Senior Project Manager - Planning

Remote Jobs; United States; Hybrid; USD 145,000 - 241,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Paid time off

ESOP

401(k)

Life insurance

Flexible work schedules

Holidays

Job summary

Parsons seeks a Senior Project Manager - Planning to lead transportation planning studies across Southern California. You will oversee multidisciplinary teams, drive client relationships, and contribute to business growth while delivering mobility solutions. The role mentors staff and collaborates with agencies such as Caltrans, LA Metro, SCAG, and SANDAG.

The position is based in Pasadena with hybrid work flexibility, with alternate California offices in Irvine, Corona, and San Diego.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, Transportation Planning, Civil Engineering, Geography, or related field.
• 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in transportation planning or infrastructure consulting.

Responsibilities

• Lead transportation planning projects from initiation to delivery across Southern California.
• Manage multidisciplinary teams and support business development and client growth.
• Mentor staff and engage with agencies including Caltrans, LA Metro, SCAG, SANDAG, and others.

Skills

Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, P

15+ years experience

multimodal planning

stakeholder engagement

cost/schedule/budget management

business development support

leadership and mentorship

communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning or related

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Public agencies experience

Job description

At Parsons, we are shaping the future of transportation through innovative, multimodal solutions that connect communities, improve mobility, and advance sustainability. Across Southern California and throughout North America, our planners, engineers, and technical specialists partner with public agencies to solve complex transportation challenges involving highways, transit, active transportation, freight, emerging mobility, and intelligent transportation systems.

Parsons is seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager - Planning to support and expand our transportation planning practice across Southern California. Reporting within our Traffic Engineering and Planning team, this role offers the opportunity to lead major planning studies, manage multidisciplinary teams, cultivate client relationships, and contribute to business growth while delivering innovative mobility solutions that improve transportation systems and communities.

As a senior project manager and seller-doer, you will lead transportation planning projects from initiation through delivery, manage project performance, support business development and strategic pursuits, and serve as a trusted advisor to agencies including Caltrans, LA Metro, SCAG, SANDAG, RCTC, local cities and counties, transit operators, ports, and freight stakeholders. You will collaborate closely with planning, engineering, environmental, and engagement professionals while mentoring staff and advancing high-quality planning solutions that help clients achieve their mobility goals.

The ideal location for this position is Pasadena, California, with hybrid work flexibility. Alternate California office locations include Irvine, Corona, and San Diego.

What Required Skills You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, Transportation Planning, Civil Engineering, Geography, or a related field.
• 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in transportation planning, project management, or infrastructure consulting.
• Demonstrated experience managing multimodal transportation planning projects involving transit, highways, active transportation, freight, and emerging mobility.
• Experience working with Southern California transportation agencies and stakeholders, including public sector clients, regional agencies, and transportation partners.
• Proven success managing project scope, schedule, budget, quality, and client expectations.
• Experience supporting business development, capture planning, proposal development, and interview presentations.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multidisciplinary teams and mentor junior staff.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively engage clients, stakeholders, and project teams.

What Desired Skills You'll Bring

• Advanced degree in Public Administration, Urban Planning, Transportation Planning, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Professional certification such as AICP, PE, PTOE, or similar credential.
• Experience developing planning studies, corridor plans, mobility plans, transportation master plans, and implementation strategies.
• Knowledge of federal, state, regional, and local transportation funding programs and planning processes.
• Experience supporting competitive grant applications and funding strategies.
• Understanding of Southern California transportation planning, environmental, and project delivery processes.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams involving planning, traffic engineering, environmental planning, public outreach, and data analytics.
• Participation in professional organizations and industry events.

What You'll Be Doing

• Manage transportation planning projects throughout Southern California from project initiation through successful delivery.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams supporting multimodal planning, corridor studies, transportation master plans, active transportation programs, traffic and mobility studies, and emerging mobility initiatives.
• Serve as a primary client contact, maintaining strong relationships and supporting long-term client success.
• Manage project scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk, and contract compliance.
• Support business development activities, including identifying opportunities, preparing proposals, participating in interviews, and expanding existing client relationships.
• Guide development of transportation plans, mobility studies, implementation strategies, and funding recommendations.
• Coordinate closely with traffic engineering, transportation systems, environmental, and community engagement teams to deliver integrated solutions.
• Mentor and develop planning staff while fostering technical excellence, innovation, and collaboration.
• Support strategic growth initiatives across Southern California transportation markets.
• Represent Parsons at client meetings, industry events, professional organizations, and public workshops.

Security Clearance Requirement: None

This position is part of our Critical Infrastructure team.

For more than 80 years, our experts have designed and delivered the critical infrastructure that connects and protects communities around the world. We work in collaborative teams, both within the company and with our partners and customers, to plan, design, build, and modernize infrastructure. We take special pride in projects and solutions that improve communities as well as people's quality of life by promoting economic growth, enhancing mobility, and increasing sustainability and resiliency. Powered by our people, we provide the imagination necessary to support our customers' visions-and to help them see what's next!

Salary Range: $134,100.00 - $241,400.00

We value our employees and want our employees to take care of their overall wellbeing, which is why we offer best-in-class benefits such as medical, dental, vision, paid time off, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401(k), life insurance, flexible work schedules, and holidays to fit your busy lifestyle!

This position will be posted for a minimum of 3 days and will continue to be posted for an average of 30 days until a qualified applicant is selected or the position has been cancelled.

Parsons is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.

We truly invest and care about our employee's wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest-