SC Metro | Deputy Director of Planning and Innovation

Deputy Director of Planning and Innovation

DEFINITION:

Reporting to the Chief of Planning & Innovation, the Deputy Director shapes and delivers METRO’s entire capital program, overseeing consultants, contractors, and internal staff to move each project from concept to close-out. The role steers market-sounding and procurement processes for products and technologies, while also leading capital improvements for METRO-owned transit-oriented developments and rapid-corridor projects. Working with the Chief Planning & Innovation Officer and other department heads, and a range of federal, state, and regional partners, the position drives METRO’s transition to zero-emission buses, fleet replacement planning, and energy-efficiency upgrades across facilities and wayside infrastructure.

In addition, the Deputy Director manages METRO’s grants function by guiding Grants Analysts, securing and administering federal, state, and local funding, and ensuring full compliance with all requirements. The position supports the Chief in preparing short- and long-range planning documents, advises the General Manager/CEO on complex policy initiatives that affect METRO funding and operations, and coordinates seamlessly with Transportation Planning, Scheduling, Purchasing, Finance, and other internal teams to keep data, sourcing, and fiscal reporting aligned. Other related duties are performed as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is a senior management classification that supervises professional staff, manages consultant teams, and acts for the Chief of Planning & Innovation in their absence. The position requires a blend of strategic thinking, project delivery savvy, and collaborative leadership across departments and with regional partners.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The duties listed below represent the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is related or a logical assignment to this class.

• Manages overall portfolio of METRO capital projects from conception through to project delivery and completion.
• Utilizes third-party consultants and contractor resources as required to execute capital projects on time and within established budgets.
• Leads the development and standardization of procedures and methods to improve and continuously monitor the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of assigned programs; conducts studies and analyses, identifies opportunities for improvement, evaluates alternatives, develops recommendations, and implements changes.
• Supports the CEO/General Manager and Board of Directors pertaining to short- and long-range capital investments; works closely with the Chief of Planning & Innovation, and other department / division heads on the execution of strategic investment initiatives.
• Manages capital development programs by conducting capital planning and needs assessment studies, developing short- and long-range funding strategies, identifying and researching METRO’s needs and appropriate funding sources, and evaluating the feasibility of obtaining funding for proposed projects.
• Oversees the planning and writing grant funding applications, fund programming, post-award grant management and reporting to the funding agencies; provides grant-specific training and support to the department.
• Conducts analysis in support of pursuing funding, advising and collaborating with management on opportunities, developing grant programming and application materials, and determining project eligibility as required to achieve program objectives.
• Prepares grant applications and Board staff reports and resolutions; submits applications upon Board approval; executes agreements to receive funds.
• Manages and monitors awarded grants and funds; prepares grant amendments, funding allocation requests, budget revisions, and requests for grant extensions; tracks capital project budgets and expenditures.
• Leads internal and external reporting of budgets and grant/fund allocation and expenditures; prepares status reports for the Board and external funding agencies; leads department managers and staff through regulations, requirements, procedures, and guidelines of programs to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and funding source requirements.
• Consults and renegotiates with funding agencies and project managers on revisions of scopes of work, budgets, and timelines to maximize use of grant resources; monitors financial status of assigned projects and programs including maintaining funding records and plans and collecting and updating project cost information.
• Represents METRO at a variety of external transportation related meetings and activities with Federal, State, and local agencies; serves as the main point of contact to external oversight officials and funding partners.
• Advocates for and represents METRO at various stages in the regional transportation planning process, including development of interagency agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) pertaining to the acquisition of funding and provision of services.
• Supports Finance Department in external financial or grant-related audits and reviews of METRO’s capital, grant, fixed asset, or other related programs, including the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Transportation Development Act (TDA) Triennial Reviews; assists with Santa Cruz METRO’s responses to findings.
• Develops and prepares grant applications and claims for agencies that are sub-recipients of grant funds from METRO; trains staff of sub-recipients regarding grant procedures and requirements; reviews submittals from sub-recipients and determines compliance with grant requirements.
• Develops budget revenue projections using statistical models, historical revenues, and economic indicators; prepares METRO’s grant funded capital budget and assists in developing METRO’s operations budget.
• Leads funding advocacy efforts in Santa Cruz County in collaboration with CEO/General Manager, including attending Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) Interagency Technical Advisory Committee (ITAC), the Elderly and Disabled Transportation Advisory Committee (E&D TAC), and the Budget, Administration, and Personnel Committee (BAP) meetings and coordinating METRO’s funding and programming needs and legislative priorities with the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG).

