We’re Hiring: Community Planning Manager

Community Planning Manager

Trailnet seeks an urban planner to lead our planning efforts to create healthy, active and vibrant communities where walking, biking and the use of transit become a way of life. The Community Planning Manager plays a key role in shaping our planning and design community engagement efforts to increase access to equitable mobility options for all. 

A successful candidate will be self-motivated while still team-centric. They should be strategic, charismatic, and possess the analytical skills to break down complex problems with real-world constraints (wicked problems). A strong candidate should also be able to realize solutions quickly and incorporate continuous feedback through multiple iterations.

About the Organization

Trailnet is a not for profit 501 (c) 3 organization with a 32-year history of advancing St. Louis as a place where walking, bicycling, and the use of public transit are a way of life. By advocating for a network of safe, easy-to-access walking and bicycling routes across St. Louis, we aim to bridge transportation equity gaps and make it easier for all people to get from place to place. We work to make our region more sustainable by increasing active transportation options that curb greenhouse gas emissions. Trailnet brings people together throughout the bi-state region with a wide breadth of bicycle rides, educational events, and advocacy programs. 

Our tight-knit team is based in downtown St. Louis above a coffee shop and around the corner from the Downtown Bicycle Station and the MetroLink.  Our office is downtown but you can find us at neighborhood planning meetings, traffic calming demonstrations, and community bike rides throughout the metro area. We offer a competitive benefits package and flexible work schedules. We work to make St. Louis a premiere city for walking, biking, and transit. 

Join our collaborative, mission-driven team.

Trailnet’s planning efforts include a wide range of projects to incorporate walking and biking into the existing transportation system. Major projects include:

• Trailnet’s Connecting St. Louis Plan
  • Tower Grove Connector
  • Tucker Boulevard Bike-Walk-Bus Project
• St. Louis County Action Plan for Walking and Biking 
• 24+ Municipal Community Plans for Walking and Biking 

Position Summary

The Community Planning Manager serves as the primary contact for planning projects involving contracted partners, municipalities, community partners, and government officials.  Managing all aspects of the contract including compliance, marketing, proposal development, implementation and evaluation, the Community Planning Manager realizes Trailnet’s mission in planning environmental changes to promote lovable urban places. Together with the CEO, the Community Planning Manager conceives and implements a comprehensive strategy to grow our fee-for-service planning program in a way that is consistent with our values and policy principles.

Reporting Relationships

The Community Planning Manager supervises the Program Coordinator, manages consultant relationships, and oversees planning and community engagement efforts and associated activities that impact urban design. 

The Community Planning Manager reports to the Chief Executive Officer. This position works in collaboration with the Trailnet staff to deliver services that integrate public health, urban planning and advocacy. 

This position works closely with Trailnet’s Policy Director, to identify and address barriers to creating more multimodal transportation options and find new ways to increase equitable public and neighborhood-level engagement.

Responsibilities

Planning and Community Engagement

• Seek out and build relationships with community leaders, metropolitan planning organizations, elected officials, and state and federal level administrators to inform and transform communities through healthy design that accommodates all modes of active and motorized travel
• Plan and implement community engagement efforts to elicit critical information for bicycle and pedestrian planning projects, identify issues of importance, develop and adapt solutions, and prioritize needs 
• Develop and maintain familiarity with current and future activities of key agencies and programs (Local, State and Federal Transportation entities, Safe Routes to School, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Recreational Trails, Street departments, Metro East Parks and Recreation District, Great Rivers Greenway, BiState Metro, etc.)
• Lead and assist project partners with field investigations and analysis of data  
• Work with federal, state, and local governmental agencies to manage, develop, and negotiate bicycle and pedestrian planning projects, including master plans 

Produce high-quality deliverables

• Develop internal standards for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and assure standards are incorporated into all of our efforts
• Initiate and follow through on data collection such as requesting and collecting existing data from municipalities on streets, trails, parks, public facilities, and neighborhoods, etc.
• Produce technical documents like plans, reports, maps, GIS analyses, etc.
• Approve all recommendations, communications, and collateral concerning bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and related safety claims

Project management skills

• Develop fee-for service planning program to enhance and grow our consulting work with strategic marketing and partnerships
• Design and manage projects including project justification, cost estimating, budgets, reports, data collection, and contracts
• Assist other Trailnet staff on shared initiatives, large annual events, and mission related projects, as appropriate

Qualifications

• Masters degree in urban planning or a closely related field with two years relevant experience; or a Bachelor’s degree plus four years relevant experience. 
• Experience with local governments, multimodal planning, grant writing, and project administration is a must
• Must be highly computer literate (GIS software, G-Suite, Microsoft office, Adobe Creative Suite, 3D modeling design software, etc.)
• Must be at ease with public meetings, presentations, and marketing the program. 
• AICP certification preferred

Requirements

Job-specific knowledge & experience

• Knowledge of Complete Streets, street design standards, and bicycle facility types as tools for creating livable communities that promote active living 
• Familiarity with NACTO, AASHTO and MUTCD guidelines 
• Experience with racially-equitable community engagement, strong cultural competency
• Ability to connect bicycle and pedestrian planning to larger public health issues, identifying opportunities for complementary programs and policy 
• Familiarity with the St. Louis civic community is a plus
• Ability and interest in presenting case studies and success stories to local, regional, and national level conferences

General ability & skills

• Ability to manage multiple projects with multiple partners and differing deadlines
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, analytical, systems thinking, and visualization skills are essential
• Ability to think strategically, including systems level thinking, ability to optimize systems and resources, and ability to think ahead to next steps
• Ability to work independently and manage self and partners toward goals, while being a genuine “team player”
• Ability to work in a fast moving environment; ability to work with fast-paced colleagues 

Compensation and additional information

Salary commensurate with experience. Competitive benefits package and flexible work schedule available. This exempt, full time position has a base salary range of $45,000-$55,000 per year.

Commitment to Equity and Equal Opportunity

Trailnet is committed to support diversity and equal opportunity in its services, administration, and employment, as well as research and activities. We strive to foster a working environment that values contributions from team members including those based on race, color, creed, gender, faith background, culture, sexual orientation, sexual identity, mental disabilities, physical disabilities, or veteran status. We work with a wide range of external partners and stakeholders, and we seek candidates that are committed to their own cultural competency. Women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community are encouraged to apply.

Work Conditions:

Office Environment with flexible work-from-home options during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dependable high-speed internet is required for frequent video calls via Zoom and Google Meet.

The Community Planning Manager should have a presence at numerous community indoor and outdoor engagement events in the bistate region. Events include tabling, neighborhood association meetings, stakeholder meetings, traffic calming demonstrations, etc. Additional outdoor Trailnet events include: bike rides and community rides throughout Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Physical Responsibilities:

• Transport up to 25 lbs. of tabling or outreach materials to events
• Work at a computer
• Staff tables at outreach events

To apply

Email your cover letter and resume to hr@trailnet.org. Resumes accepted until the position is filled.