JOB DESCRIPTION

Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)

San Francisco, CA

Principal Planner/Analyst

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, financing, and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the state designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC provides services to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). For more information about MTC, visit www.mtc.ca.gov.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is an equal-opportunity, non-discriminatory employer. MTC provides all employees and applicants with an equal opportunity in every aspect of the employment experience regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical handicap, medical condition or marital status.

Job Description

• DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2026, AT 11:55 PM
• IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY
• A resume is required with your application

Be ready to rethink your assumptions about the public sector. Dedicated and motivated colleagues?

Beautiful, high amenity building for on-site work and collaboration? Flexible schedules and hybrid work options?

Yes, yes, and yes!

ABOUT THE SECTION

The Principal Planner will be a member of the Housing and Local Planning team within the Regional Planning Program serving MTC and ABAG. The Regional Planning Program guides regional planning activities related to housing, land use, resilience, and transportation to create an affordable, connected, diverse, healthy, and vibrant Bay Area for all.

ABOUT THE TEAM

Within the Regional Planning Program, the Housing and Local Planning team advances regional housing and land use goals by developing and implementing key regional policies and by providing grants and technical assistance to local jurisdictions. Examples of programs and initiatives managed by the team include the Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Policy, Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process, Priority Development Area (PDA) grants, TOC grants, and Regional Housing Technical Assistance program.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Principal Planner will play a lead role within the Housing and Local Planning team. Over the next few years, the position is anticipated to lead strategic initiatives that provide support to local jurisdictions implementing housing and land use solutions consistent with regional goals. Responsibilities will include managing the grant and technical assistance program by overseeing the existing portfolio of grants and technical assistance, developing program policies and procedures, providing direction and support to a team of grant managers, engaging with local jurisdictions, managing consultants, and designing and implementing future programs to support local planning efforts.

Responsibilities

Project Management and Staff Oversight

• Lead major housing and land use initiatives within the Regional Planning Program, including project planning and execution.

• Supervise one or more junior staff and/or consultants.

Policy and Technical Analysis

• Conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses of key issues related to regional housing and land use planning.

Communications

• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Qualifications

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

The ideal candidate will have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Organization and management practices as applied to the development, analysis, and evaluation of programs, policies, and operational needs of assigned area of responsibility.

• Principles and practices of leadership.

• Modern principles of planning, modeling, research and analysis, legislative analysis and advocacy, policy research and analysis, government relations, infrastructure and housing project development, and/or policy/program evaluation.

• Principles and practices of interdisciplinary practices, analytic tools, and recent trends affecting assigned area of responsibility.

• Geographic, socio-economic, environmental, transportation, political, legislative, and other elements impacting Commission programs and projects and assigned area of responsibility.

• Principles, practices, and technologies used in the development and maintenance of data management models related to assigned projects and programs.

Ability to:

• Provide professional consultation and subject matter expertise related to the planning, research, development, organization, coordination, and implementation of a variety of planning, modeling, research and analysis, legislative analysis and advocacy, policy research and analysis, government relations, infrastructure and housing project development, and/or policy/program evaluation functions, programs, and strategies.

• Assist in developing and implementing program and service delivery goals, objectives, practices, policies, procedures, and work standards.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of programs and services and make necessary changes and improvements.

• Manage a variety of large, complex, and high-visibility projects, initiatives, strategies, and studies related to assigned area of responsibility.

• Conduct research projects and/or studies on a wide variety of topics, evaluate alternatives, make sound recommendations, and prepare effective technical staff reports.

• Coordinate and collaborate with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, community groups, and government agencies related to assigned functions, programs, and/or projects.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities listed. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Education and Experience: Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in planning, civil engineering, environmental science, communications, business or public administration, or a related field and seven (7) years of increasingly responsible professional experience in a field related to assigned area of responsibility.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Expertise in local and regional housing and land use planning.

• Understanding of the relationship of housing and land use planning to mobility, economic development, and environmental resilience.

• Ability to motivate, guide, and develop a team while maintaining accountability.

• Strong project management skills, including planning, scheduling, and delivering complex projects on time and within scope.