Community Planning Branch Chief

Job Description and Duties

Under the general direction of the Chief, Office of Regional Community Planning, a Supervising Transportation Planner, the incumbent leads, manages and directs District 4 Community Planning programs and activities. The Branch Chief. a Senior Transportation Planner, is responsible for administration of the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program funding allocated and grants awarded to District 4. The Branch may also lead and participate in Caltrans and partner-agency sponsored planning efforts, transportation planning studies and planning-related research.

The Branch also helps implement Planning Public Engagement strategies consistent with the Department's Community Engagement Program at the district level. The Branch helps promote, incorporate, and support community engagement activities for the purpose of equitably improving the multimodal transportation network and promoting equity and livability in all communities.

The Community Planning Branch also provides planning staff support to the Local Development – Intergovernmental Review (LD-IGR) program implemented in District 4. Through the LD-IGR program, Branch staff focus on avoiding or reducing significant impacts to the State Transportation Network (STN) from land use development proposals, including general plans and any other local, state, and federal government actions that may adversely impact the transportation system.

In this position the Branch Chief coordinates frequently with the management and staff of the headquarters Office of Regional & Community Planning and other headquarters and District functions to carry out these duties. The incumbent works in a cooperative and integrated manner to coordinate timely and consistent consultation and collaboration with other Caltrans functions, in accordance with Caltrans goals, policies and equity principles.

PARF# 04-27-0348 / JC- 529783

Eligibility for hire may be determined by your score on the Senior Transportation Planner exam. For those who do not have current eligibility (e.g., transfer, permissive reinstatement, or voluntary demotions) and/or who will be new to state civil services employment, you must be on the state examination list to be eligible for these positions. To apply for the exam, please click and search by typing in the classification title.

Please take this 1-minute Caltrans Recruitment survey to tell us how you found out about this job. 

Apply today to join our team! We especially encourage applicants to check out our tool! The is a tool to assist and help candidates understand and succeed in applying to Caltrans positions.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

Position located at 111 Grand Ave., Oakland, Alameda County.

Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment.

While in office, the incumbent will primarily work in a climate-controlled office or cubicle under artificial lighting. Extensive computer usage is required. A combination of virtual and regular travel is expected within and outside the District to attend meetings and other events in order to engage with partners and the public.

This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the Department and based on Caltrans’s current telework policy. While Caltrans supports telework, in-person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksite with minimal notification if an urgent need arises. The selected candidate may be required to conduct business travel on behalf of the Department or commute to the headquartered location. Business travel reimbursements considers an employee’s designated Headquarters Location, primary residence, and may be subject to CalHR regulations or applicable bargaining unit contract provisions. All commute expenses to the headquartered location will be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

Special Requirements

• Statement of qualifications (SOQ) required.

The SOQ serves as documentation of each applicant’s ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. Please follow the instructions below; failure to include and complete the SOQ as instructed may result in the SOQ not being considered and in disqualification from the interview. Each question must be numbered and addressed in the same order as the questions below.

The selected candidate will serve as the District 4 Community Planning Branch Chief, a Senior Transportation Planner (Supervisor). To be considered for the position, applicants must submit written responses to the two separate SOQ prompts below. The SOQ serves to have each candidate demonstrate their unique abilities to perform well in this position. A resume will NOT be accepted in lieu of a response to these two SOQ prompts. Applicants who do not follow the SOQ instructions below may not be considered for this position.

Each of the two SOQ responses must be no more than two (2) pages in length and typed using no less than 12- point Arial font. The SOQ responses must answer the two following questions, which should be numbered and provided in the order listed below. These SOQ responses must be submitted along with the Employment Application.

1) Please describe your unique experience, skills and knowledge have prepared you to perform the duties of the Community Planning Branch Chief.

2) Describe a time when you led a multidisciplinary team through a complex process or project that required balancing competing interests.

3) What was your role and approach in this leadership position? How did your actions effect the project's outcome?

