What are the responsibilities and job description for the Principal Planner- Congestion Management position at Houston-Galveston Area Council?
About Houston-Galveston Area Council
The Houston-Galveston Area Council is one of the largest regional planning commissions in the country with a diverse service area of 13 counties and more than 7 million people. We are the pulse of our region addressing issues that cross city limits and county lines every single day.
We make decisions that affect our child care services, ensure parents are educated about the availability of quality childcare, enhance children’s early learning, support early learning programs working to improve the quality of childcare services and so much more. We work to make the region a great place to live, work, and thrive.
What will I be doing?
The Houston-Galveston Area Council also serves as the fiscal agent for the Metropolitan Planning Organization in charge of regional transportation planning. This position will support that work.
ü Developing the region’s first comprehensive Congestion Management Plan.
ü Updating the Congestion Management Plan every two to four years.
ü Leading the Metropolitan Planning Organization, staff, and consultants in defining congestion goals and objectives, including establishing congestion thresholds for prioritization.
ü Providing analysis, potentially with the help of consultants, to determine the causes of congestion and developing potential strategies to address the causes.
ü Monitoring and evaluating success in Congestion Management at the project, segment, and system level.
ü For projects submitted for funding in the Transportation Improvement Program, provide congestion management analysis prior to funding, annual analysis if applicable, and post project analysis.
ü Produce the Annual Congestion Management Progress Report as part of the annual mobility report.
ü Participate in Transportation Advisory Committee and Transportation Policy Council meetings, and relevant subcommittees and workgroups.
ü Present internally and externally as needed to department and agency coworkers, local governments, external partners and community members.
ü Provide education and consultation regarding application of congestion management strategies in various settings around the region.
ü Managing consultants, contracts, procurements and invoices.
ü Working with H-GAC’s Data Analytics & Research Department to interpret and communicate results from transportation modelling tools like Synchro, VISSIM, HCS, and others, focusing on key performance measures such as delay reduction, Level of Service (LOS), travel time reliability, and Volume-to-Capacity (V/C) ratio.
Key Qualifications
ü Experience in the development of scopes of work, contracts, budgets and related processes, conducting data analysis, gathering public input, management of consultant teams, review of invoices and reports, in the implementation of transportation planning studies consistent with federal, state, and local requirements.
ü Experience developing methodology for and executing transportation planning projects.
ü Experience developing policy recommendations, and investment priorities that garner broad stakeholder and public support.
ü Team player, with an “all hands-on deck” attitude, who is passionate about doing whatever it takes to improve quality of life for our citizens.
ü Strong project management, written and verbal communication and presentation skills are crucial for success in this role.
ü Ability to interpret and communicate complex data with the public.
Do you have…
ü Bachelor’s degree in an applicable academic discipline or related field of study.
ü 5 years of experience working with local government, nonprofit programs, school or in job related duties.
Preferred
ü Master’s Degree in an applicable academic discipline or related field of study (urban planning, public administration, etc.).
ü 7 years of experience working with local or regional government agencies, nonprofit programs, or similar job-related duties.
ü Experience in urban or regional or transportation planning, monitoring and reporting.
ü Thorough knowledge of transportation planning and operations.
ü Ability to plan and effectively manage complex, long-term projects.
H-GAC is an equal opportunity/AA employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, or protected veteran status.
