direct impact on the community, while utilizing your transportation planning skills in a diverse and exciting work environment.

About This Role:

The successful candidate will offer their excellent technical, communication, and organizational skills to support the transportation planning functions of the County’s collaborative Department of Transportation & Capital Construction. We are looking for someone that takes ownership of their work and has a sense of pride in their assignments to ensure that work tasks are performed both timely and accurately.

As the Principal Transportation Planner, the chosen candidate will review and participate in the update of various long-range transportation plans for compliance with County priorities, the Comprehensive Plan, the Strategic Plan, and relevant policies and regulations; lead and expand development of the transportation planning efforts in the County; provide technical planning assistance focusing on review of development cases and review of transportation/traffic studies or plans; manage specialized planning projects; formulate and communicate transportation recommendations to staff, appointed and elected officials; and represent the Department atPlanning Commission, Board of County Supervisors, and other transportation-related meetings.

This position will provide planning and technical solutions to complex mobility problems and challenging situations and work diligently with other County agencies and community groups to achieve the County and Departmental vision and goals.

Minimum Requirements:

The position requires a High School diploma or G.E.D. and 7 years of related experience in urban, regional, or transportation planning or closely related field. The selected individual must have exceptional written and oral communication skills, provide excellent customer service, and have solid technical and analytical skills. The successful candidate must be enthusiastic and passionate about planning and improving Prince William County’s multimodal transportation network. Excellent work ethic, ability to prioritize workload efficiently, creativity in planning solutions, and the drive to proactively learn and contribute to the achievements of our team are essential for the success of this position. This person will work under the direct supervision of the Transportation Planning Manager.

Preferences:

The successful candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (e.g., urban planning, transportation planning, transportation engineering, public administration) is preferred.

• AICP or Professional Transportation Planner (PTP) Certification is preferred.

• The professional skills required to perform analytical duties, thorough and effective problem-solving, critical decision making, excellent communication skills, the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and adjust priorities and projects as necessary

• The ability to work independently or lead a small team; and

• The ability to provide prompt and effective customer service to various stakeholders.

Work Schedule:

Standard business hours (in office) and occasional night meetings. Some telework is typically available after initial 3 months.

Special Requirements:

This position will require the ability to operate a government vehicle to attend various meetings and forums throughout and outside the County.

Starting Salary Range

$82,777.50 - $139,288.50