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Transportation Planning Director

State of Connecticut
22 hours ago
Full-time
On-site
Newington, Connecticut, United States
$129,888 - $177,096 USD yearly

Introduction

The State of Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is recruiting for a Transportation Planning Director (Transportation Director of Planning, Technology and Innovation) in the Bureau of Planning, Technology and Innovation at our headquarters located in Newington.  This position offers the opportunity to shape statewide transportation planning in Connecticut.  We are seeking candidates who excel in team development, communication and relationship building to lead us into the future, and to improve the lives of Connecticut residents through transportation.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

  • Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
  • Professional growth and development opportunities
  • A healthy work/life balance to all employees
  • Join an award winning agency! CTDOT has been recently awarded the Employer of the Year award by the Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE) and named the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) CT Employer of the Year for 2024!
ABOUT US

As one of Connecticut’s largest State agencies, DOT employs approximately 3,300 individuals statewide in five distinct bureaus. It is our mission to provide a safe, accessible, and efficient multimodal transportation network that improves the quality of life and promotes economic vitality for the State and the region. We have a significant transportation infrastructure system that is essential to maintaining mobility for Connecticut residents and businesses and supporting economic and community development while preserving the State’s resources. The Department of Transportation is committed to cultivating a diverse staff that is representative of the communities we serve. Applications from individuals having diverse backgrounds and life experiences are strongly encouraged.


POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

  • Monday - Friday
  • Full-time (40 hours per week)
  • First shift
  • Location: Newington, CT
THE ROLE

The Bureau of Planning, Technology and Innovation collects and shares critical data, conducts planning studies and associated activities to support the movement of people and goods for all modes of transportation. The Bureau is responsible for numerous federal and state mandates and compliance and is responsible for documentation, analyses, as well as acquiring necessary approvals for all proposed projects in support of Department project delivery. The Bureau interacts extensively with USDOT funding agencies, State and federal regulatory and cooperating agencies, Regional Councils of Government, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, as well as nationally recognized transportation organizations.
 
The Bureau is comprised of multiple offices, including; Roadway Information Systems, Environmental Planning, Strategic Planning and Projects, Program Development and Forecasting, the Highway Safety Office, Research, and Enterprise GIS, Analytics and Data Management and Information Technology.

The Transportation Planning Director Position is essential to aid the Bureau Chief in: setting goals and objectives for various programs, directing and coordinating the activities of the various offices, managing State Planning and Research funds, building and maintaining relationships with local, regional, state, and federal agencies and stakeholders, and ensuring that all state and federal requirements are met on time and in a fiscally responsible manner. Additional management responsibilities include serving as a technical advisor to the Chief of Planning, Technology and Innovation on matters involving the Department’s plans and policies, interpreting and adhering to pertinent laws and regulations, preparing and monitoring office budgets, and directing the preparation of plans in accordance with Bureau, Department, State and federal policies. All offices within the Bureau of Planning, Technology and Innovation directly impact the agency’s mission of providing safe and accessible transportation and ensuring compliance with state and federal law and regulations, including those that ensure availability of federal funding to the Department.

This specific position will oversee the Environmental Planning and Strategic Planning and Projects offices. Candidates may also be considered for Director of Roadway Information Systems and the Program Development and Forecasting Offices and/or Highway Safety office, hence applicants for this position may be utilized to fill other Transportation Planning Director positions in the future to support re-organization and implementation of CTDOT’s Strategic Plan.
 
The Roadway Information Systems Office is comprised of Systems Inventory, Photolog and Traffic Monitoring Units. This office provides data collection, processing, storage and distribution of roadway inventory feature data associated with almost 22,000 log miles of State and local public roadways (as defined by 23 CFR 460.2) as well as management and dissemination of Model Inventory of Roadway Elements (MIRE) data required by federal law. This office fulfills federally mandated reporting and analysis, as well as State statute requirements and program apportionments. These systems produce critical data outputs utilized to understand current conditions, estimate future travel demands, identify capacity deficiencies, complete transportation studies and designs as well as increase access and transparency of data used in decision making.

The Office of Program Development and Forecasting is comprised of Travel Demand and Air Quality, MPO Coordination, Trip and Traffic Analysis and the STIP (Statewide Transportation Improvement Program) units. These offices are integral to required federal Planning processes and must work collaboratively with multiple bureaus and agencies.

This position will report to the Bureau Chief of Planning, Technology and Innovation. Travel both within and out of the state may be required for this position.

