Director of Planning - Transportation & GIS

About RTS:
RTS is a transit authority established by New York State with more than 1,000 employees who proudly serve customers and business partners in Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. Recognized as one of the best-run transit systems in the nation, RTS connects the community by providing public transportation services to more than 10 million people each year. We carry out our mission by connecting our customers to jobs, school, healthcare, shopping, and recreational activities every day.

 

JOB SUMMARY:

The Director of Service Planning is responsible for overseeing service design and planning, federal reporting, and community coordination activities. This position works closely with internal leadership, the Title VI Coordinator, and the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to ensure that cost effective public transit is planned to serve the community.

This is a hybrid position working out of Rochester, NY.

 

SUPERVISES:  Transportation Planners

 

COMPENSATION: $95,000 - $120,000 annually (depending on experience)

 

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• Staying Healthy: Medical, Dental, and Vision (Dental & Vision currently free), Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Feeling Secure: Disability Insurance, Pension Plan, NY State Deferred Compensation Plan, Life & Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance, Accident Insurance, Group Specified Disease Insurance and Hospital Insurance
• Work-Life Balance: Paid Time Off (PTO: 17 days upon hire; accrue additional time after 1 year), Employee Assistance Program, Paid Holidays, Verizon Wireless Discount, On-site Fitness Center open 24/7, Employee Wellness Program, Culture & Inclusion Council, BJ's Wholesale Club Discount, and more!

Click here to view current medical plan rates!

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Supervision:

• Guides, oversees, and evaluates the performance of team members, ensuring alignment with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.
• Provides the necessary project and task allocation and tracking coordination between activities.
• Identifies training needs, initiates development of subordinates through goal setting, and recommends effective personnel action.
• Supervises outside consultants, assigns work, and organizes and directs the timely completion of complex reports, other written materials, and oral reports for dissemination to Authority management, the Board of Commissioners, external agencies, and the public.

Strategic Performance/Alignment:

• Participates as a member of the Leadership Team in the development and implementation of the strategic plan.

Data Collection and Analysis:

• Gathers, analyzes, and interprets transportation data, including traffic patterns, commuter behavior, and population growth.
• Uses GIS, modeling software, and other tools to predict and evaluate the impact on transportation services and projects.
• Directs the analysis and preparation of recommendations on immediate and long-term transit service trends and needs, transit regulatory policies and requirements, resource needs, environmental review, Title VI compliance, and financial requirements.
• Coordinates activities with internal departments, customers and community-based organizations regarding the impact of service and long-range service plans that affect the Authority's Comprehensive Plan.
• Manages major planning studies which include coordinating and providing staff lead for interagency review of jurisdictional updates of transportation plans; developing tasks and coordinating long-range planning and facility siting studies; researching and evaluating new technologies in planning and service delivery; updating the Multi-Year Service Plan; and performing other related activities.

Project Management:

• Oversees transportation projects from inception through completion, coordinating with engineers, contractors, and government agencies.
• Monitors project timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure projects are completed on time and within scope.

Collaboration and Coordination:

• Works closely with other departments, such as engineering, environmental services, and economic development, to ensure integrated planning efforts.
• Coordinates with regional and state transportation agencies to align local plans with broader transportation goals.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Conducts public outreach initiatives to involve community members and stakeholders in the planning process.
• Organizes and facilitates public meetings, workshops, and surveys to gather feedback and address concerns.

Research and Innovation:

• Stays informed about the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in urban and transportation planning.
• Innovates and proposes new strategies to enhance the efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability of the transportation system.
• Maintains detailed records of activities and writes periodic reports on Planning Department activity, as required by management and/or project specifications (i.e., UPWP grant reporting).

Risk Management:

• Identifies potential risks related to transportation projects and develops strategies to mitigate these risks.
• Ensures that all transportation plans prioritize public safety and resilience.

Advisory Role:

• Serves as an expert advisor to public officials, transportation boards, and the public on transportation planning issues.
• Provides technical assistance and guidance on transportation-related inquiries and proposals.
• Develops, documents, and updates service planning processes, policies, and goals.

Customer Service:

• Leads the planning of services to be delivered in the RGRTA service area as the chair of the Service Monitoring Committee.
• Develops and executes an annual service plan that delivers the planned services and achieves targeted budgets and service standards.
• Performs and manages transportation demand management planning activities, which include reviewing and commenting on proposed land use developments or road projects; promoting the incorporation of pro-transit policies and programs; reviewing and implementing bus stop locations; and performing other related activities.

Finance:

• Tracks and evaluates transit services, including determination of costs/benefits of proposed route modifications.
• Prepares and develops annual department budget; monitors and approves expenditures in accordance with Authority policies and principles of sound fiscal management.
• Prepares the Planning Department budget, administers approved budgets, and monitors expenditures.
   

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Other duties as assigned.

 

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's Degree in Urban Planning, Engineering, Public Administration, or a related field with strong transportation, urban studies, planning, or government experience; minimum of five years of work experience with demonstrated communication and organizational skills and two (2) years in a supervisory role. Master's Degree preferred.
• An equivalent combination of related work experience, training, and/or education sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to read and understand maps, construction plans, and geocodes.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously.
• Effective at defining problems, reviewing and collecting data, establishing facts, and drawing valid conclusions.
• Proficient at interpreting general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Skilled at writing reports and business correspondence.
• Strong understanding of applicable Federal, State, and Local laws, rules, and regulations, and local government roles and responsibilities related to community infrastructure, zoning, transit operations, and census requirements.
• Excellent presentation, facilitation, written, verbal, analytical, and communication skills with the ability to convey complex or technical information effectively to technical and non-technical project stakeholders and the public.
• Awareness of principles and practices related to budgeting, transit planning, systems, schedules, and operations.
• Strong understanding of performance measures and quality of service concepts; Transportation Demand Management concepts; Transit customer service information requirements; marketing elements, policy development and implementation.
• Effective ability to research, analyze, report, and present, as well as to understand methods and techniques of data collection and statistical analysis.
• Well-developed management skills regarding both principles and people, including the ability to lead others.
• Working knowledge of Trapeze FX (or similar) applications and GIS applications.

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit while using hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee frequently is required to talk, hear, see, and use a computer. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

The noise level in the work environment is usually light.

Please note: RTS does not cover any moving or relocating expenses.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) is committed to equal opportunity for all, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship and/or immigration status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable federal or state law. RGRTA will make reasonable accommodations for known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified employees and applicants with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.