Project Manager - Transportation Planning

HNTB; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated project manager to join their Des Moines office. This role is pivotal in managing transportation planning projects, focusing on local and state highway projects while also supporting Midwest and national clients. Candidates should possess a degree in a relevant field and have experience in traffic and safety analysis. The position involves leading project teams, managing budgets, and ensuring client satisfaction. If you are passionate about transportation planning and want to make a significant impact, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Experience in Iowa DOT and local municipal transportation planning.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Manage transportation and traffic planning projects throughout their lifecycle.
• Develop project scope, fee quotations, and assist in preparing technical proposals.

Skills

Project Management

Traffic Analysis

Safety Analysis

Communication Skills

Budget Management

Education

Degree in Civil Engineering

Degree in Traffic Engineering

Degree in Transportation Planning

Tools

VISSIM

Synchro/SimTraffic

Highway Capacity Manual

Highway Safety Manual

Job description

What We're Looking For

Join our Des Moines, IA office and be an integral part of our growing transportation planning practice. We are seeking a team-oriented project manager with experience in Iowa DOT and/or local municipal transportation planning, as well as traffic and safety analysis. While the primary focus will be on local and state highway and transportation projects, the candidate will have opportunities to support our Midwest and national clients through our Central States Office and firmwide transportation planning practice.

Preferred candidates will hold a degree in Civil Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Transportation Planning, or a related field. This role supports traffic, safety, and transportation planning projects across various applications, from intersections to multi-state corridors. Candidates should have experience with traffic operations analysis using Highway Capacity Manual methodologies and traffic modeling software such as VISSIM, Synchro/SimTraffic, and HCS. Experience with detailed safety analysis using Highway Safety Manual methodologies is a plus. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential for supporting all aspects of project development and delivery.

This position involves managing transportation and traffic planning projects throughout their lifecycle, including developing scopes, technical sections of proposals, and procurement documents, participating in contract negotiations, and overseeing project delivery to ensure quality, timeliness, budget adherence, and client satisfaction in line with HNTB’s 4 for 4 performance goals.

The role requires proactive management of project budgets, schedules, technical requirements, contractual obligations, and client communications. It involves high-level technical tasks, report and plan reviews, and coordination with internal and external partners, including cross-disciplinary teams, to address and resolve design-related issues.

What You'll Do:

1. Develop project scope and fee quotations; assist in preparing technical proposals and contracts following HNTB's Sophisticated Contracting Approach (SCA).
2. Serve as the primary client liaison, managing project teams to deliver scope, schedule, and budgets, ensuring client satisfaction. Assist with project scoping and contract negotiations.
3. Lead the preparation of design documents, technical plans, and project reports.
4. Implement the firm’s project delivery plan using HNTB's Sophisticated Delivery Approach (SDA). Lead project management efforts and supervise team members to meet project objectives.
5. Coordinate staffing for projects, including recruitment, hiring, development, retention, and performance reviews.
6. Partner with Client Service Leaders and pursuit teams to support business development, build client relationships, and pursue strategic projects. Prepare proposal and presentation materials, lead proposal development, and conduct industry and community presentations.
7. May be responsible for staff recruitment, development, retention, and performance management, including succession planning.
8. Manage project teams for strategic projects, ensuring successful project execution.