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Programming Planner - Valley Regional Transit - Meridian, ID

For more information and to apply please visit: VRT Programming Planner

Planning Programmer Position Opening

Do you want to be a part of a great transit development team in a vibrant, growing community? Do you value collaboration, creativity, sustainability, and public service? Do you want to use your finance and budgeting skills and urban planning knowledge to help shape transportation?

Valley Regional Transit seeks a team-oriented Planning Programmer with skills and experience in capital planning and budgeting. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer (CDO), the Planning Programmer is responsible for developing and maintaining the five-year service and capital Transportation Development Plan and developing budget requests of financial stakeholders. These activities are essential to both near-term budgeting and coordinating long-term financial strategies. 

The ideal candidate is:

  • Highly organized and able to schedule projects in alignment with transportation plans.

  • An excellent communicator, with the ability to communicate complex information while engaging and collaborating with stakeholders, and other transportation team members.

  • Experienced in budgeting, finance, and cost estimation for capital projects.

  • Able to prioritize and take in pertinent information to make decisions for timelines, budgeting and programming.

  • Passionate about mobility and sustainable public transportation.

Responsibilities:

  • Revenue programming: Facilitates forecasting & programming of all revenues for near-term and five-year service and capital plans as documented in the Transportation Development Plan (TDP)

    • Supports competitive grant applications by identifying potential local funding sources/opportunities, compiling project data etc.

    • Supports yearly grant applications for other formula funding of which VRT is not a direct recipient, e.g. 5339 Small Urban, Transportation Alternative Program etc.

  • Project identification: Facilitates the adaptation of projects from long range strategic plans to five and ten-year service and capital work plans.

    • Continuously updates, maintains and improves five-year service and capital plans (TDP)

    • Supports Transit Asset Management (TAM) analysis on an annual basis

    • Supports project working groups in project development and scheduling

  • Project prioritization: Facilitates project prioritization for near-, mid- and long-term programming

    • Works with project managers and finance to track projects and impacts on five-year service and capital improvement plans

  • Supports managers in the creation of objectives, metrics, and measures for informed decision making

  • Cost estimation: Compiles cost estimates for service and capital projects at the planning level for use in budgeting and programming

    • Identifies financial risks of projects in the service and capital work plans

  • Annual budgeting: Participates in annual expense and revenue budget development

    • Participates in annual expense budget development and revenue allocation

    • Develops annual, predictive, and scenario based funding requests for partners

    • Supports budget managers in revenue forecasting 

    • Analyzes project scheduling and budget impacts

    • Liaison to regional organizations and local governments in support of revenue programming and budgeting functions in the organization

  • Supports planning activities and creation of outreach materials

  • Interacts with and presents information to stakeholders

  • Responds to general public inquiries

  • Establishes and maintains cooperative working relationships with others

  • Maintains a professional and courteous demeanor at all times

  • Conducts other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor degree in transportation planning, public administration, finance or a related field

  • 2+ year’s relevant experience or an equivalent combination of experience and training

  • American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certificate is preferred

  • Knowledgeable of Federal and State regulations as related to transportation planning

  • Knowledgeable in long- and short-range transportation planning

  • Understanding of Federal, State, and local government structures

  • Understanding of planning, budgeting, project management/scheduling

  • Understanding of transit planning principles and practices

  • Skilled in technical writing methods

  • Knowledgeable in Land use planning

  • Understanding of local and regional plans

  • Ability to present technical information in a public group format

  • Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing

  • Ability to operate a computer and related engineering and business software

  • Ability to analyze and compile technical and statistical information

  • Ability to facilitate different interest groups and provide conflict resolution

  • Possession of a valid Idaho driver’s license


Salary Information: 

  • Starting salary range: $59,000 - $68,000 depending on experience.

  • Full Salary Range for Position: $58,589.70 - $82,714.87

 

Location:  Meridian, Idaho, with flexible/hybrid remote work options

 

Excellent benefits package includes: 

  • Health, dental, and vision insurance

  • Holiday pay, sick, and vacation leave

  • State retirement plan (PERSI): pension and optional 401(k) (see https://www.persi.idaho.gov/ for more information!)

 

Employment Type: 

  • Full-time, exempt

 

To Apply: Submit Cover Letter and Resume to vrtjobs@thompsonconsulting.com 

Valley Regional Transit is an equal opportunity employer.