Director of Data & Analysis at Sacramento Area Council of Governments – Sacramento, California
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About This Position
Our Region
The six-county Sacramento region exemplifies physical, cultural, and economic diversity. This makes it a stimulating place to work for people in the planning profession but more important, it also makes it a great place to live. Landscapes range from fertile agricultural lands to the high Sierra Nevada mountains, encompassing a vibrant collection of small towns, established and emerging suburbs, and an urban core that houses the capital of the fourth largest economy in the world, with cultural and sporting events year-round. Pacific coast beaches, Tahoe region ski resorts, and wild Sierra Nevada lakes and mountains are less than two hours’ drive from the city of Sacramento, which sits at the confluence of two major California rivers — the American and the Sacramento — that also offer many recreational opportunities. Sacramento also offers convenient access to the Sacramento International Airport, ranked among the best midsize airports in the country, making regional, national, and international travel easy and accessible.
The region’s much lower cost of living and housing compared to coastal California, as well as its ethnic diversity, have led to a population boom and a revived and vibrant downtown. Its reputation as the Farm-to-Fork capital of America also draws foodies and tourists.
The Organization
SACOG is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the six-county Sacramento region. Formed as a Joint Powers Authority, SACOG is governed by a board of 31 elected officials that directly represent all six counties and 22 cities in the region, and one ex officio member (Caltrans). While transportation is core to SACOG’s role as an MPO, SACOG has over two decades of experience approaching regional issues from an integrated perspective of transportation, land use, and air quality. Our mission is to convene and connect the region to advance an equitable, sustainable, and prosperous future. Our Strategic Plan is structured around four priorities: (1) Build vibrant and inclusive places; (2) Foster the next generation of mobility solutions; (3) Modernize the way we pay for transportation infrastructure; and (4) Build and maintain a safe, equitable and resilient transportation system.
SACOG is one of the “big four” MPOs in California, along with those representing the San Francisco Bay Area, the Los Angeles region, and the San Diego region. It is highly regarded in the industry as one of the best -performing and most innovative MPOs in the nation.
The Data & Analysis Team
The Data & Analysis Team is integral to ensuring SACOG meets its state and federal statutory requirements and advances its strategic priorities. The team's expertise is crucial in the development, implementation, and monitoring of SACOG’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (MTP/SCS), also known as the Blueprint. In addition to meeting statutory requirements, the team generates data, analysis, and visualizations to support various agency projects and programs. They also handle data requests from local agencies and partners, leveraging their technical skills to tackle significant policy questions. And they employ a variety of sophisticated tools to present relevant data to SACOG staff, board, member and partner organizations, and the broader public.
The Data & Analysis Team includes talented, dedicated, and diverse professionals with backgrounds in travel modeling, geographic information systems, spatial and quantitative analysis, programming, cartography, and urban planning. These tools include the regional travel demand model, web applications, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and mapping, an open data portal, and a monitoring and reporting dashboard. The team is currently organized into two groups: the Transportation Modeling & Analysis group (TMAG) and the Data & Mapping Services (DAMS) group. The TMAG focuses on developing, maintaining, and applying SACOG’s travel demand model and data. The DAMS group focuses on data compilation, analysis, visualization, and mapping. The groups work collaboratively to provide data and analysis to support agency programs and external partners’ planning efforts.
In the next few years, the Data & Analysis Team will undertake several important initiatives which will shape future applications of its work:
Reassessing methodologies and tools, including SACOG’s travel model, to deliver the data, analysis and visualization that supports the metropolitan planning process and decision-making.
Exploring opportunities to strategically integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning into the team’s workflows;
Expanding data and mapping services offerings by building out the data monitoring program with education, visualization, and decision-support applications for internal programs and external partners;
Developing expertise in demographic and economic forecasting;
Developing competency in equitable data collection and analysis;
Evolving quality assurance/quality control approaches to address a rapidly increasing amount of data.
The Position
The Director of Data and Analysis will lead SACOG’s work to advance the agency’s data and analytical functions to meet the region’s economic, equity, and environmental goals. The director is responsible for overseeing the collection, analysis, visualization, and dissemination of regional data and tools that inform planning, policy, and investment decisions. The director leads a multidisciplinary team of 11 analysts and data scientists, and works collaboratively across departments and with local, state, and federal partners. The director will continually engage in external communities of practice to understand rapidly changing policy and technological landscapes of metropolitan planning, modeling, data and analysis, to identify trends and issues that could influence or be utilized to improve the work program or strategic direction of the team. The director will provide vision and leadership for the data and analysis functions of the agency. This means helping to fulfill SACOG’s mission and bridge SACOG’s work to local plans and projects in the near-term, while at the same time looking ahead to how the data and analysis functions will need to evolve with changes in data sources, technology, policy, and the built environment of a growing region.
