Senior Planner

Make a difference with your change - lead with ingenuity!

KOA Corporation (KOA), a Lochner Company is a leading provider in professional services in transportation, engineering, mobility planning, and construction management for public agencies and private sector clients. Our staff includes registered civil and traffic professional engineers, certified transportation planners, certified road safety professionals, project/construction managers, and construction inspectors.

In December 2022, KOA joined Lochner, a national transportation infrastructure firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, providing planning, environmental, design, construction engineering and inspection, and right-of-way services for surface transportation, rail, transit, and aviation clients. Together, we have more resources and capabilities for delivering innovative solutions and enhancing the quality of life in the communities we serve.

• Client-Focused: We are collaborative and attentive to the unique needs and goals of each project.

• Performance-Driven: We are problem solvers dedicated to transforming transportation infrastructure challenges into opportunities for innovation.

• Community-Minded: We are vested in the work we do as stewards of public funds used to improve the communities we serve.

• Socially Responsible: We give back to our communities by supporting various charitable organizations and causes.

• Growth Oriented: We invest in programs to attract, retain, and develop employees so KOA becomes a long-term home for top talent.

Our goals and strategies promote a diverse and inclusive workforce that feels empowered to make a difference in the world. Our vision is to create healthy and sustainable communities both within and outside of our organization, where current and future generations can thrive.

Are you ready to join us?

We are seeking a full-time Planning Manager to lead the development of multi-modal plans, including but not limited to Active Transportation Plans, Complete Streets Plans, Corridor Plans and Safety Plans; be responsible for all aspects of project and client management,  be a technical lead and advisor on projects., project development, business development and mentoring/guiding junior planning staff; orchestrate project teams of various sizes and skills; and manage staff and subconsultants across multiple offices and locations. This position is available at KOA’s Monterey Park, Orange or San Diego offices.

Requirements:

• Able to apply diversified knowledge of transportation planning principles across a broad range of projects.

  • multimodal transportation systems

  • transit networks, facilities, and corridors

  • active transportation networks, traffic, trails, and paths

  • transportation/traffic development

  • innovative technology

  • local land use planning

• Work with a dynamic team to manage and complete project requirement.

• Plans, schedules, conducts, and/or coordinates detailed phases of planning work in several large and important projects. 

• Develops plans for utilization of land and physical facilities of cities, counties, and metropolitan areas, applying intensive and diverse knowledge of planning principles and practices in broad areas of assignment. 

• Performs work which requires conventional planning expertise, but regularly includes complexities such as conflicting planning requirements or difficult coordination requirements.

• Bilingual in any language is a plus.

Project Lead Responsibilities:

• Experience in defining regional or local transportation planning issues or improvement priorities, leading, or participating in public meetings or hearings aimed at explaining planning studies/projects to gather feedback from those affected by projects to achieve consensus on project/plan recommendations.

• Responsible for preparing proposals, responding to RFPs, and leading teams and interviews as part of project pursuits.

• Manage staff, provide mentorship, and lead projects while ensuring the project team is utilized.

• Responsible for quality assurance and quality control throughout the planning process; interface with clients and look for and create opportunities to take on additional responsibility as you manage your own career path, represent clients and the firm at project meetings, open hours and/or public hearings.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 8 years minimum directly related experience.

• GIS and graphic skills

• VMT and modeling experience

• Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, engineering, urban geography, or related field

• Experience in development of multi-modal plans, including but not limited to Active Transportation Plans, Complete Streets Plans, Corridor Plans and Safety Plans is highly desirable.

• Demonstrated experience on aspects of project and client management, project development, business development.

• History of mentoring/guiding staff and orchestrating project teams of various sizes and skills; and ability to manage staff and subconsultants across multiple offices and locations.

The range for this position is between $110k - $135k per annum, based on experience and qualifications.

City Office

Benefits

Aligning with our performance-driven nature, we offer competitive salaries, performance-based incentives, and a variety of benefits programs to address the diverse individual needs of our employees and their families.

KOA provides a comprehensive total rewards package that includes:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

• FSA and HSA Programs for Health and Dependent Care

• Life/AD&D Insurance (100% Employer Paid}

• Short Term Disability & Long-Term Care Insurance

• Paid Time Off and Holidays

• Flexible Work Schedule

• 401 K Matching Program

• Office Parties & Events

• Wellness Program

• Bike-to-Work Incentive

• On-The-Job Training and Hosted Training Webinars

• Paid Professional Organization Fees

• Education & Licensing Reimbursements

• Internal Young Professionals Group

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Intermittent sitting, walking, standing, bending, squatting, climbing, kneeling, twisting, stoop, crawl, and lifting. The employee must frequently lift and/or move light equipment up to 20 pounds. Must be alert to equipment in the field, occasional need to work near hazardous equipment and machinery, occasional need to walk on uneven ground, exposure to dust, gas or fumes, exposure to noise, extremes in temperature or humidity, and potential work at heights.

Equal Employer

KOA is proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. Lochner provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

All positions at KOA require an applicant who has accepted an employment offer to undergo a background check. Background checks include SSN/SIN validation, motor vehicle verification, education verification, employment verification, a criminal check, search against global sanctions and government watch lists, and drug test. All employment offers are contingent upon successful results of the background check.

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