Transit Planning and Scheduling Manager - Trainee Eligible

Madison, City of•Madison, WI

11d•Onsite

About The Position

Metro Transit, a department of the City of Madison, seeks a strategic, detail-driven Transit Planning and Scheduling Manager to lead the team responsible for bus routes, stops, public schedules, operator shift schedules, long-range service planning, and data analysis. The role combines leadership, strategic planning, and hands-on problem solving to deliver reliable, efficient, and equitable transit service. The position is part of Metro’s Senior Management Team and supports collaborative work, racial equity, teamwork, open communication, and effective problem solving and decision making. The position is trainee eligible. Applicants may be considered at the trainee or objective level, with placement based on training and experience at hire. A trainee receives an individualized training and career progression program intended to prepare them to advance to Transit Planning and Scheduling Manager, generally in approximately two years or less. Specific timelines are determined at hire. The role oversees transit planning, service and scheduling, public engagement, data analysis, grant and federal reporting, staff leadership, and budget and project administration. Work is performed directly and through supervised staff. The employee must work onsite; the position is not remote. Occasional meetings and presentations outside normal working hours, including evenings and weekends, are expected.

Requirements

Four years of progressively responsible professional transit or transportation planning experience, including independent responsibility for developing and coordinating related professional planning activities; and one year leading people as a supervisor, lead worker, team leader responsible for directing work or enforcing deadlines, or in another leadership capacity. Alternatively, a bachelor's degree in transportation planning or another directly related field, two years of responsible professional transit or transportation planning experience with independent responsibility for developing and coordinating related planning activities, and one year of people-leadership experience.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with multicultural communities.
Ability to meet the transportation requirements of the position.
Ability to work at a sit/stand desk for extended periods using standard office equipment.
Ability to occasionally attend meetings and provide presentations outside the normal work schedule, including evenings and weekends.
Must work onsite; the position is not remote.
Applicants must submit responses to the supplemental essay questions in the application attachment section; applications without essays will be eliminated from consideration.

Responsibilities

Oversee Federal Transit Administration Title VI Program updates, National Transit Database information submissions, and federal reporting and grant submissions.
Develop and oversee a public participation framework that manages expectations and gathers feedback from neighborhood groups and major institutions.
Serve as a principal staff liaison to boards and commissions and interpret technical studies for non-technical audiences.
Oversee the use of GIS and geospatial tools for quantitative analysis supporting operations and project development.
Monitor and report key performance indicators and forecasts to support strategic planning.
Represent Metro at interdepartmental meetings to integrate transit into street designs and protect operations from negative impacts.
Identify emerging transportation ideas and assess potential applications within agency operations.
Define and refine a vision for the route network, aligning infrastructure projects with long-range service goals.
Collaborate with Operations and Maintenance so service plans align with long-range fleet procurement goals and route designs are operationally feasible.
Lead efforts to identify transit signal priority, dedicated bus lanes, and other speed and reliability enhancements, and collaborate with teams to implement them.
Oversee planning and integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems, including real-time information and flexible service models.
Collaborate with Buildings and Grounds on transit infrastructure and passenger amenities, including placement, design, and maintenance.
Work with Finance on budget tracking and with Marketing and Customer Service to ensure public-facing materials and schedules are accurate and accessible.
Participate in local emergency management activities and assist with planning and coordinating transit resources during emergencies.
Work across city departments to incorporate transit into citywide planning and align transit recommendations with the network vision.
Interview, hire, train, and evaluate Planning unit staff; assign work and manage divisional budgets.
Oversee fixed-route and BRT service scheduling, including run cutting and the driver pick process.
Prepare and administer annual operating and capital budgets for the unit, aligning them with agency goals.
Manage projects using federal and state grant programs and budgets, including grant-funded operating expenditures.
Create and execute annual and long-range Planning unit work programs, integrating staff, funds, and local resources.
Manage professional-services administration, including consultant selection and contract administration.
Maintain productivity and morale while ensuring the unit follows principles of racial equity, social justice, and ethical transparency.
Perform other duties as assigned.