Kentucky Transportation Planning Department Leader - Transportation Market

Gresham Smith • Louisville, KY

3d

About The Position

The Transportation Planning Department Leader supports the development and execution of the department’s annual state integrated business plan in alignment with the firm’s Strategic Plan and market business plan. The role leads business development and client relationship efforts, including identifying strategic clients, cultivating relationships, developing proposals and fee structures, and pursuing new opportunities. The leader monitors market trends and client expectations, identifies innovation opportunities, and supports successful project delivery through operational insight and guidance to project teams.

The role also oversees departmental operations, technical functions, workload, resources, performance, and administrative responsibilities. It includes mentoring and developing employees, attracting and retaining technical specialists, promoting collaboration and transparent communication, and fostering an inclusive workplace. The leader works with state or area leadership, other department leaders, Marketing, corporate management, project managers, and project teams to advance business goals and meet client expectations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Transportation Planning, Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Eight or more years of relevant experience, including experience serving clients in a consulting or managerial capacity.
• Professional licensure or certification.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to deliver persuasive presentations that build client confidence and secure contracts.
• Experience managing and successfully delivering multidisciplinary transportation planning projects with related disciplines such as engineering design, land use, urban design, or economic development.
• Extensive knowledge of state- and federal-level transportation planning, governance, and funding.
• Recognized expertise and leadership in transportation planning and related disciplines.
• Demonstrated success in business development, client relationship management, and securing new work.
• Strong leadership skills, including the ability to mentor, coach, develop, and retain high-performing teams.
• Ability to manage departmental operations, resources, workloads, performance, and administrative responsibilities effectively.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.
• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification.

Responsibilities

• Support development and execution of the department’s annual state integrated business plan, aligned with the firm’s Strategic Plan and market business plan.
• Collaborate with state or area leadership, other department leaders, and Marketing on client marketing plans, proposals, and pursuit interviews.
• Apply the firm’s Way to Win protocols to support effective pursuit execution.
• Initiate new client relationships and strengthen existing ones.
• Develop proposals, scopes of work, and fee structures to secure projects.
• Identify and pursue business opportunities to expand the firm’s client portfolio.
• Identify opportunities for innovation in transportation planning.
• Develop tactical plans for strategic client identification, relationship cultivation, client satisfaction monitoring, and pursuit lead tracking.
• Monitor market trends and anticipate capabilities needed to meet changing client expectations.
• Maintain client relationships and provide operational insight to support successful project delivery.
• Mentor, coach, and develop employees.
• Direct departmental workload, performance, resource planning, and administrative matters.
• Collaborate with state or area and department leaders to achieve goals, support growth, and meet performance metrics.
• Foster an inclusive workplace and communicate frequently and transparently to engage and retain employees.
• Supervise departmental technical functions and ensure sufficient resources for effective and efficient operations.
• Solicit feedback on departmental performance, methods, effectiveness, and progress toward tactical plans.
• Promote communication and collaboration across the organization.
• Communicate with corporate management to resolve issues and share personnel, workloads, market leads, and ideas.
• Work with Marketing to identify materials and resources that support business development.
• Attract, develop, and retain technical specialists to strengthen transportation planning capabilities.
• Guide project managers and project teams in meeting client expectations.

Benefits

• In-house learning and professional growth opportunities.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Licensure support.
• Professional organization engagement.
• Flexible schedules and generous paid time off.
• Medical, dental, and vision healthcare.
• Wellness programs.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Short- and long-term disability coverage.
• Paid life and AD&D insurance.
• Supplemental insurance, critical care insurance, pet insurance, legal insurance, and identity theft insurance.
• Family planning and parental leave.
• Mass/public transit program.
• Telemedicine.
• Employee assistance program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager