Employment Opportunities

The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) is a dynamic regional government organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the residents in Virginia’s planning district ten (10). The mission of the TJPDC is to provide regional vision, collaborative leadership, and professional service to develop effective solutions. We serve the counties of Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson, and the City of Charlottesville. The TJPDC is a regional planning agency that offers a broad range of planning services in the areas of land-use, community development, environment, transportation, housing, broadband, and economic development, as well as legislative services. Our office is adjacent to the downtown mall of Charlottesville, located in Central Virginia at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Approximately 275,000 residents live in the region, which is filled with history, scenic beauty, and urban and rural living.

General Definition:
The TJPDC is seeking an experienced planner with specialized knowledge/experience in transportation, multi-modal, and land use planning. Under supervision and direction of the Director of Transportation, the Planner III is expected to develop and manage short and long-range regional plans for the TJPDC and Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (CA-MPO). The Planner III will perform highly complex (senior-level) planning and research work requiring limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Serve as the principal technical resource for complex transportation planning issues.
• Independently manage and exercise professional judgement for assigned transportation planning projects, including scopes, schedules, partner coordination, analysis, recommendations, and deliverables.
• Oversee multidisciplinary consultant teams.
• Collaborate with local governments, community organizations, and agencies to support partnerships and resource sharing.
• Coordinate federal transportation performance measures, target-setting, and reporting.
• Lead functional classification reviews and coordinate proposed changes with localities and VDOT.
• Provide technical support and oversight for the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
• Support development and implementation of the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP).
• Coordinate planning studies, SMART SCALE applications, and other transportation planning activities.
• Engage with community members and other stakeholders to gather input and feedback on projects/plans.
• Perform board or committee management activities, including scheduling and conducting meetings with advisory boards and elected officials and maintaining committee membership.
• Assist the Director of Transportation in managing grant administration, including writing grant proposals; overseeing grant compliance, reporting, and auditing; managing projects from inception to completion; and preparing reimbursement requests.
• Attend evening and weekend meetings throughout the region, as necessary.
• Represent the TJPDC at public meetings and special events.
• Develop and document methodologies and specifications for planning and research projects.
• Identify, define, and research issues of strategic importance.
• Mentor and serve as a resource to more junior planners within the organization.

Education and Experience:
Any combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications is:

Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited four-year college or university in planning, public administration, or related field.
• Four (4) years of progressively responsible full-time professional planning experience with a master’s degree, or six (6) years with a bachelor’s degree.

Preferred Qualifications
• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification.
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), with specific proficiency in ArcGIS Pro and the Spatial Analyst extension.
• Qualifications and experience exceeding the minimum requirements.

Working Environment:
The TJPDC offers a hybrid work environment with a moderate number of evening meetings throughout the region. Some day or overnight travel may be required.

Classification, Compensation, Benefits:
CLASSIFICATION: Full-Time Exempt
• SALARY HIRING RANGE: $78,686 – $85,627
• BENEFITS: The TJPDC offers a competitive benefits package that includes health, vision, and dental insurance, paid annual and sick leave, paid holidays, participation in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS), disability insurance, life insurance, a gym discount program, continuing education/training opportunities, and more.