Associate Analyst - Funding and Transit

Sacramento Area Council of Governments•Sacramento, CA

15h•Hybrid

About The Position

SACOG is seeking a transportation professional to support two connected areas of work: SACOG’s regional transportation funding programs and its transit program administration responsibilities. This role involves supporting SACOG-led state and federal transportation funding programs, including funding estimates and program monitoring. Additionally, it supports SACOG’s responsibilities in administering and monitoring Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding to the region’s transit agencies, along with other transit-related funding, reporting, and compliance activities. The Associate Analyst will work on a variety of funding and transit activities within the Transportation Team, including support for SACOG-led regional funding programs, coordination of FTA requirements related to Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) duties, technical support for transit reporting and funding activities, and performing other assigned tasks. This position requires collaboration with external partners such as public transit operators, federal agencies, local municipalities, other regional agencies, and state partners, as well as other SACOG teams. The role combines regional transportation funding with transit program administration, necessitating the ability to work across multiple program areas. The position reports directly to the Transit Program Manager and will also work closely with the Funding and Grants Program Manager.

Requirements

Strong organizational skills, including time management, ability to set priorities, and ability to anticipate deadlines.
Adaptability and flexibility, and the ability to manage multiple assignments, competing requirements, and deadlines.
Dedication to collaboration across SACOG teams and regional partners.
Ability to work both independently and in a team environment.
Strong critical thinking skills, including the ability to make effective decisions amidst uncertainty.
Experience with transit and transportation planning.
Understanding of state and federal transit programs and transportation planning regulations.
Understanding of and experience with state and federal transportation funding sources, eligibility rules, programming cycles, and grant requirements, especially for FTA programs.
Ability to develop funding estimates, needs assessments, forecasts, and track awards across multiple programs.
Skill in organizing and analyzing project and funding data to support the development of performance monitoring indicators.
Ability to make presentations before various boards and/or committees in an effective and concise manner.
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.
Education equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in Transportation/Urban Planning, Public or Business Administration, Political Science or related field.
Three (3) years of full-time progressively responsible program management work in transportation planning, transportation funding and/or transportation grants or two (2) years of experience equivalent to an Analyst II at SACOG.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of the region’s transit network, including operators and key transit corridors.
Experience with the FTA TrAMS grant management system.
Ability to understand and explain changing state and federal transportation policies, regulations, and funding guidance, and communicate implications for SACOG programs and partners.
Proficiency in advanced Excel tools and functions, with working knowledge of GIS and basic mapping applications.
Strong coordination and communication skills, including the ability to work with transit operators, local jurisdictions, planners, modelers, and consultants to gather data, clarify assumptions, and document methods.
Ability to collaborate with technical staff to support the development of analytical frameworks that align data and analysis with transit agency priorities, regulatory requirements, and policy maker needs.

Responsibilities

Supports the development of funding round guidelines and execution of rotating SACOG-led federal and state funding programs.
Coordinates with other SACOG teams on the development of fund estimates for SACOG’s Regional Funding Programs.
Completes financial and needs assessment forecasts essential to SACOG’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (MTP/SCS).
Monitors and tracks funding awards, allocations, and expenditures across multiple SACOG-led funding programs, ensuring consistency with programming requirements and financial tracking systems.
Coordinates with other internal SACOG teams, including organizing project and funding data, to support the development of performance monitoring indicators and consistent reporting across programs.
Tracks grant awards in state and federal discretionary programs, generates reports and analyses using SACOG’s existing project database, and develops and maintains new indicators related to transportation and mobility outcomes in the SACOG region.
Supports administration and coordination of Federal Transit Administration funding (such as Sections 5339 and 5307) for the region’s transit agencies, consistent with the process included in the adopted MOU and federal grant management processes and requirements.
Leads technical work to support other state and regional transit funding sources, including Transportation Development Act (TDA) programs like Local Transportation Fund (LTF) and State Transit Assistance (STA).
Coordinates with the Programming and Finance teams to support MPO responsibilities related to the FTA Triennial Review, annual FTA Program of Projects, FTA grant compliance and monitoring, and coordinating FTA transit performance targets.
Supports and/or leads transit data collection, monitoring, and reporting as it relates to transit activities in the region, including unmet transit needs process, Title VI, and technical assistance with transit operators.