RPO/ Transportation Coordinator

City of Wilson, NC; Wilson (NC); On-site; USD 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated transportation planner to coordinate vital planning efforts across the Upper Coastal Plain region. This role involves developing multi-modal transportation plans, conducting significant studies, and engaging with various stakeholders to ensure effective transportation solutions. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in planning, excellent communication skills, and a passion for improving regional transportation. Join a dynamic team where your expertise will directly impact community development and transportation initiatives in a collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required with 3+ years in transportation planning.
• Skilled in communication, budgeting, and GIS tools.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate transportation planning for the Upper Coastal Plain region.
• Develop local and regional multi-modal transportation plans.
• Facilitate meetings and provide public participation forums.

Skills

Local and regional planning principles

Transportation planning laws

Analytical report preparation

Effective communication

Meeting facilitation

Budgeting and grant management

Education

Bachelor's degree in planning, geography, or civil engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office

GIS

Job description

Performs responsible administrative and professional work coordinating transportation planning efforts for the Upper Coastal Plain Rural Transportation Planning Organization (RPO). An employee in this class performs highly technical, administrative and professional work that requires a broad and varied depth of knowledge in the land use and transportation fields, as well as specialized knowledge of state and federal transportation programs. Work involves conducting and/or coordinating development studies in areas such as land use, transportation, environmental affairs, and economic impact. Work involves significant travel among the four-county region and eastern NC for meetings and training sessions. Work may also include the preparation and coordination of state and federal grant program proposals and coordination of meetings and special studies related to transportation planning. Employees of this class initiate and execute programs and activities in their assigned areas of specialization. The employee often works under general direction from the Public Works Director and receives specific job direction from the Technical Advisory and Technical Coordinating Committees (TAC and TCC) within the guidelines of broad transportation planning policy objectives. Considerable tact and courtesy must be exercised in frequent contacts with county, municipal, state and federal officials, and private citizens; and the employee often appears before the TAC and TCC committees and other designated Boards to present information. Work requires significant independent judgment and initiative in planning local and regional future efforts. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Public Works Director and is evaluated through observations, conferences, reports, and feedback from various committees.

Major Duties

1. Provides staffing to the four-county UCPRPO including both policy level and staff level committees thereof;
2. Develops local and regional multi-modal transportation plans in cooperation with the RPO members and the NC Department of Transportation;
3. Provides a forum for public participation in the transportation planning process;
4. Assists the RPO in developing and prioritizing transportation planning projects to be included in the State Transportation Improvement Program (TIP);
5. Provides transportation-related information to participating jurisdictions in the RPO, other organizations and the public including GIS map analyses, travel models, budgets, planning work programs, etc.
6. Conducts transportation-related studies and surveys for local governments and other organizations;
7. Provides staff support to TAC and TCC and others within each county, as appropriate;
8. Meets with people individually and in groups to gather information for project planning;
9. Coordinates and facilitates meetings (public input meetings, RPO committee and subcommittee meeting, etc.)
10. Prepares informational presentations to the public, committees, etc. as required;
11. Develops and maintains program budget for the regional UCPRPO;
12. Maintains RPO website;
13. Supervises and directs Transportation Technician in performing support duties;
14. Performs related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Thorough knowledge of principles of local and regional planning and local government.
2. Thorough knowledge of county, state, and federal laws related to transportation planning.
3. Skilled in interpretation of federal, state and local regulations.
4. Ability to design and prepare analytical and interpretative reports.
5. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with various public officials and agencies, contractors and the public.
6. Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written forms.
7. Skilled in meeting facilitation and organization.
8. Knowledge of Microsoft Office and GIS and ability to manipulate spreadsheet applications and conduct Internet research.
9. Working knowledge of budgeting and grant management.

Knowledge Requirements
Bachelor's degree in planning, geography, civil engineering or related field; supplemented by at least three years experience in transportation planning or related field. GIS familiarity a plus. Possession of a valid North Carolina driver's license.

Must be able to perform the basic life operational skills of stooping, reaching, walking, pulling, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, and hearing.

Must be able to perform light work exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to pull, move or carry objects.

Must possess the visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, perform accounting tasks, for extensive reading, and to operate a computer terminal.