• Develops METRO’s capital element of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP), Program of Projects (POP), Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and the Monterey Bay Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP).
• Manages complex statistical and data analysis projects; develops and presents written and oral reports and analyses on a wide variety of complex issues involving federal, regional, and local transportation funding other related issues.
• Oversees the maintenance of records systems and databases for capital planning and grant administration systems.
• Recommends the appointment of staff, provides and coordinates staff training, and works with employees to correct deficiencies.
• Performs related work as required.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of program management including Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), planning, development, implementation, and evaluation.
• Expert-level understanding of project development, scheduling, risk management, financial control and quality management of complex capital projects.
• General principles and practices of short- and long-range capital planning, grants management, financial planning, and budget development and administration.
• Long-range planning and operation of a public transit system.
• Land use planning process best practices, including transit-oriented development (TOD) and affordable housing programs, laws and regulations.
• Principles and techniques of conducting analytical studies, evaluating alternatives, making sound recommendations, and preparing and presenting effective and technical reports.
• Public administration, legislative and policy analysis techniques at the program and political level.
• Public participation and governance relations techniques for effectively representing METRO to the Board of Directors, city councils, and other local, regional, State, and Federal agencies, as well as in public meetings.
• Research and reporting methods, techniques, and procedures; statistical analyses and various methods of presenting data, analyses, and recommendations.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, legislative processes, funding practices and procedures, and regulations and METRO policies and procedures affecting capital planning and grants and government affairs programs.
• Recordkeeping principles and procedures.
• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors/consultants, and METRO staff.

Ability to:

• Develop and implement goals, objectives, practices, policies, procedures, and work standards.
• Effectively manage and administer capital project delivery efforts and monitor overall portfolio of capital planning programs and grants programs.

• Navigate the organization and its competing priorities for effective program management.
• Research, evaluate, and recommend new strategic service delivery methods, vendors, products or solutions, procedures, and techniques related to innovative capital programs.
• Manage and perform complex project management, capital planning studies, financial analysis, and budget administration work with substantial independence, judgment and decision-making, and discretion.
• Manage multiple third-party consultant contracts simultaneously and track overall portfolio of expenditures and progress; provide direction to contractors and consultants; manage within time and budget priorities and constraints.
• Proactively research and identify funding sources, prepare and write grant applications, and obtain and administer grants and special funded projects.
• Define issues, analyze problems, evaluate alternatives, and develop sound conclusions and recommendations.
• Understand impact of new information for current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Use logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of proposals, alternatives, and conclusions, and to determine policy compliance of proposals.
• Effectively represent METRO in meetings with governmental agencies, community groups, various business, professional, and regulatory organizations, and in meetings with individuals.
• Maintain records and control systems with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Prepare clear, concise, and complete reports and other written material.
• Perform accurate mathematical calculations and financial analyses.
• Understand, analyze, interpret, apply, and ensure compliance with all pertinent laws, regulations, codes, and ordinances and METRO policies and procedures relevant to work performed.
• Independently organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow-up on assignments.
• Effectively use computer systems, specialized software applications, platforms, systems and modern business equipment relevant to work performed.
• Communicate clearly and effectively in both oral and written form in group settings.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the department and with other departments, agencies, contractors, consultants, vendors, and the public.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Any combination of experience and education that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education, Training, and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in transportation planning, engineering, , or a related field and seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience, preferably in a transportation agency including capital project delivery, budgeting, portfolio program management, preparation and implementation of transportation grant applications and funding programs, and grants administration. .

Doctoral or Master’s degree and Professional (e.g., AICP, PMP) Certification is highly desirable.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES:

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS:

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms; walk, sit, and stand; use finger dexterity; talk and hear and use a keyboard. Work often requires stooping at the waist and the repetitive use of both hands to grasp and feel objects. Work may require lifting up to 20 pounds unaided. Specific visual abilities required for this job include close vision, distance vision, the ability to see colors and shades, and the ability to perceive depth.

Mental Demands

While performing the duties of this job, an employee uses written and oral communication skills; reads and interprets data, information, and documents; analyzes and solves problems; uses math and mathematical reasoning; performs detailed work; deals with multiple concurrent tasks; and interacts with others encountered in the course of work.

Work Environment:

The employee typically works in a standard office environment where the noise level is usually moderate.

OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Must be able to undertake periodic overnight travel for meetings, conferences, or site visits, which may occasionally occur outside normal business hours.
• Must be able to work extended hours as needed, often outside regular business hours as required by the CEO and the demands of the job.
• Must maintain strictest confidentiality.
• Must participate in professional development activities

*Adopted:                      05-20-2022

*BOD Approved:             05-20-2022

*Revised:                      05-16-2025

*Job Family:                   Professional-Grants/Planning

*FLSA Status: Exempt Bargaining Unit: Management