Transportation & Community Development Director
Center for Neighborhood Technology
May 14, 2013
Professional Area:
Community / Economic Development
Experience:
More than 10 years
Location:
Chicago, IL
The Center for Neighborhood Technology seeks an experienced professional as the leader of its Transportation and Community Development Program (TCD). The program’s mission is to increase the location efficiency of urban regions by supporting and developing vibrant sustainable communities around existing transportation assets, and promoting diverse mobility options.
To meet this challenge CNT has developed tools and metrics which make transparent the benefits of transit, transit-oriented development, and cargo oriented industrial revitalization; and assists cities and regions in identifying and pursuing transportation-centered development strategies that foster resource efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce household cost of living.
CNT seeks a creative and effective leader with the vision, skills and entrepreneurial approach to help redirect public and private investment flows in the United States toward smart, livable communities. This person will work closely with CNT’s other programs and affiliate organizations. The Director reports to CNT’s CEO.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Provides strategic leadership to our Transportation and Community Development (TCD) program
- Leads and manages the TCD program and staff
- Develops TCD project goals, objectives, strategies, or initiatives in collaboration with other CNT staff
- Represents CNT in transportation and community development policy and economic development regional and national venues and coalitions
- Provides transportation and community development contract services to municipalities and planning agencies.
- Working with our Research and Development division, develops and oversees a research program designed to further TCD objectives
- Secures foundation and contract revenue sufficient to grow the program
- Develops and maintains strong working relationships internally and externally with key stakeholders
- Develops reports and presentations to communicate TCD strategy, and the value of location efficiency and transportation infrastructure to a broad group of stakeholders including but not limited to: community and civic groups, transportation and economic development professionals, media, government, foundations and nonprofits.
- Participates in the CNT staff leadership group
Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience in transportation planning, transportation economics, transportation financing, market research and/or microeconomics
- Strong data analysis and data management skills
- Strong program development, project management, policy development and fundraising experience
- Understanding of housing finance and/or urban development issues and policies. Experience in helping design value capture systems through mechanisms such as tax-increment financing, special service areas, municipal bonds, or business improvement districts. Experience in or knowledge of freight planning, industrial development, transit oriented development, brownfields and workforce development helpful.
- Ability to work with nationally prominent teams, organizations and decision makers
- Working knowledge of transportation analysis such as travel demand management or transit planning; and knowledge of statutory and regulatory frameworks relevant to transportation
- Demonstrated experience in producing opinion-shaping publications for popular and technical audiences;
- Knowledge of, interest in, and use of information technology and social media
- Ability to work collaboratively and develop effective teams
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Masters degree in Urban Planning, Economics, engineering or related field
- Ability to manage multiple projects and activities simultaneously
- Flexibility and a sense of humor.
The preferred candidate is an organized, collaborative, and creative professional with strong communication and interpersonal skills. He or she will have the ability to anticipate issues; propose solutions; represent them in public venues; implement them successfully with flexibility, persistence and resilience; and to creatively work with partners, networks, and leaders, both nationally and locally.
The Organization
Founded in 1978, CNT (www.cnt.org) is an award-winning urban sustainability innovations laboratory that develops, tests, and replicates innovative programs and policies to make urban communities more livable, affordable, and sustainable, creating tangible community economic and environmental benefits. CNT’s work promotes the efficient use of energy, water, transportation, land, and infrastructure resources, aiming to simultaneously improve both the economy and the environment, while reducing the cost of living. CNT’s work combines cutting-edge research and analysis, public policy advocacy, the creation of web-based information tools for transparency and accountability, and the advancement of social ventures which speed adoption of these innovations.
CNT products and practices being applied or adopted around theU.S.include:
- Disclosure of transportation and economic performance through new web-based access and modeling tools providing neighborhood-level and regional indicators for all metropolitan regions of the country. For example, CNT’s pioneering H+T® Affordability Index (www.htaindex.org) redefines housing affordability to include the associated cost of transportation. The Index is now incorporated into regional plans as a fundamental sustainability metric with the power to redirect investments toward existing communities, and used to better counsel households’ economic performance. CNT is adapting the Index for use by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development.
- Changing the practice of planning by creating tools such as the National TOD Data Base (http://todddata.cnt.org), developed with the support of the Federal Transit Administration. CNT, in partnership with Reconnecting America and Strategic Economics, operates the national Center for Transit Oriented Development.
- Developing new methods of capturing the value of increased location efficiency, such as Cargo-Oriented Development, that enables beneficial retrofit of intermodal freight yards and related industrial facilities.
- Research and tools for cities, regions and states that advance the state of knowledge and enable new community development and sustainability strategies, supported by national and local foundations and corporations; federal, state and local agencies; and partners ranging from leading think tanks to development corporations to networks of cities and States.
CNT is a 2009 winner of the MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Organizations, and has a staff of 108 including two affiliates, CNT Energy and I-Go. CNT staff are located in Chicago, San Francisco and Washington DC. CNT is a recognized leader in the fields of sustainable communities and local economic development strategy, and holds leadership positions with the Congress for a New Urbanism, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the Transportation Research Board, and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership.
Anti-Discrimination Policy
The Center for Neighborhood Technology is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or job applicant based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age disability, veteran status, or marital status. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, termination, promotion, transfer, layoff, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Compensation
Salary is commensurate with experience.
To apply, please send cover letter, resume, and salary history to:
Human Resources – TCD
Center for Neighborhood Technology
2125 W. North Avenue,Chicago,IL60647
Fax to 773-278-3840 or email to careers@cnt.org .