Port Planning Analyst

Thank you for considering a career at Port Houston. We appreciate your interest in joining our team. By applying, you are taking an important step toward advancing your career with an organization committed to excellence.

Port Houston offers competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a diverse, inclusive work environment. Joining our team means embarking on a fulfilling career path with opportunities for growth and impact.

Before submitting your application, please ensure your resume is ready for upload in either .doc or .pdf format. Application must be completed in full.

Position Summary:

The Port Planning Analyst plays a critical role in driving process improvement and operational excellence across Port Houston. This position supports cross-functional initiatives by developing data-driven business cases, analyzing systems and workflows, and facilitating performance enhancements through stakeholder engagement, structured methodologies, and continuous improvement techniques. The analyst leads and contributes to projects from concept to implementation, delivering value through innovative, efficient, and sustainable solutions.

Key Responsibilities/Duties:

Business Process Analysis & Improvement

• Map, assess, and optimize current business processes using tools such as process flow diagrams, SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs Customers), and value stream mapping to identify performance gaps.
• Identify root causes, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies and recommend improvement strategies including process reengineering, standardization, or automation.
• Support deployment of Lean Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement frameworks across departments.
• Conducts evaluation of existing business processes for the purpose of identifying and executing improvement initiatives.

Project & Program Support

• Lead or support a wide range of strategic and operational projects, including but not limited to business case development, benefit-cost analysis, transportation modeling, benchmarking, and market analysis.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define project scopes, timelines, deliverables, and performance metrics.
• Conduct feasibility studies and support the development of project proposals and funding justifications.
• Manage the implementation and testing of process changes and evaluate outcomes to ensure they deliver measurable improvements to organizational performance.

Data-Driven Decision Making

• Collect, clean, and analyze data from internal systems and external sources to identify trends, insights, and performance gaps.
• Develop dashboards and reports to monitor process KPIs, support decision-making, and promote transparency.
• Leverage data visualization tools to communicate findings to technical and non-technical audiences.

Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management

• Facilitate workshops and stakeholder interviews to gather requirements, align objectives, and foster buy-in for process changes.
• Support change management initiatives by preparing communication plans, training materials, and readiness assessments.
• Serve as a liaison between departments and other functional areas to ensure seamless implementation of new processes or systems.

Technical Expertise & Thought Leadership

• Provide subject matter expertise in at least one (1) relevant technical or functional discipline (e.g., planning, business process engineering, IT systems, management consulting, Lean Six Sigma, environmental planning).
• Understand broader port operations and infrastructure planning to incorporate cross-functional insights into problem solving.
• Support enterprise-level initiatives such as digital transformation, sustainability planning, and operational risk management.

Communication & Documentation

• Prepare clear and concise project documentation, technical reports, executive summaries, and presentations.
• Present findings and recommendations to senior leadership, internal stakeholders, and external partners.
• Review work of peers and project teams for quality, accuracy, and alignment with project goals.

Other

• Act in accordance with Port Houston's core values: Respect, Excellence, Accountability, Diligence, and You)
• Perform other related duties as assigned to support the department and organization.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Operations Management or related field
• Master's degree preferred
• Professional certifications such as Lean Six Sigma (Green or Black Belt), or other related credentials
• 3 - 6 years of experience in business analysis, project management, or process improvement
• Experience working in a port, transportation, infrastructure, or public agency environment is a plus.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Behaviors:

• Strong understanding of project planning, including design principles and the preparation of technical specifications
• Familiarity with construction techniques, sequencing, and practical implementation on infrastructure projects
• Ability to read, interpret, and analyze technical documents, including engineering drawings, product literature, and trade publications specifications
• Skilled in conducting research, performing written calculations, and developing accurate project documentation
• Attention to detail with the ability to maintain focus and quality even when managing multiple interruptions or shifting priorities
• Clear and effective communicator, capable of articulating technical and non-technical concepts to diverse audiences, including engineers, consultants, executives, regulatory agencies, and the public
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships across departments and with external stakeholders
• Self-motivated and capable of working independently with minimal supervision while ensuring accountability and timely progress on assigned projects.

Key Competencies Required:

• Proficiency in spreadsheet analysis and ability to distill complex data into clear, actionable insights
• Skilled in creating effective graphical representations of data to support decision-making and performance reporting.
• Strong written and visual communication skills, including experience with PowerPoint and Word for storyboarding, reporting, and presenting to diverse audiences
• Ability to convey technical and business information in a clear, concise, and compelling manner
• Demonstrated business acumen with experience in business planning, financial analysis, or operational strategy
• Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to evaluate complex issues, identify patterns, and recommend logical solutions.
• Customer-focused mindset with the ability to understand stakeholder needs and deliver value-added solutions
• Effective interpersonal skills for working collaboratively across functions and with external partners
• High standards for quality with a detail-oriented approach to deliver accurate and reliable work
• Commitment to safety principles in both planning and execution environments
• Proficiency in technical or professional

This work site location of this job is:
Port Houston Administration Building

Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here 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. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but due to open office environment noise level may occasionally be high. To apply, please go to porthouston.com/careers. Only applications submitted through the Port Houston Careers website will be acknowledged. Port Houston is an equal opportunity employer and participates in the E-Verify program supervised by the U.S. Government.

Disclaimer:

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this job. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

We appreciate your interest in Port Houston. Port Houston is an equal employment opportunity employer. Port Houston's policy is not to discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Port Houston also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. Application must be completed in full.