Transportation Planner (Exempt – Temporary)

• Evaluates the implications to the City of Vernon of transportation and road safety policies and plans proposed by adjacent municipalities and senior levels of government.
• Formulates draft plans, design projects, concept plans, policies and bylaws based on research, accumulated data, bylaws and other sources as appropriate to implement the transportation aspects of the Official Community Plan and Transportation Plan, and for scheduled reviews.
• Recommends and implements transportation goals that support Council’s Strategic Plan.
• Participates in the development of neighbourhood/park/other plans to ensure best
• management practices and compliance with municipal transportation policies and standards, as well as provincial and federal transportation regulations.
• Provides expertise and leadership in the development of transportation related bylaws, policies and procedures related to development in the community.
• Researches and reports on transportation related matters, attends and represents the division at Council, various committees, and public meetings/hearings, as required.
• Guides and provides ongoing assessment of the development and enhancement of computer models and other analytical tools for forecasting travel demand and simulating transportation networks.
• Designs and conducts primary research within the City of Vernon on inter-regional data collection and transportation research initiatives.
• Provides input, from a transportation perspective, into the development of appropriate terms of reference for projects, the review of development plans, and monitoring of contracted professionals, as required.
• Provides expertise in the implementation of the Transit Future Plan and provides any transit planning as required to update Transit Service Reviews or the Transit Future Plan.
• Acts as the City’s contact with senior government ministries and agencies, other local governments, industry, and the public on transportation and road safety issues.
• Attends, as required, meetings of City Council, the City’s Advisory Committees, Provincial and regional committees, as well as public hearings and other public meetings as a resource and/or representative of the City.
• Sets the scope / terms of reference and reviews and comments on all transportation studies submitted in support of development applications.
• Coordinates and reviews transportation studies.
• Reviews Building/Development Permit applications and engineering design drawings of proposed development for compliance with City standards and bylaws.

Other Duties:

• Conducts field work and site visits as required.
• Ensures risk management and liability exposures are addressed and monitored.
• Performs any other duties necessary for the competent, efficient, responsible and orderly development of the City’s Planning and Community Services Division.
• May provide coverage for the duties of the Manager, Transportation during planned and unplanned absences.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• All persons employed by the City of Vernon will be required to assist the City in providing emergency services. Duties assigned during an emergency may differ from regular duties.

Required Education and Experience:

• Degree in Civil Engineering or Planning, with additional specialized courses in Active Transportation, Transportation Planning, or equivalent.
• Minimum four (4) years of progressive experience in transportation planning or related field.
• Registration or eligibility for registration as a P.Eng., P.L.Eng. or EIT, or RPP or other planning equivalents.
• Valid BC Driver’s Licence – Class 5.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Solid understanding of transportation planning, regulations, concepts and practices, and ability to think out of the box balanced with a strong sense of practicality.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• General knowledge of relevant transportation planning and traffic engineering policies and design standards in BC.
• Broad policy planning experience with general knowledge of transportation modelling and growth infrastructure requirements.
• Working knowledge of transportation engineering related software such as Synchro, EMME and AutoCAD.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, specifically Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Computer and related software, general office equipment.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently and as a dynamic, contributing member in a team environment.
• Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and trends in urban and regional planning.
• Excellent public relations skills and able to effectively deal with other staff, members of Council, developers, agencies and the public.
• Strong presentation and public speaking abilities, with experience and/or training in facilitation methods.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Master’s Degree in Planning or Engineering.
• Eligible for membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners.
• Experience in dealing with transportation issues faced by municipalities.
• Experience working in a local government environment.
• Experience in working with senior levels of government on implementation of provincial and federal transportation legislation.
• Additional experience in a professional capacity including: review and approval of development proposals, subdivisions, development permits, and the creation/maintenance of transportation data using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
• Emergency Operations Centre training through the Justice Institute of British Columbia.