Job Details

Salary: $104,790.40 - $162,427.20 Annually
Location : 1011 Union Street, San Diego
Job Type: Full-Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Department: Regional Planning
Division: Sustainable Communities
Opening Date: 12/22/2025
Closing Date: 1/12/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt

Description

Role
The Regional Plan Principal Planner will serve as the Project Manager for the Regional Plan and will contribute to regional planning projects and programs that support implementation of the Regional Plan. In collaboration with member agencies and stakeholders, this position also will oversee and coordinate key policy and planning areas in the development and implementation of the Regional Plan to include transportation, land use, smart growth, transit-oriented development, housing, open space, climate and resiliency, public health, and Title VI. A focus area for this position involves coordinating the development and implementation of the Regional Transportation Plan and its Sustainable Communities Strategy and supporting policies and programs that contribute to meeting state and federal requirements.

Regional Planning Department

The Regional Planning Department provides the regional framework to connect land use to transportation systems, respond to population growth, preserve the environment, and sustain economic prosperity. The department oversees the development and implementation of various long-range and short-range plans including multimodal transportation plans and projects, sustainable development plans and programs, tribal, binational, interregional, and land use coordination, environmental and habitat planning and programs, goods movement, transit planning, and performance monitoring to track implementation of plans.

Sustainable Communities Section

The Sustainable Communities Section manages the development of the Regional Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) and implementation activities related to land use coordination, Title VI analysis, tribal coordination, reconnecting communities, integrated transportation, vision zero, strategic partnerships, goods movement, and the Housing Acceleration Program (HAP).

Job Responsibilities

• Serve as the Project Manager for the Regional Plan and contribute to regional planning projects and programs that support implementation of the Regional Plan.
• Oversee and coordinate, in collaboration with member agencies and stakeholders, key policy and planning areas in the development and implementation of the Regional Plan to include transportation, land use, smart growth, transit-oriented development, housing, open space, climate and resiliency, public health, and Title VI.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of the Regional Transportation Plan and its Sustainable Communities Strategy and supporting policies and programs that contribute to meeting state and federal requirements.
• Project management, including budget and schedule preparation and monitoring, coordination across departments, and preparation of the Regional Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy document and coordination with local, state and federal agencies to ensure legal requirements are met.
• Effectively communicate and present the Regional Plan to diverse audiences.
• Oversee Regional Plan implementation and monitoring and reporting.

Typical Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course work in urban, regional, transportation, or environmental planning, geography, public administration or a related field. An advanced degree is desirable.
• Seven years of increasingly responsible professional regional, transportation, or environmental planning experience, including two years of supervisory experience.
• Superior organizational capabilities, project management skills and experience managing complex projects, the ability to work collaboratively and build consensus (internally and externally), highly developed communication skills and the ability to communicate complex technical information to a variety of audiences, and the ability to lead.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles, practices, and current trends related to transportation and regional program planning.
• Demonstrated knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and requirements pertaining to regional policies, programs, and plans; knowledge of current political trends and recent technological enhancements.
• Demonstrated experience developing programs and delivering complex projects and services in support of regional planning initiatives; experience managing technical research and planning studies and evaluation.
• Experience supervising and evaluating the work of employees; experience evaluating internal business processes and balancing workload with staff resources; experience providing leadership and direction for assigned programs; ability to delegate authority and responsibility.
• Successful project management experience including preparing budgets and schedules; RFPs, scopes of work, and contracts; experience evaluating proposals and selecting and managing consultants.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain cooperative and collaborative relationships with those contacted in the course of work including local, state, and federal agencies, project partners, consultants, and committees; ability to gain cooperation and consensus through discussion and persuasion.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective and collaborative relationships with SANDAG leadership and other department staff; ability to provide clear direction on Regional Plan project needs and deadlines.
• Outstanding written and oral presentation skills and the ability to communicate technical information effectively to a broad range of audiences; experience preparing clear and concise administrative and management reports; experience preparing and delivering presentations and recommendations to audiences with diverse viewpoints.
• Ability to exercise discretion and political acumen in dealing with complex, sensitive, and confidential issues and conflicting agendas and positions.
• Experience managing and developing effective public outreach efforts to inform, educate, and involve the public in the regional planning process.
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage several concurrent projects at various stages of completion; ability to establish and maintain priorities and work independently.
• Demonstrated computer software proficiency using various programs from the Microsoft Office Suite and other PC-based applications.

We offer a complete benefits package to full-time employees including:

• Hybrid work options
• 9/80 flexible work schedule
• Pay-for-performance merit increases
• Retirement - Defined Benefit Plan with the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
• Retirement - 457 Defined Contribution Plan with Voya
• Excellent health insurance options for employees and their eligible dependents
• Free dental and vision insurance for employees and their eligible dependents
• Education Assistance of up to $5,250 a year for regular employees
• Free transit pass for use throughout the San Diego region, bus, Rapid Express, Trolley, and COASTER
• Paid time off including 12 paid holidays, 2 floating holiday days, generous paid time off (PTO) per year, depending on length of service
• Manager and Principal level positions are offered a three-year At-Will employment contract, which provides an annual $5,000 contribution to their defined contribution plan.

01

Do you have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course work in urban, regional, transportation, or environmental planning, geography, public administration, or a related field?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have a minimum of seven years of increasingly responsible professional regional, transportation, or environmental planning experience?

• Yes
• No

03

Please share details on how your experience relates to the role:
04

Do you have a minimum of two years of supervisory experience?

• Yes
• No

05

Do you have experience in managing complex projects and project management?

• Yes
• No

06

Describe your experience presenting technical or complex information to diverse audiences. How do you tailor your message to ensure understanding, and can you provide a specific example?
Required Question