Demo

Principal Planner - Transportation Planning and Policy

HNTB
Des Moines, IA Full Time
POSTED ON 3/25/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/24/2026
**What We're Looking For** At HNTB, you can create a career that is meaningful to you while building communities that matter to all of us. For more than a century, we have been delivering solutions for some of the largest, most complex infrastructure projects across the country. With our historic growth, it is an exciting time to join our team of employee-owners. This opportunity entails being responsible for applying planning strategies utilizing various technologies and tools to gather, analyze data, and assess outcomes. Develop strategic messages and recommendations for project staff and executive leadership on policy and project development. Skilled in translating complex concepts into compelling narratives that engage diverse stakeholders. This position performs tasks for planning projects including research, studies, and documentation, coordinating with multi-discipline team members, from concept development through project completion. This position develops technical solutions and strategies for planning projects may serve as a task leader or project manager on a limited basis for select small scale project. This is a lead role to direct, mentor, and train earlier career staff. **What You'll Do:** Monitors internal and external coordination aspects with project team members, including other discipline areas involved with the project. Oversees research on issues, policies, and concepts pertaining to planning and environmental planning. Reviews findings and formulates recommendations. Develops conceptual planning alternatives for urban and transportation planning projects. Oversees tasks related to preparing and producing technical plans, studies, written reports, and environmental documents. Coordinates with clients, sub-consultants, and in-house personnel regularly to complete assigned tasks. Monitors design and technical continuity throughout projects in area of expertise. Directs teams on projects of large scale. Directs major sections of and leads production of plans, studies, reports, and environmental documents for transportation and infrastructure projects. Also coordinates and synthesizes the contributions of others. Prepares graphics, technical reports, fee proposals, scope of work, and responses to Request for Proposals for planning and environmental projects. Creates project presentation materials, concepts, graphics, and reports to the client and community groups. Develops planning and analysis strategies using tools such as GIS, traffic, or safety software to manipulate data, assess scenarios, and perform project analysis. Supports department managers and office leadership with strategic planning, staffing/training, and other special projects. Recruits, hires, develops and retains staff, including development of plan for staff reporting, performance and compensation reviews, and succession. Coordinates schedules and approves timecards. Performs other duties as assigned. **What You'll Need:** Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Architecture, Planning, Environmental Planning, Urban Design, Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning, Geography, or related field and 12 years of relevant experience, or Master's Degree in Landscape Architecture, Planning, Environmental Planning, Urban Design, Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning, Geography, or related field and 11 years of relevant experience **What We Prefer:** **Experience working with:** ​State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) , especially in advisory, policy or programming roles Transit agencies and local governments, including regional planning and stakeholder engagement Federal agency and industry-wide initiatives in policy, communication and program frameworks **Hands-on experience with:** Strategic planning, policy and leadership Project and program management Working knowledge of data analytics, including transportation datasets and performance metrics Marketing engagement and outreach including pursuit management and proposal writing Federal discretionary grant writing and management, including Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) **Leadership & Communication** Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage complex projects Strong communication skills for public engagement, interagency coordination, and technical presentations Experience mentoring junior staff and fostering collaborative team environments **Additional Information** Click here for benefits information: HNTB Total Rewards Click here to learn more about Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. \#ET . Locations: Des Moines, IA, Kansas City, MO, Oklahoma City, OK, Overland Park, KS (Sprint Parkway), St. Louis, MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _NOTICE TO THIRD-PARTY AGENCIES:_ _HNTB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or agencies. Any staffing/employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume to this site does so with the understanding that the applicant's resume will become the property of HNTB. HNTB will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion and without any fee owed to the submitting staffing/employment agency, person or entity. Staffing/employment agencies who have fee agreements with HNTB must submit applicants to the designated HNTB recruiter to be eligible for placement fees._ **Job Type:** Regular **Full/Part Time:** Full time **Job Category:** Planning Group **ReqID:** R-29368

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