Senior Planner

About Houston-Galveston Area Council

The Houston-Galveston Area Council is one of the largest regional planning commissions in the country with a diverse service area of 13 counties and more than 7 million people. We are the pulse of our region addressing issues that cross city limits and county lines every single day.

We make decisions that affect our transportation system, ensure the safety and well-being of our seniors, connect people to jobs, help families recover from natural disasters, preserve water quality for our children, and so much more. We work to make the region a great place to live, work, and thrive.

What will I be doing?

The Senior Planner in the Transportation Department of the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) will work with H-GAC’s Air Quality Team to assist with or lead various activities pertaining to the development and implementation of air quality plans and programs within the H-GAC region. This includes, but is not limited to, developing and implementing regional or sub-regional air quality planning studies for a variety of pollutants, developing emission reduction strategies and implementation strategies, coordination with regional and statewide partners regarding the State Implementation Plan (SIP), and coordinating with staff across multiple departments of the Houston-Galveston Area Council to support regional air quality goals.

• Creating and developing strategic plans to meet defined environmental and air quality program goals and objectives.
• Developing, managing, and reviewing air quality improvement projects as needed.
• Supporting the efforts of local, state, and federal agencies and stakeholders to improve air quality and transportation in the H-GAC service area.
• Investigating potential strategies to help reduce pollutants. These may include but not be limited to ground-level ozone and its precursors, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases, among other pollutants.
• Designing, developing, implementing, reporting, and tracking outcomes for large scale air quality programs and projects which may include vehicle replacement programs, alternative fuels including electric vehicles, and air quality policy activities.
• Pursuing funding opportunities (including federal, state, and foundation grants) for continuation of and expansion of program activities.
• Coordinating committee and stakeholder meetings. Preparing meeting agendas, meeting notices and meeting minutes as well as developing educational materials and news articles for public outreach.

Key Qualifications

• Knowledge of air quality emission reductions, transportation alternatives, and coalition building.
• Experience working with state or federal agencies such as Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Department of Transportation, and Federal Highway Administration.
• Demonstrating strong teamwork, an “all hands on deck” attitude when necessary on key department activities, and motivation to find creative approaches to improve the quality of life for our citizens.
• Strong communication and presentation skills are crucial for success in this role.
• Demonstrated experience navigating federal and state environmental, transportation planning, and related regulations.

Do you have…

• Bachelor’s degree in an applicable academic discipline or related field of study.
• 5 years of experience working with local government, nonprofit programs, school or in job related duties.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five (5) years of experience in air quality, transportation alternatives, grant monitoring and administration, and coalition-building.
• Proficient in the use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.