Job Abstract

Michael Baker International Philadelphia Operations team is seeking a Planning Department Manager to lead a collaborative team of Planning professionals in our eastern PA offices of Allentown, Fort Washington, and Philadelphia. The Department Manager will provide leadership in the various areas of transportation planning, public involvement, resilience, hazard mitigation, and a suite of services for strategic growth and the development of the department. The selected candidate shall possess a proven record of client interaction and one who is self-directed with sound interpersonal skills to build and maintain professional relationships at all organizational levels.

The candidate will perform technical oversight, staff development and management, contract management, technical and cost proposal development, project performance and client management for targeted local, municipal, private, state, and federal clients. The position will support a variety of planning initiatives for transportation, community, and economic development projects for public and private sector clients, including state and federal agencies, counties, municipalities, and private developers. In this role, the selected candidate will directly interact with clients, stakeholders, and the public, mentor staff, and support marketing and business development efforts by identifying new opportunities and assisting with positioning to secure the win. The overall objective of this position is not only to set the direction for the planning team and projects, but strategy development, and a roadmap for diversifying areas to incorporate planning through the lifecycle of projects in all practices.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead, assign, and provide technical guidance and oversight for the Philadelphia Operations Planning Department. This may include:
  • Overseeing multimodal transportation planning services in one or more of the following modes: surface transportation, public transportation, paratransit, micro transit, bicycle and pedestrian, ports and waterways, rail freight, and aviation.
  • Working closely with county and local governments to promote community and economic development through comprehensive plans, redevelopment strategies, master plans, and related urban and rural planning initiatives.
  • Working with offices across the county and promote work-sharing for staff doing mitigation planning, community engagement, and technical assistance under federal contracts for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
• Create a culture of collaboration by being both an effective team leader and contributor.
• Coach, mentor, and manage staff at all levels of their careers; attract, develop, and retain highly talented planning professionals.
• Organizes and oversees the schedules and work of administrative and technical departmental staff to help achieve employee utilization.
• Coordinate business development activities supporting growth objectives; oversee the development winning technical and cost proposals; and lead new business strategy for the department.
• Collaborate with the Department Managers, Regional and National Practice Leads, as well as Engineering managers from other MBI offices in the state, region and throughout the country.
• Be a visible and active member of the local professional community. Some evenings will be spent at professional society meetings developing and maintaining relationships with key clients, teaming partners, and potential staff hires.
• Be part of a dynamic team responsible for expanding the Planning practice currently servicing state, county, and municipal clients.

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or related discipline. Master’s degree preferred.
• 15-20+ years of municipal/local/state/federal government planning related experience that demonstrate a successive increase in experience and responsibilities.
• Knowledge of one or more planning disciplines, such as transit/transportation planning, bicycle/pedestrian planning, resilience planning, environmental planning, community planning, economic development, or land use.
• AICP, PP and/or other related professional certification or licensure.
• Staff and budget management experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills for preparing and presenting planning proposals, reports, and projects.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to work independently as well as in multi-disciplinary teams.
• MS Office Suite
• Client experience with local counties, municipalities, federal, City of Philadelphia, Delaware River Port Authority, PennDOT, and SEPTA.

BENEFITS

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Medical, dental, vision insurance
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Life, AD&D, short-term, and long-term disability
• Professional and personal development
• Generous paid time off

COMPENSATION

The approximate compensation range for this position is $150,000 to $175,000. This compensation range is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation is dependent upon factors such as education, qualifications, experience, skillset, and physical work location.