Transit Program Manager; Principal Planner

SACOG is seeking an experienced transit/transportation professional and visionary, personal connector, and self-starting team player who enjoys collaborating across the agency and with partners, as well as working on their own. The agency has just adopted the region’s updated MTP/SCS (known as the Blueprint) and has identified the transit program as a key priority for policy and program implementation. To advance this, the Transit Program Manager will act as a creative and technical leader for SACOG’s transit planning work that requires both big-picture thinking for transit and its role in the broader transportation network, and a strong understanding of the state and federal transit landscape.

This includes continued implementation of existing efforts stemming from the Next Gen Mobility Transit Study, in addition to identification, development and delivery of new work products that move transit policy initiatives forward.

The Transit Program Manager (Principal Planner), will supervise staff, oversee and manage a variety of transit planning activities on the Transportation Team, including state and federal funding programs; special projects with a focus on transit planning; coordinating with and organizing transit operators, including leading the Transit Coordinating Committee; and performing other tasks as assigned. This position will be required to work collaboratively with a variety of external partners, including public transit operators, federal agencies, local municipalities, other regional agencies, and state partners like Caltrans, STA and CTC.

This position will report to SACOG’s Director of Transportation, and is the highest non-management classification  Transit Program Manager will work across groups within SACOG that have roles in project development and support, and must prioritize a team-oriented team environment.

The Organization

SACOG is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the six-county Sacramento region. Formed as a Joint Powers Authority, SACOG is governed by a board of 31 elected officials that directly represent all six counties and 22 cities in the region, and one ex officio member (Caltrans). While transportation is core to SACOG’s role as an MPO, SACOG has over two decades of experience approaching regional issues from an integrated perspective of transportation, land use, and air quality.

Our mission is to convene and connect the region to advance an equitable, sustainable, and prosperous future. Our Strategic Plan is structured around four priorities: (1) Build vibrant and inclusive places; (2) Foster the next generation of mobility solutions; (3) Modernize the way we pay for transportation infrastructure; and (4) Build and maintain a safe, equitable and resilient transportation system.

The Transportation Team

The ideal candidate would be joining a team of professionals with diverse transportation planning backgrounds, including transportation funding and grants, transportation demand management, alternative mobility, active transportation, public transit operations and planning, and corridor planning.

This is a new position at SACOG, and would be one of three Principal Planners on the Transportation Team. With the other Principal Planners focused on funding, grants, and strategic corridor planning initiatives, this position would complement the team’s expertise and provide leadership within a critical element of the agency’s work program.

This position will be an integral part of the Transportation Team at SACOG and will regularly coordinate with staff of other teams.

The Transit Program Manager will be responsible for oversight and management of SACOG’s transit programs to implement the agency’s Blueprint (MTP/SCS) and maintain consistency with federal and state transit regulations/requirements. Specific duties will include:

• Represent the transit program to ensure transit is adequately represented and incorporated i
• regional work, including Blueprint/MTP updates, funding programs, and other major regional initiatives
• Guidance and oversight for required transit program activities, including transit technical assistance with transit operators, unmet transit…