Regional Planner / Program Manager

Boston-Region-Metropolitan-Planning-Organization; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

The Boston Region MPO seeks a Regional Planner/Program Manager to coordinate the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and support the MPO's policy and planning agenda across 97 communities.

The role also includes assisting with the Long-Range Transportation Plan, equity research, and emerging planning issues, with a strong emphasis on transportation equity, sustainability, and safety.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of relevant urban/regional planning or related fields.
• Bachelor’s degree may substitute for two years of experience.
• Master’s degree may substitute for professional experience.
• Strong project management and analytical skills (qualitative and quantitative).
• Ability to prepare clear and concise reports.
• Strong relationship-building and inclusive dialogue with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently.
• Excellent written and verbal presentation skills.
• Proficiency with spreadsheets and databases.
• Commitment to transportation equity, environmental sustainability, climate resiliency, safety, and economic vitality.
• Attention to detail and QA procedures.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the UPWP document with staff, directors, and MPO board members.
• Structure and develop a cohesive annual regional planning work priorities document.
• Work with the finance team to include budgetary information.
• Ensure alignment with the MPO’s vision, goals, and federal/state requirements.
• Support UPWP Committee meetings: agendas, summaries, materials.
• Develop proposals for transportation planning studies and projects with various stakeholders.
• Evaluate and select studies and projects for UPWP.
• Provide policy, process, and technical support for MPO planning activities.

Skills

Project management

Analytical skills

Report writing

Stakeholder engagement

Team collaboration

Spreadsheets & databases

Policy & planning understanding

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

ArcGIS

Job description

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) seeks a Regional Planner/Program Manager to join a forward-thinking and ambitious team of policy and planning experts committed to helping support a safe, reliable, equitable, and resilient transportation system. The core responsibility of this position is to coordinate the development of the document that describes the Boston Region MPO’s transportation planning priorities (called the Unified Planning Work Program or UPWP) with staff, directors, and MPO board members.

The UPWP conveys how certain federal transportation planning funds allocated to the region each year support the MPO’s regional transportation planning efforts toward improving the quality of life and access to opportunity for the people who live and work in the 97 cities and towns in the Boston region.

In addition to coordinating the document development process, the selected candidate will support other MPO work, which may include developing the region’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, conducting equity-related research and analysis that aims to increase transportation access for underserved and underrepresented population groups, and researching emergent transportation planning issues and best practices to support the MPO’s planning and decision-making processes.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with agency staff and directors, and MPO board members to collect information that will lay the groundwork for establishing the annual regional transportation planning work priorities for the Boston Region MPO
• Structure and develop a document that presents a cohesive picture of the work that the MPO plans to engage in each year
• Work closely with the finance team to include key supporting financial and budgetary information
• Ensure that this document supports the MPO’s transportation vision, goals, and objectives and is in full compliance with federal and state requirements
• Support meetings of the MPO’s UPWP Committee by developing agendas, writing meeting summaries, preparing necessary materials, and maintaining relationships with UPWP Committee members
• Work with MPO board members, state agencies, transit agencies, municipalities, members of the public, advocates, staff, and other interested parties to develop proposals for transportation planning studies and projects
• Work with the MPO board and relevant committees to evaluate and select studies and projects for incorporation into the UPWP
• Provide policy, process, and technical support for other MPO planning activities

While the following sections describe required and desirable qualifications, candidates who believe that their particular experience and skills fulfill the requirements are encouraged to apply.

Required qualifications include the following:

• At least three years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience in urban or regional planning, transportation planning, civil or environmental engineering, public policy, program or project administration, environmental science, or another field that would support the candidate’s ability to carry out the above responsibilities
• A bachelor’s degree in a similar field may substitute for two years of professional experience.
• A master’s degree in a similar field may substitute for the professional experience.
• Strong project management, organization, and analytical skills—both qualitative and quantitative
• Ability to prepare clear and concise reports
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to facilitate inclusive dialogue with diverse stakeholders, including those with differing opinions
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• Excellent written and verbal presentation skills and the ability to effectively communicate to a variety of audiences, including boards of directors, elected officials, technical staff, and members of the public
• Proficiency in working with spreadsheets and databases
• A professional commitment to working toward transportation equity, environmental sustainability, climate resiliency, safety, and economic vitality
• Attention to detail and to applying quality-assurance procedures to all products and activities

Knowledge of the following is desirable:

• Familiarity with regional and local transportation issues in the Boston region
• Processes and practices of MPOs
• Federal transportation legislation, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
• Spatial analysis and map production using ESRI’s ArcGIS software

This is a full-time position and the starting salary range is $65,000 - $80,000 annually, contingent upon qualifications and experience. The agency offers excellent Massachusetts state employee benefits; a flexible, supportive work environment; and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

Additional Information

The Boston Region MPO is a public agency made up of a passionate group of transportation planners, analysts, modelers, programmers, and engineers working to address the Boston region’s transportation challenges. The agency’s deep transportation knowledge is an essential asset to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), regional transit authorities, cities and towns within the region, as well as other agencies and stakeholders.

The agency has a hybrid schedule, combining time in the office with remote work. Employees must reside within a commutable distance from the Boston Region MPO office, which is located in downtown Boston, in a transit-oriented and bicycle-friendly area.

Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the United States.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the fiduciary agent and legal employer of the Boston Region MPO staff. Both organizations are Equal Employment Opportunity employers that take pride in the diversity of their workforces and encourage all qualified persons to apply. MAPC participates in the E-Verify system to confirm employment eligibility. MAPC and the Boston Region MPO may consider sponsorship on a case-by-case basis.