Senior Director of Planning in CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia at JAUNT INC

POSITION SUMMARY
At Jaunt, People. Service. Connection. are more than words. They guide how we serve our employees, passengers, communities, and partners every day.

The Senior Director of Planning leads Jaunt's short and long-range transportation planning, service analysis, GIS, and performance analytics functions to support safe, efficient, and responsive transportation services throughout the communities Jaunt serves. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this position provides strategic leadership to the Planning Department and serves as a key advisor to executive leadership on service planning, regional mobility needs, and the future development of Jaunt's transportation services.

The Senior Director uses operational, demographic, geographic, financial, and customer data to evaluate transportation needs, identify opportunities for service improvement and expansion, and develop data-driven recommendations that support organizational decision-making and long-range strategy.

Working collaboratively with Operations and other departments, local governments, regional planning organizations, funding partners, and community stakeholders, the Senior Director helps position Jaunt to anticipate changing mobility needs, align service and capital planning with organizational priorities, and strengthen Jaunt's role within the regional transportation network.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic & Department Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for Jaunt's planning, GIS, data analysis, and performance management functions and establish short and long-range departmental priorities.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and executive leadership on transportation planning, service development, regional mobility trends, and opportunities affecting Jaunt's future.
• Supervise and develop the GIS Analyst and Administrative/Data Assistant, establishing clear expectations, accountability, and opportunities for professional growth.
• Coordinate departmental workload and resources while promoting collaboration, accuracy, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Transportation and Service Planning

• Lead Jaunt's short and long-range transportation and service planning efforts, including evaluation of opportunities to improve, expand, redesign, or introduce transportation services.
• Analyze ridership, service performance, demographic, geographic, financial, and community data to identify transportation needs and develop recommendations.
• Partner with Operations and other departments to evaluate service design, schedules, routes, service delivery models, and emerging mobility needs.
• Lead or support major planning studies, grant initiatives, strategic projects, and long-range plans that advance Jaunt's organizational, service, and capital priorities.

Data, GIS, and Performance Analysis

• Oversee GIS, mapping, data analysis, and performance reporting used to support organizational decision-making.
• Promote accurate, consistent, and reliable collection, analysis, and presentation of operational and planning data.
• Develop reports, maps, dashboards, and other tools that communicate service trends, performance, and community needs to leadership and stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen Jaunt's use of data and technology in planning and service evaluation.

Community & Regional Collaboration

• Serve as a senior representative of Jaunt with local governments, regional planning organizations, funding partners, community organizations, and other transportation stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships that strengthen regional coordination and support Jaunt's short- and long-range transportation priorities.
• Represent Jaunt in planning meetings, regional studies, committees, public engagement activities, and other external forums as assigned.
• Communicate planning findings, service recommendations, and long-range strategies clearly to executive leadership, the Board, localities, community partners, and other stakeholders.

QUALIFICATIONS
Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Transportation Planning, Urban or Regional Planning, Public Administration, Geography, Data Analytics, or a related field. An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in transportation planning, public transit, regional planning, GIS, data analysis, or a related field, including experience leading significant projects, programs, or teams.
• Experience analyzing complex data and translating findings into practical recommendations, strategies, or service improvements.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including responsibility for staff, major projects, strategic initiatives, or organizational planning efforts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in public transit or passenger transportation.
• Knowledge of FTA, DRPT, and public transportation planning requirements and practices.
• Experience working with local governments, regional planning organizations, or publicly funded programs.
• Experience with GIS, transit planning, data visualization, or related analytical systems.
• Knowledge and experience with Title VI service equity analysis, NTD reporting, GTFS data, and transit planning software.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills with the ability to translate complex information into clear recommendations and organizational strategies.
• Strong leadership, strategic planning, project management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and balance immediate service needs with long-range organizational and community planning.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex information to varied audiences.
• Ability to build effective relationships with employees, executive leadership, Board members, government partners, community organizations, funding partners, and the public.
• Proficiency with GIS, data analysis, Microsoft Office, and other planning, transportation, or data visualization technology systems.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

The Senior Director of Planning helps Jaunt understand where our communities are today and where their transportation needs are headed. Through strategic planning, meaningful community and regional engagement, and effective use of data, this position helps shape the future of Jaunt's services and ensures organizational decisions are informed by both current performance and future mobility needs.

The Senior Director plays an important role in connecting Jaunt's operational realities with its long-range vision, helping ensure our services remain responsive, sustainable, and connected to the people and communities we serve.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Employment is contingent upon successfully completing a pre-employment drug screen and meeting Jaunt's driving record standards for insurance eligibility. Continued employment is contingent upon compliance with Jaunt's Substance Abuse Policy and maintaining a driving record that meets the organization's insurance requirements.

This position requires travel throughout Jaunt's service area and surrounding region to attend meetings, community outreach activities, and other planning-related events. Some evening and weekend work may be required based on public meeting, community engagement, and organizational needs.

As a public transportation provider, Jaunt employees regularly interact with passengers of all abilities. Employees are required to successfully complete initial and ongoing training related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including disability awareness, passenger assistance, and the safe delivery of transportation services to individuals with disabilities.

Jaunt is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. The physical requirements described in this job description are representative of those necessary to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law. Employees requesting a reasonable accommodation should notify Human Resources and may be required to provide appropriate medical documentation supporting the request.