Senior Transit Planner

City of Raleigh North Carolina; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Raleigh North Carolina is seeking a Senior Transit Planner to lead Wake Transit investments from concept to implementation, coordinating with CAMPO and Wake Transit partners to secure funding and guide projects. You will work with planning, operations, finance, and regional teams to deliver service improvements, track performance, and ensure compliance with funding requirements.

This role emphasizes strategic thinking, collaboration, and a passion for expanding equitable public transit

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Planning or a related field.
• 3–5 years of professional urban/regional planning or transportation planning experience.
• Equivalent combination of training and/or experience may be substituted.

Responsibilities

• Serve as GoRaleigh’s primary contact with CAMPO and Wake Transit partners for project submissions, funding requests, reporting requirements, and Wake Transit activities.
• Lead the development and submission of annual Wake Transit Work Plans, project amendments, funding requests, and related documentation.
• Manage quarterly and annual reporting for Wake Transit-funded service and capital projects.
• Plan and coordinate Wake Transit-funded service improvements: new routes, increased frequency, service hours, microtransit, and bus stop improvements.
• Monitor project funding, schedules, performance, and deliverables, coordinating with Transit, Finance, Operations, and City teams.
• Build strong partnerships with internal teams and regional stakeholders to identify and advance transit investments.
• Provide program management and oversight of design and engineering of transit capital infrastructure projects.
• Develop strategy, goals, and priorities; provide guidance on processes, standards, and regulations.

Skills

Communication

Project management

Transit planning

Data analysis

Regional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Public transit advocacy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Planning/Urban/Transportation Planning

Job description

Play an important role in the continued growth of the GoRaleigh public transportation system and help turn regional transit investments into meaningful improvements for riders. The Senior Transit Planner will serve as a key member of the Transit Division’s planning team and lead the coordination of Raleigh’s projects and funding requests through the Wake Transit Plan. This position serves as a primary point of contact with CAMPO and Wake Transit partners, helping ensure Raleigh secures and effectively uses its share of dedicated transit funding to expand and improve service throughout the community.

In this role, you’ll help move transit investments from planning to implementation. You’ll coordinate funding for new and improved bus routes, increased service frequency and hours, bus stop improvements, microtransit, and programs that improve access to transportation. You’ll also lead annual Wake Transit work plan submissions, funding requests, amendments, and quarterly project and service reporting. The position works closely with transit planning, operations, finance, capital projects, and regional partners to monitor progress, solve challenges, and ensure projects remain aligned with funding requirements, City priorities, and the needs of our riders.

This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys both the big picture of transit planning and the details required to make projects happen. The ideal candidate can manage multiple priorities, interpret funding and program requirements, communicate clearly with a variety of partners, and turn data and community needs into actionable transit improvements. Your work will directly support GoRaleigh’s ability to grow service, strengthen regional connections, improve the rider experience, and provide more reliable and equitable transportation options for Raleigh’s growing community.

About You:

We’re looking for a motivated transit planning professional who enjoys turning plans and funding into services that make a difference for riders. In this role, you’ll use your knowledge of transit planning, project coordination, data, and funding requirements to help guide GoRaleigh’s Wake Transit investments from concept through implementation. If you are organized, collaborative, comfortable managing multiple priorities, and interested in helping expand public transportation in a growing region, this role is for you!

In this role, you’ll have an important role in advancing Wake Transit-funded programs and projects for GoRaleigh. Here is what you’ll bring:

• Effective communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to coordinate with regional partners, internal teams, and stakeholders and clearly communicate project, funding, and reporting needs.
• Project and program management: Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, funding requests, amendments, and reporting requirements while keeping projects moving forward.
• Transit planning and service development: An understanding of how transit service is planned and improved, including new routes, frequency and service span improvements, microtransit, bus stop improvements, and programs that expand access to transit.
• Data and detail oriented: Comfortable working with ridership, service, financial, and project information to monitor performance, prepare reports, and ensure accurate and timely submissions.
• Regional collaboration: Ability to build strong working relationships with CAMPO, Wake Transit partners, and other agencies while representing GoRaleigh’s priorities and helping advance regional transportation goals.
• Strategic thinking and problem solving: Ability to understand the big picture while working through the details needed to move projects forward, address challenges, and identify opportunities for future transit investments.
• Passion for public transit:An interest in improving mobility and the rider experience, with an understanding of how reliable and accessible transit connects people to jobs, education, healthcare, and other opportunities.

