Assistant Planning and Marketing Manager

POSITION OVERVIEW

Are you a Planning and Marketing professional? Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District is looking for an Assistant Planning and Marketing Manager. With Santa Barbara MTD, you can positively impact your community on a daily basis, help enhance the mobility of South Coast residents, and help manage a fiscally sound transit system.

Under the direction of the Planning and Marketing Manager, the Assistant Planning and Marketing Manager develops the implementation of transit planning and service delivery studies. This position also administers and oversees department staff engaged in complex marketing and public information projects for the District.              

COMPENSATION PACKAGE

• $95,773.00-$119,716.00 Annually
• Medical and Dental/family coverage – Employee pays premium of $40/month
• Voluntary Vision insurance – Employee pays full premium
• 401(k) and Profit-Sharing Plan - Employer 10% contribution
• Life Insurance 
• 10 paid holidays 
• 5 paid personal days 
• 80 hours of Sick leave 
• 80 hours of Vacation following one year of employment 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Essential functions may include, but are not limited, to the following:

Planning:

• Performs difficult and complex transit planning and service delivery studies; develops work plans and budget estimates for studies; implements survey techniques and processes; collects and analyzes data and makes recommendations using transportation planning and statistical methods, modeling, and budgeting and financial analyses data; forecasts future transit, transportation, economic or demographic conditions and trends.
• Analyzes route and schedule performance to determine areas of transit service improvement in terms of efficiency, productivity and effectiveness; assists in planning numbers of stops, length of route and runs per shift for routes according to union/management procedures and cost per mile/hour; prepares written evaluations of proposed route, service, and schedule changes.
• Prepares complex planning reports, forecasts, and recommendations related to transportation system improvements; prepares statistical charts, maps, and other documents to accompany studies, reports and presentations; prepares ridership, on-time performance, productivity, and other route and service measurement reports for the General Manager, Board of Directors and others as requested.
• Prepares written and graphical information and may make oral presentations on transit and service-related issues to the Board of Directors, staff, service users, governmental agencies, advisory committees and community groups.
• Manage and recommend community events, and social outreach activities to increase ridership, gain public support through event participation.
• Communicate and disseminate information to passengers, public, and potential riders with development of various marketing and public relations campaigns. 

Marketing:

• Administers one or more major District marketing and/or public information projects or programs to build general public awareness, retain and increase ridership, provide service information, and solicit community input.
• Designs and administers assigned projects from inception to implementation, including project plans, workflow schedules, work assignments, and progress reports.
• Manage the District’s on-bus advertising program; responsible for interacting with prospective and current advertisers, writing contracts, managing inventory, and supervising the installation and removal of ads.
• Provides creative and technical direction, project oversight, motivation, and supervision to assigned staff engaged in the development, planning, and execution of marketing and public information projects and programs.
• Works closely with the Planning and Marketing Manager to review ridership and customer satisfaction trends and issues, identify new marketing and service information opportunities and strategies, and set program direction and goals.
• Develop and maintain contacts with local K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. Coordinate events and presentations as needed.
• Perform and conduct community outreach activities, including giving community presentations and providing information at community expos, fairs, senior/disabled community, business groups, and tradeshows to enhance the visibility, positive image and understanding of the District as its services to the community. 

All Assignments: 

• Work with staff to develop and submit federal and state planning reports, i.e., annual Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) and triennial Title VI update.
• Maintain relations with community organizations, and other local agencies, and the general public.
• Assist in tracking the Department budget; prepare and submit requisitions and invoices to accounting.
• Actively work to promote public transportation as a valuable community service.
• Job responsibilities require occasional evening or weekend assignments as well as occasional business travel.
• May perform other duties as assigned by the Planning and Marketing Manager or designee.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following are the minimum qualifications, in order to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this position:

Education, Training, and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with major course work in communications, business administration or marketing, public administration, urban or regional planning, urban studies, geography, or a related field OR any combination of education and experience to fulfill the duties of the position.
• Two to five years of supervisory experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 software applications, Google Suite, and Adobe Creative Suite. 

Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of modern transit system operating principles and including quality service concepts.

• Ability to understand federal, state, and local laws and regulations affecting transit planning, capital acquisitions, and construction planning, environmental review requirements, and reporting requirements.
• Knowledge of scheduling and run-cutting principles and practices, including the use of computerized scheduling software applications. 
• Strong grasp of statistical analysis, data collection practices and survey methods.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Maintain and present self in a professional appearance and demeanor in general everyday setting and in stressful situations.
• Research and compile data and information, and apply analytical skills.
• Prepare reports and presentations.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing in an office environment and present information clearly and concisely to various audiences.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, using principles of excellent customer service.
• Concise and coherent English language in effective communications and interactions regularly with other agency employees, members of the media, other agencies and the general public by telephone, in a one-on-one, face-to-face setting and/or group settings.
• Knowledge of modern office principles and practices to include business, reports and presentation writing.
• Ability to perform assignments with speed and accuracy under time pressure and deadlines.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university, with major course work in communications, business administration or marketing, public administration, urban or regional planning, urban studies, or geography.
• Public agency experience.
• Marketing and Planning experience in the transit or transportation industry.
• Advanced Microsoft Access skills.
• Experience with Clever Reports, Swiftly, SurveyMonkey, and farebox software.
• Bi-lingual in Spanish (speak, read, write).

DISCLAIMER

Position overview is not construed to be an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Employees may be required to perform any other job-related instructions as requested by their supervisor, department head or General Manager.

SELECTION PROCESS

All applications will be evaluated on their related work experience and education qualifications. MTD will invite the most qualified candidates to participate in an oral interview. MTD application must be fully completed and clearly show that the minimum requirements are met. Any questions on the application that are unanswered may cause you to be excluded from the selection process. All statements made on the application are subject to investigation and verification. Any invalid applications are subject to disqualification.

The selection process will include one or more of the following:

• Application Review
• Oral Interview
• Written Tests / Computer Skills Tests

PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROCESS

The process includes a job specific pre-employment physical and drug screening under Department of Transportation regulations to be completed by an industrial health clinic of MTD’s choice, criminal background screen, and verification of employment. All offers of employment are conditional upon successful completion of the pre-employment process.

IMMIGRATION AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986

In order to comply with the provision of this law, all applicants prior to placement, must provide proof of work eligibility and attest that they are a citizen, permanent resident alien, or otherwise authorized to be employed.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District has established a policy and practice of recruiting, hiring, training and promoting for all job classifications within MTD without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other protected class or consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

Application Review Begins: March 10, 2025; open until filled