Possession of Minimum Qualifications will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment. If you are basing your eligibility on education, you must include your unofficial transcript(s)/diploma for verification.  Unofficial, original, or official sealed transcripts will be accepted and may be required upon appointment. Applicants with foreign transcripts/degrees must provide a transcript/degree U.S. equivalency report evaluation that indicates the number of units and degree to which the foreign coursework is equivalent. Please visit either of the following two websites for a list of evaluation agencies: or . Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

As a Sr Transportation Planner, the incumbent is expected to become proficient in the following competencies as described below in order to successfully perform the essential functions of the job, while adhering to and promoting the Department's Mission, Vision, Values, Strategic Imperatives and Goals. Effective development of the identified Core Competencies fosters the advancement of the following Leadership Competencies: Change Commitment, Risk Appetite, Self-Development/Growth, Conflict Management, Relationship Building, Organizational Awareness, Communication, Strategic Perspective, and Results Driven.

• Change Leadership: Develops new and innovative approaches needed to improve effectiveness and efficiency of work products. Encourages others to value change. Considers impact and recommends changes. (Safety, Equity, Climate Action, Prosperity, Employee Excellence - Collaboration, Equity, People First)
• Dealing with Ambiguity (Risk): Can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty, as well as make decisions to act without having the total picture. (Safety, Equity, Climate Action, Prosperity, Employee Excellence - Integrity, People First)
• Initiative: Ability to identify what needs to be done and doing it before being asked or required by the situation. Seeks out others involved in a situation to learn their perspectives. (Safety, Equity, Climate Action, Prosperity, Employee Excellence - Collaboration, Equity, People First)
• Problem-solving and Decision-making : Identifies problems and uses logical analysis to find information, understand causes, and evaluate and select or recommend best possible courses of action. (Safety, Equity, Climate Action, Prosperity, Employee Excellence - Collaboration, Equity, Integrity, People First, Stewardship)
• Teamwork/Partnership: Develops, maintains, and strengthens partnerships with others inside or outside of the organization through effective communication and collaboration. (Safety, Equity, Climate Action, Prosperity, Employee Excellence - Collaboration, Equity)
• Organizational Awareness: Contributes to the organization by understanding and aligning actions with the organization's strategic plan, including the mission, vision, goals, core functions, and values. (Safety, Equity, Climate Action, Prosperity, Employee Excellence, Collaboration, People First)
• Interpersonal Effectiveness : Effectively and appropriately interacts and communicates with others to build positive, constructive, professional relationships. Tailors communication style based on the audience. Provides and is receptive to feedback. (Safety, Equity, Climate Action, Prosperity, Employee Excellence - Collaboration, Equity, Integrity, People First, Pride)
• Planning and Results Oriented: Organizes and executes work to meet organizational goals and objectives while meeting quality standards, following organizational processes, and demonstrating continuous commitment. (Safety, Equity, Climate Action, Prosperity, Employee Excellence - Collaboration, Innovation, People First, Pride)
• Managing Performance: Responsible for employee performance, setting clear goals and expectations, tracking progress against departmental and unit goals, providing feedback, and addressing performance issues promptly. (Safety, Equity, Climate Action, Prosperity - Collaboration, Integrity, People First, Stewardship)

Benefits

to view the Benefits Summary for Civil Service Employees in the State of California.

Important Application Instructions:

Electronic applications through your CalCareers account are highly recommended and encouraged.

Candidates that meet the minimum qualifications based on possession of EDUCATION, LICENSE, OR CERTIFICATE must include a copy of your DEGREE/TRANSCRIPTS, LICENSE, or CERTIFICATE, along with your State application (STD. 678), to be considered for this position.

NOTE: Do not submit the “Equal Employment Opportunity” questionnaire (page 5) with your completed State application (STD. 678). This page is for examination use only. Do not include any confidential information on any documents you submit for this job vacancy, such as your state application, resume, or educational transcripts. Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents includes, but is not limited to, your Social Security Number, birth date, driver’s license number, examination results, LEAP status, marital status, and age. The job application packet checklist is not required to apply for this position. Failure to follow these instructions may result in your application not being considered for this position.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
• Statement of Qualifications -

  Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required. Please see the Special Requirements section for SOQ instructions.