About Us:

The Transportation Department – Transit Division seeks to provide quality public transportation to Raleigh and surrounding Wake County municipalities. Our goal is to increase mobility options and access for all users of the transportation system. The Transit Division works closely with the other key functions of the Transportation Department including, Mobility, Infrastructure and Strategy and Streets and Right-of-Way Maintenance to provide transportation solutions for Raleigh, Wake County and Triangle area residents and visitors.

Join our team of over 30 passionate public transit professionals keen on making an impact to the mobility options provided in the region. We foster a collaborative inclusive work environment, and we value opinions and ideas from all to enhance the quality of our public transit services. In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to lead a transformational program of transit capital infrastructure projects.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

In this dynamic role, you’ll play a key part in managing GoRaleigh’s Wake Transit-funded programs and turning regional transit investments into service improvements for the community. You’ll work across planning, finance, operations, and regional partners to keep projects funded, compliant, and moving forward. Here’s what you’ll do:

• Serve as GoRaleigh’s primary point of contact with CAMPO and Wake Transit partners for project submissions, funding requests, reporting requirements, and other Wake Transit activities
• Lead the development and submission of annual Wake Transit Work Plans, project amendments, funding requests, and other required documentation to support existing and future transit investments
• Manage quarterly and annual reporting for Wake Transit-funded service and capital projects, ensuring information is accurate, complete, timely, and consistent with funding requirements
• Plan and coordinate Wake Transit-funded service improvements, including new routes, increased frequency and service hours, microtransit, bus stop improvements, and programs that expand access to transit
• Monitor project funding, schedules, performance, and deliverables while coordinating with Transit staff, Finance, Operations, and other City teams to identify issues and keep projects on track
• Build strong partnerships with internal teams and regional stakeholders, using data, ridership trends, community needs, and funding opportunities to help identify and advance future transit investments
• Provide program management and oversight of design and engineering of transit capital infrastructure projects
• Develops strategy, goals and priorities, manages initiatives, and provides advanced technical guidance related to process, standards, policies and regulations to implement transit capital infrastructure projects
• Serve as liaison with other departments, internal and external stakeholders, boards and the public to effectively communicate program and project updates
• Manage and administer assigned transit budgets and resource allocation
• Evaluate program needs and required improvements to existing program; monitor planning and design quality standards; recommend and implement program enhancements
• Supervise transit staff including conducting performance evaluations, coordinating training, and implementing hiring, and discipline and termination procedures

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's Degree in Planning, Urban Planning, Transportation Planning, Engineering, or related field; 3 to 5 years' experience in professional urban/regional planning, transportation planning, or related work

OR Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be substituted.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Valid North Carolina Class C Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record, or the ability to obtain within 60 days of hire
• American Institute of Certified Planners Certification

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Transit planning principles and practices, including fixed-route service planning, service frequency and span, microtransit, bus stop improvements, and strategies that improve mobility and access.
• Transit funding and program administration, including the ability to understand funding requirements, develop funding requests, monitor project commitments, and support annual work plan development.
• Federal, state, regional, and local transit requirements, with the ability to interpret policies and apply requirements to transit projects, programs, and funding.
• Project management and coordination, including managing multiple projects, deadlines, deliverables, amendments, and reporting requirements at the same time.
• Data analysis and performance monitoring, including the ability to review ridership, service, financial, and project data and use that information to prepare reports and support recommendations.
• Relationship building and communication, with the ability to work effectively with regional partners, internal departments, consultants, and other stakeholders while clearly communicating technical and financial information to different audiences.

ADA and Other Requirements:

Work Environment and Physical Effort: Sedentary: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, a negligible amount of force frequently, and/or constantly having to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

Work Environment:

Employees will frequently work in an office environment and will occasionally work in an outdoor environment, near moving traffic and in a vehicle.

Work Exposures:

Employees will occasionally be exposed to individuals who are hostile or irate.

The City of Raleigh is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available upon request.