Alta Planning + Design is seeking a Planning Associate in the field of transportation for our Oakland, CA office.

The essential priorities of this exempt, salaried position are to:

• Nurture and grow client and industry partner relationships and secure work in support of Alta’s growth goals.
• Enhance Alta’s reputation as a trusted advisor and expert by educating clients and other relevant parties, and supporting solutions which will meet their business objectives.
• Appropriately manage large, complex projects in a budget-conscious and time-sensitive manner.
• Manage potentially large groups of staff.

Responsibilities + Tasks

Additional responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Contributing to the development of proposals, statements of work, contract addenda, and scope changes; may include presenting proposals to clients and negotiating the final deliverables and costs.
• Identifying engagement goals and objectives leading the client and internal teams ensuring any risks to deliverable are property managed.
• Communicating desired outcomes, and advocating for the client and managing expectations.
• Creating and maintaining project schedules, monitoring scope changes, securing necessary approval and implementing change orders.
• Communicating the status of project deliverables to clients in a timely and effective manner.
• Administering the project including scheduling meetings, developing agendas, and project documentation, coordinating internal project meetings, ensuring timely delivery, and managing resources.
• Managing and mentoring staff, providing feedback and professional development in a timely and effective manner; hiring and terminating staff as appropriate.
• Contributing to Alta’s internal Professional Development programs by developing and presenting material.
• Developing, implementing and maintaining annual strategic plans (“SPROCKET” plans).
• May include oversight of daily office administrative functions for a local office.

Requirements

This position requires a combination of skills, experience and education including, but not limited to:

• Bachelor’s degree in Planning or a related field of study.
• Eight (8) or more of experience in a consulting environment or public entity; three (3) or more years as a Project Manager; three (3) or more years managing staff.
• Experience in the field of active, non-motorized transportation.
• Demonstrated understanding of the planning process and a general understanding of project management principles, methods and techniques.
• Ability to guide staff members and manage internal team expectations.
• Exhibits strong initiative and ability to capitalize on opportunities to enhance Alta’s position in the marketplace.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, and multiple simultaneous projects involving cross-functional project teams within budgetary and schedule constraints.
• Strong initiative and the ability to work independently with little or no supervision.
• Ability and willingness to travel.
• Excellent professional ethics, leadership skills, accountability, and decision-making capabilities.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication and analytic skills.
• Good presentation skills.
• Proficient in MS Excel, Word, Adobe Creative Suite, ESRI Arc GIS, or similar products.
• Proficiency in an enterprise-wide resource planning and project management tool.

Preferred Skills + Certifications

There are a number of additional skills, experience and education that would be beneficial to this position including, but not limited to:

• Master’s degree in Urban Planning or a related field of study.
• Experience managing large projects for both private and public clients.
• Experience writing and/or presenting white papers and/or providing expert level presentations at conferences and other events promoting the field of sustainable infrastructure and active, non-motorized transportation.
• Experience using Deltek Vision.
• Experience using Spatial Analyst, Network Analyst.
• Active participation in industry-relevant professional associations and committees.
• AICP Certification.

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