The director reports directly to the Deputy Executive Director of Programs and is part of a multidisciplinary management team. We are a collaborative planning organization, so the director will work with staff on projects across multiple teams across the organization. The director will supervise two Principal Analysts that lead the day-to-day work of the two groups within the team.
The director will delegate and oversee work; coach and develop staff within the data and analysis team; help implement SACOG’s vision; represent SACOG within and outside of the region; contribute to agency policy and growth discussions with peers from the agency management team, and coordinate resources with peers across management groups; empower staff to fulfill the agency’s mission; and explore opportunities to expand our service to the region.
Hybrid Position
As an integral part of our organization, employees will provide support in a flexible work environment. This position will have the ability to telework three days per week. The remainder of the work week will be in-person. Employees are required to live within 200 miles of Sacramento.
We support telework because it:
· Enhances employee productivity, satisfaction, and ability to collaborate.
· Improves recruitment and retention
· Reduces greenhouse gas emission, vehicle miles travels (VMT), traffic and parking congestion, and air pollution
Compensation and Benefits
SACOG is offering a competitive salary and benefits package. The salary range is $170,000 to $216,000 annually, but the actual salary will be determined based on qualifications and experience.
SACOG’s generous benefits package includes 28 days of paid time off a year for the first three years, with an additional 5 days beyond that; 5 days of management leave annually; 12 paid holidays annually, plus four floating holidays after one year; a flexible schedule that includes the opportunity for some remote work; annual cost of living salary adjustment; $2,196 (in 2026) monthly towards CalPERS health plans; CalPERS pension2% @55 for classic*/PEPRA for new employees; $120 per month in a flexible work stipend, and a $200 one-time home office reimbursement.
Search Schedule: Posting July 28, 2025
Filing Deadline: September 15, 2025
First round interviews: Week of September 29
Second round interviews: Week of October 6 through 13
Reference checks: Week of October 20 through 27
Desired start date: December 2025
Applicants selected as finalists for this position will be subject to a comprehensive background check.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be an innovative and strategic leader with strong management skills and a demonstrated ability to contemplate problems that are complex and have multiple considerations, including political, financial, regulatory, and technical. The ideal candidate will evaluate options, act, and adjust to changing conditions and opportunities when applicable. The ideal candidate will have a background in transportation planning, modeling, or analysis, and proven experience to motivate, coach, and grow current and future professionals and leaders.
Attributes of a successful candidate include:
A proactive and collaborative management style with team members, leaders, and stakeholders
Ability to articulate complex concepts in a clear and straightforward manner
Strategic thinker and innovative problem solver who can balance deadlines, quality of deliverables, and staff capacity
A forward-looking team player who can assess and align their team’s efforts with agency priorities
Proven ability to build relationships and partnerships based on trust
Ability to recognize and pursue opportunities, and establish our region, its cities, counties and organizations, as leaders
Candid communication style and an effective listener
Culture and Organizational Values
The dynamic nature of SACOG’s work, combined with its small staff, requires a flexible staff and a flat organizational structure. Teams are the focal point of all of SACOG’s project work. Team Managers have more authority and responsibility than in a traditional organization. SACOG is a team-based organization that strives for excellence in both its external work and its internal operations and structure.
SACOG values diversity and believes that a range of backgrounds brings a variety of ideas, perspectives and experiences that contribute to an innovative and collaborative environment in which talents are fully utilized, uniqueness is valued, and SACOG’s objectives are met. SACOG is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace. We welcome individuals of all backgrounds, orientations, and identities.
SACOG is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to compliance with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. SACOG provides fair and equal opportunity for all with no discrimination because of race, creed, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, age, sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.
To comply with applicable disability laws,?SACOG will make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental disabilities of an otherwise qualified individual who is an applicant or employee.
For over a decade, SACOG has used Gallup StrengthsFinder to foster a collaborative and inclusive culture by leading with strengths through regular training, coaching, and our performance evaluations, aligning growth with our organization values of teamwork, community, dedication, and innovation.
Required
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical—but not the only—way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
the equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in civil engineering, transportation planning, urban planning, regional planning, public policy, public administration, land use planning, GIS, geography, data science, mathematics, computer science, or a related field; and
a minimum of five years of broad and progressively responsible program management experience in transportation modeling, planning, analysis, or a related field;
at least five years of supervisory experience; and
at least two years of management-level experience.
Desired
Five (5) years of management experience
Experience in transportation modeling, planning, or analysis
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; to operate a motor vehicle and to visit various meeting sites; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds.
ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS
This is primarily a sedentary classification, and the employee works in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. The employee interfaces with staff, management, other agency representatives, member jurisdictions, government officials, business representatives, and the general public in explaining SACOG policies and requesting and providing information.