Parking and Transportation Demand Management Planning Officer

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:

As Cambridge’s Chief Executive Officer, the City Manager supervises and manages all City Departments, recommends policies and programs to the City Council, and implements City Council legislation. The City Manager’s Office collaborates with the City Council and city departments on the shared mission to serve the Cambridge community and build a better city for all.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Parking and Transportation Demand Management Planning (PTDM) Officer will administer an innovative municipal ordinance that is a national model for improving mobility and access, reducing congestion and air pollution, and increasing traffic safety by promoting walking, bicycling, public transit, and other sustainable modes. This position reports to the City Manager, with day-to-day supervision by the Assistant Commissioner of Transportation Planning in the Cambridge Department of Transportation.

The PTDM Officer will manage the PTDM Program, including plan approvals, annual reporting and data management, related transportation policy development, and relationships with businesses, institutions, and property owners. The ideal candidate will be a curious and humble problem solver excited about working in the public sector and working towards creating a city that works for everyone. The ideal candidate can establish collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, use data to break down issues and identify solutions, and communicate effectively through any medium (e.g., PowerPoint, Word, email, verbally).

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Assistant Commissioner of Transportation Planning in the Cambridge Department of Transportation, the PTDM Planning Officer will be responsible for a variety of tasks related to the PTDM program, development project review, and data analysis:

• Review and approve transportation demand management plans to reduce vehicle trips and traffic congestion.
• Track annual report submissions, review monitoring results, and help ensure that property owners comply with their commitments.
• Work in Salesforce database tool to manage data from annual property reports, create queries, and export data, including data for the City’s Open Data Portal. Analyze data collected through annual monitoring to track program performance and inform program changes..
• Draft citywide annual TDM reports and present to City Council. Create attractive and easy-to-understand graphs and presentation slides.
• Provide technical assistance in transportation planning and analysis by reviewing development projects with staff in other program areas like traffic & parking and zoning.
• Update transportation web pages.
• Collaborate on initiatives that will advance Cambridge’s planning and policy goals with City staff and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds
• Educate and inform other City departments and the public, including residents, property owners, businesses, developers, and design professionals about ways to reduce driving.
• Supervise the PTDM Data Coordinator.
• Perform additional responsibilities based on the needs of the division, department, or City.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education & Experience:

• An Associate's degree with eight (8) years of related experience, a Bachelor's degree with six (6) years of related experience, or a master's degree in transportation planning or related field with four (4) years of related experience. People with 10 years of experience in a professional capacity in a related field will also be considered.
• Experience in TDM and sustainable transportation planning.
• Required experience and comfort working with computers: General office applications (Microsoft Office suite) and ability to learn more advanced applications. Experience working with Salesforce.
• Experience in regulatory compliance, customer service, or other public-facing roles that require maintaining good working relationships with stakeholders with competing interests.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

The candidate’s written submissions and interview must show:

• Commitment to the encouragement and promotion of sustainable transportation options.
• Experience in developing transportation demand management strategies and reviewing development proposals.
• Enjoyment of detail-oriented work, and appreciation of the importance of accuracy and compliance with local regulations
• Ability to tackle complex and unstructured problems
• Positive attitude and willingness to own all aspects of a problem
• Deep sense of humility, curiosity, and learning-orientation
• Ability to create clear and compelling visual representations of data
• Strong organizational skills.
• Expert quantitative analysis and critical reasoning skills to structure and carry out analyses using Excel, R, or other statistical software
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to take initiative, follow through, and solve problems.
• The City of Cambridge's workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies in a courteous, compassionate, and professional manner.
• Strong interpersonal skills to navigate competing stakeholder interests and build collaborative relationships across and outside of the City of Cambridge
• High ethical standards and personal integrity
• Cambridge residency required within six months of employment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• The ideal candidate will show the following qualities in their written submission and interview:
• Strong interest in regulation and program administration.
• Experience working with businesses and large institutions.
• Genuine motivation to apply equity lens to current challenges in urban transportation.
• Understanding of planning issues relevant to Cambridge, including mobility, social and environmental justice, and climate change.
• Lived experience in a dense, diverse urban area with similar characteristics and challenges as those in the City of Cambridge.
• Experience working with Census Data and other transportation data sources

HOURS: Normal schedule is Monday 8:30am-8:00pm, Tuesday-Thursday 8:30am-5:00pm, Friday 8:30pm-12:00pm. Work also involves periodic evening meetings. Flexible scheduling and compensatory time off are available for work responsibilities outside of normal work hours.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Standard office environment, which includes fluorescent lighting and air conditioning. This position may be eligible for hybrid work under the City’s Telework Policy depending on operational needs.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Ability to access input and retrieve information from a computer. Ability to operate office equipment including copiers, printers, and scanners. Executes multiple tasks involving keyboarding, telephones, writing, bending, reaching, and lifting boxes of files. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS:

• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Vacation and Sick leave eligible
• Sick Incentive Pay Eligible
• 3 Personal days
• 14 Paid Holidays
• Management Allowance, $2,700/year
• City employee commuter benefits (MBTA pass subsidy, Bluebikes membership)

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Please upload the following documents to complete your application.

• Resume
• Cover Letter