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING: 

Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources?  Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process. 

BEFORE YOU APPLY: 

  • Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.  
  • Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting. 
  • Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency. 
  • Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift. 
  • Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State.  Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov (Opens in a New Window)
  • Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other. 
  • Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

AFTER YOU APPLY: 

  • Some email providers may experience delays or issues delivering messages. To avoid missing important updates—such as referral questionnaires or interview scheduling links—please check your Personal Status Board regularly.
  • For added convenience, you can also enable text (SMS) notifications. To do this, log in to your Personal Status Board and select “Update My Contact Information.”
  • Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).   
  • Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression! 
  • Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.  
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.  
  • Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.

QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP: 

Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Frank DeCusati at frank.decusati@ct.gov (Opens in a New Window).

Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning, Technology and Innovation this class is accountable for directing the administration and operation of one of the Bureau offices.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Within a Transportation office, this position will oversee two of the offices in the Bureau of Planning, Technology and Innovation and will provide direction to the Assistant Director and staff in each office. The Director’s role is to assist in the management and operations of the offices and assure that deliverables reflect the requirements of state and federal programs, that critical office functions are maintained, and that program and project schedules are achieved. The Transportation Planning Director will formulate program goals and objectives, develop related policy, interpret and administer pertinent laws and regulations, evaluate and mentor staff, prepare office budgets, and build and maintain relationships both internally and externally with State, regional, and federal agencies and key stakeholders.

Most importantly, the Transportation Director will evaluate changing State and federal requirements, evolving industry practices, and aid in developing strategic direction for the agency to ensure that the offices are responding and adapting to meet future needs and adopting best practices to allow the Department to be a leader in the industry. It is critically important that these offices develop and maintain the capability to meet the various demands of the new infrastructure bill.
 
Duties include:

  • Oversee and manage two of the offices within the Bureau of Planning, Technology and Innovation;
  • Aid the Department in adapting to evolving state and federal priorities relative to future multimodal transportation needs, issues, and best practices;
  • Ensure fulfillment of all planning, data collection, and reporting requirements as called for in state and federal laws and regulations;
  • Help shape the Bureau’s long-term vision, strategy, and programs for serving the mobility and accessibility needs of Connecticut’s residents and businesses while supporting economic growth, strong communities, and a healthy sustainable environment;
  • Focus on innovation to improve processes;
  • Build the capacity of teams through staff development, coaching, mentoring, and team building opportunities;
  • Lead and coordinate the implementation of the agency’s Strategic Plan and to launch Business Intelligence and Continuous Improvement initiatives responsible for advancing our move to institutionalizing performance measures and utilizing lean initiatives, dashboarding, and executing organizational change;
  • Drive cross-functional alignment, tracking progress on strategic initiatives, assisting bureaus and units in identifying appropriate performance measures, creating visual tools and dashboards to assist with decision making, and ensuring timely execution of key priorities that support the Department’s mission, vision, and long-term goals;
  • Perform related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Considerable knowledge of
    • and ability to apply management principles and practices;
    • relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;
    • techniques of professional management as applied to transportation planning and related activities;
    • state and federal transportation funding programs;
    • contemporary techniques, concepts and procedures employed in field of transportation planning; 
  • Considerable
    • interpersonal skills; 
    • oral and written communication skills.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Ten (10) years of professional experience in one of the following areas: transportation, urban, regional, or environmental planning; technology; or transportation engineering project management.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been in a managerial or supervisory capacity.

NOTE:
  • Managerial or supervisory capacity is interpreted as planning, supervising, organizing, directing and/or controlling resources of a major subdivision of an agency or organization. 
  • For state employees this experience is interpreted at the level of a Transportation Assistant Planning Director, Transportation Transit Manager, Transportation Assistant District Engineer, or Information Technology Manager 2.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  • College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
  • A Master's degree in a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience as a leader in the transportation planning sector
  • Experience with environmental, cultural and natural resources, Permitting, NEPA, research, planning, sustainability and resiliency
  • Experience with transportation planning and emerging issues
  • Experience as a senior manager
  • Experience leading a multi-disciplinary team to deliver projects or programs
  • Experience with organizational and staff development
  • Experience with legislative and government budgeting processes
  • Experience collaborating with stakeholders across various levels of government
  • Experience establishing and maintaining relationships with stakeholders
  • Experienced interpersonal skills including written and oral communication
  • Experience with complex negotiations

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.