Associate Planner - MPO - Farmington,NM

MPO Associate Planner
City of Farmington, NM

Contact person: Tim Conyers
Phone: (505) 599-1139
Fax: (505) 599-1135
Email: tconyers@fmtn.org
Website: https://fmtn.applicantpro.com/jobs/350819.html

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Associate Planner:

• Is one of two planners in a small MPO. The MPO Associate Planner shares the MPO’s workload with the MPO Planner and the Administrative Aide.
• Assists in in the daily operation of the MPO, including scheduling, drafting public notices, drafting and reviewing staff reports, setting and finalizing meeting agendas, and reviewing meeting minutes.
• Assists the MPO Planner’s coordination with the NMDOT; Ensures that projects are completed within established deadlines.
• Performs professional and technical transportation planning activities for the MPO, which includes researching, preparing technical reports and analytical studies; Prepares maps and other graphics; Performs GIS analysis and 3D modeling; Provides technical assistance on grant applications; Provides professional recommendations; Makes presentations to boards, commissions, councils, civic groups and the general public.
• Uses excellent customer service skills, and establishes and maintains effective working relationships with entity employees, entity officials, stakeholders, NMDOT, FHWA, FTA, and all members of the general public.
• Assists in the preparation and management of updates to the MPO’s adopted plans and policies, including the MPO’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), and the MPO’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
• Assists the MPO Planner in coordinating the planning programs and project initiatives for the MPO, including the preparation and oversight of the development/administration of surveys, studies, estimates, forecasts, and scenario/simulation modeling.
• Assists in the preparation of MPO Quarterly Reports; Develops updates to the TIP, the UPWP, and the MPO budget for the local governments, including invoices and grant fund reimbursements; Assists the MPO Planner in managing the MPO’s budget; Assists in providing oversight of revenues and expenditures for compliance with all state and federal rules and regulations;
• Assists in the implementation of approved MPO plans and programs required by federal regulation, including the Public Participation Plan, TIP, MTP, and UPWP, among others.
• Completes various transportation planning projects and activities as described in MPO's Joint Powers Agreement and UPWP.
• Ensures MPO activities and quarterly/annual reports comply with planning procedures and deadlines as outlined by the NMDOT Planning Unit; Oversees staff work hours and time tracking procedures for NMDOT.
• Assists in overseeing the traffic count program in accordance with state and federal regulations, and other transportation related data collection activities.
• Oversees the demographic and socioeconomic estimate and projection program for the MPO.
• Works closely with the MPO Planner and the MPO Officer to coordinate MPO activities and develop future programs for the MPO.
• Performs and reviews transportation network and travel demand modeling, intersection capacity analysis, and other technical planning functions; Assists in the development and management of various MPO projects, including updates to the MPO’s ITS architecture and developing regional guidelines for complete streets, among others.
• Reviews proposed developments, traffic impact studies, and other transportation related proposals.
• Evaluates land use proposals and site plans submitted by the entities to the MPO for conformity to the MPO’s adopted plans and policies.
• Provides on-going outreach to the community to ensure public input, and to publicize and implement the MPO’s adopted plans and policies.
• Coordinates, monitors, and manages planning projects and planning consultant contracts, as assigned. This would include the current updates to the MPO’s MTP and the Regional Transportation Safety Plan scheduled for development in 2015 and 2016.
• Serves as a member of various staff committees as assigned.
• Operates a motor vehicle to assist in carrying out the business of the MPO.
• Attendance at work, including attending and presenting at day and evening public meetings, is an essential function of this position.
• Traveling to NMDOT, MPO, FHWA, and FTA meetings in state and out of state to represent the MPO is an essential function of this position.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
• This position reports directly to the MPO Planner.

NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

QUALIFICATIONS:

This position is subject to the City of Farmington's Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace Program which includes: 

• pre-employment testing, post-accident testing, reasonable suspicion testing, return to duty testing, and follow-up testing.
• Valid New Mexico driver’s license or ability to obtain one upon hire, with acceptable driving record for the past three years.
• Extensive background checks are required.
• Graduation from a master’s program in urban planning, city planning, or a closely-related field is required. Graduation from a master’s program in urban planning with an emphasis in transportation planning is highly desirable.
• AICP, AICP-CTP, and/or PTP certifications are highly desirable.
• The MPO Associate Planner must: Be proactive and effective in his/her work habits, consistently exhibit sound judgment, and be an energetic self-starter; Must have excellent communication skills, including speaking, writing, and listening skills; Must demonstrate comprehensive and thorough research skills; Have experience in managing multiple planning projects concurrently and successfully; and, Be proficient in making presentations and facilitating public meetings, including the effective use of conflict resolution methods.
• The MPO Associate Planner must be proficient in: urban planning theory and methodologies; demographic and socioeconomic estimation and forecasting methods; citizen participation methods; federal and state transportation planning programs; principles of land use and transportation planning; transportation plan development, process of adoption, and implementation; planning programs and processes; brochure and document production; developing planning-related software, databases, scenario planning programs, modeling programs; strategic planning methods; working in Microsoft Office software, including the use of EXCEL spreadsheets, and ArcGIS software; basic and advanced statistics and mathematical calculations; and English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• The MPO Associate Planner must have: an eagerness to learn; the ability to follow written and oral instructions; be proficient in time management and organizational skills; be diplomatic at all times; and, be capable of upholding ethical standards by maintaining professionalism and objectivity.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• 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.
• Work is performed mostly in office settings. Some outdoor work is required in the inspection of various land use developments and construction sites. Hand-eye coordination is necessary to operate computers and various pieces of office equipment.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand or sit; walk; use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing 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 occasionally works in outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, or airborne particles.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet in the office, and moderate in the field.