Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives

Salary : $80,297.15 – $134,414.18 Annually

Location : Oceanside, CA

Job Type: Full-time

Job Number: FY2024-00011

Department: Planning & Communciations

Division: PLANNING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Opening Date: 08/09/2023

Description

Under the general direction of the Director of Strategic Planning, the Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives organizes, coordinates, and manages a variety of strategic and business initiatives. This includes activities such as data gathering, data analysis, scope development, project management, contract monitoring, and consensus building. The Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives has responsibility to manage assigned projects and collaborate with senior staff members and third-party entities to support achievement of NCTD goals and completion of activities/projects.

Distinguishing Characteristics
This position is distinguished by its lead role in the management of the District’s strategic initiatives, including the development and implementation of customer facing transit solutions, pilot programs and initiatives, and completing legislative, financial, and strategic analysis. The Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives has a variety of responsibilities, including, data gathering and analysis, scope of work development, preparation of required documentation and reports, internal and external communications, and assisting with normal day to day planning and strategic activities that are deemed of importance by the Chief Planning and Communications Officer. The position requires knowledge of transit (bus and rail) operations, project management, and current technology and trends in the profession.

Supervision Received and Exercised
This position reports to the Director of Strategic Planning and works closely with other District staff as required. They do not exercise supervisory authority but may provide guidance to District staff on related projects or subject matter inquiries. This position is responsible for coordinating with District transportation planning, operations, security, and finance staff, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) staff, and transit vendors/consultants. Further, this position is expected to share expert knowledge and participate as a vital member of various project teams that may be instituted.

Working Conditions
Normal working conditions for this position are in both an office and field setting. Business travel may be required periodically between District sites, governmental agencies, consultants’ facilities, and other locations as required.
Examples of Duties

Essential Functions
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Performs advanced professional work on a variety of strategic initiatives, including customer facing transit technologies such as, PRONTO fare system, On-demand transit services platform, and electronic parking permit and management system.
• Ensures accountability and compliance with all current and applicable local, state and federal laws, District and regulatory agency policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• Manages consultant contracts in consultation with District Procurement and Contract Administration staff. This includes research and development of RFPs, scopes of work, and project budgets; and review of consultant proposals.
• Collaborates with District senior staff and external agencies (e.g. MTS) on MOUs, SLAs and other collaborate agreements.
• Able to organize, manage, and successfully execute on a broad range of assignments.
• Acts as a liaison to various external agencies and special interest groups for specified projects to ensure successful completion.
• Reviews, analyzes, and provides comment on proposed plans and projects for community and transportation impacts, as well as compliance with District regulatory requirements.
• Provides guidance to, and oversight of, consultants on projects proposed for, or under development on, District property, including key NCTD studies and pilot projects under development.
• Presents information to senior management, advisory groups, partner transit agencies, local jurisdictions, MPO, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Assists or leads in monitoring compliance with applicable contractual agreements and follows up on corrective actions when applicable.
• Assists Project Managers with development of capital project schedules and tracks progress against budgets and project plans with input from Project Managers.
• Attends meetings with Project Managers to track progress against deliverables, tracks schedules, and prepares post-meeting reports.
• Participates in and provides staff support for a variety of committees, boards, and commissions; prepares and presents staff reports, presentations, and other correspondence as appropriate and necessary.
• Responsible for ensuring that Planning and Communications Division projects in the District’s project management software (Project Online) have accurate and current data, which includes project detail information, forecast schedule, completed tasks, and future funding requests. S/he follows-up with Project Managers as needed and performs the data entry for new and/or ongoing projects in compliance with the District’s Project Management policies and procedures.
• Develops and implements effective, ongoing community participation and outreach programs for District projects.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in transportation planning, urban planning, business or public administration, information technology or related field required.
• Minimum of five (5) years prior directly relevant experience, preferably with a public transit agency.

A combination of experience/skills and education to fulfill the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities for this position may be considered.

Certificates/Licenses

• Possession of and the ability to maintain a California driver’s license, Class C, with less than 6 points in the preceding 36-month period, and no DUI violations in the prior 7 years.
• Maintain compliance with the District’s policies regarding Conflict of Interest and Ethics.

General Requirements

• Knowledge of principles and practices of public transportation operations including federal, state and local laws, policies and regulations.
• Able to read, analyze and interpret maps, schedules, plans, spreadsheets, and related documents.
• Strong project management and collaboration skills; ability to actively manage multiple vendors and consultant teams and deliver solutions that satisfy District operations and customer experience goals.
• Able to create and maintain good working relationships through excellent communication and teambuilding skills, including the ability to engage successfully with both internal and external contacts and the public.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills; ability to gather, organize, analyze, and present data to appropriate sources.
• High level of professionalism; demonstrate a positive, pro-active attitude and commitment to excellence.
• Ability to interpret and apply local, state, and federal rules and regulations accurately and effectively.
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, including the ability to prepare and deliver clear and concise reports.
• Demonstrated proficiency in computer software programs including the Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access). Ability to work with data base applications, GIS data, and statistical packages such as SAS. Infographic and other graphic design skills are a plus.
• Knowledge of current and emerging transit technologies, especially for customer facing solutions.

Supplemental Information

Physical Requirements
The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The employee must possess the ability to use the phone and computer for extended periods, manual dexterity to complete clerical functions and work with office equipment and lift equipment up to 25 pounds on a daily basis. The employee must be able to hear, see, and communicate verbally to exchange information. The employee must be able to physically travel between District locations and other destinations, work in evenings when required, work in hazardous conditions, and negotiate a variety of different and irregular terrain as is typical along a railway right of way. The employee may be subject to fumes, odors, dusts, gases, chemicals. The employee must be able to walk, climb, balance, bend, carry, push, reach, sit, and stand.

Machines / Tools / Equipment

• Ability to operate a personal computer and Microsoft Office Suite programs.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment, including a fax and scanner machine, copy machine, and telephone.
• Ability to carry and operate a mobile on-call device.

Application Information: All applicants must complete and submit an online application at . A job offer is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen and background check. Salary based upon experience. NCTD is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Retirement: NCTD participates in the CalPERS retirement program with a benefit formula of 1.5% @ 65 for PEPRA new members. Benefits are calculated based on your age at retirement, the number of years of service credit with CalPERS and the average of your monthly compensation over the past 36 months (36 months average highest hourly pay rate). The current employee contribution rate each payroll is 4.75% for new members. Taxes are deferred to retirement.

457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan: NCTD offers a Voluntary Deferred Compensation Savings Plan through VOYA Financial Services. Employees are eligible to enroll any time after the date of hire. The plan allows you to contribute pre-tax and/or post-tax dollars into selected funds of your choice. The plan also allows you to:

• Contribute up to amount specified annually by the IRS
• Catch-up plan for those 50+ of up to amount specified annually by the IRS
• Is portable, can be rolled over into another qualified retirement plan
• Employer match into a 401(a) account (50% up to 8% of employee compensation; Max NCTD contribution of 4%)

Medical Insurance: NCTD offers a rich variety of HMO and PPO plans to choose from and contributes towards your monthly medical premiums, if the coverage you select costs more than the amount NCTD contributes, then payroll deductions will be withheld on a pre-tax basis.

If medical insurance is selected, NCTD will contribute the listed amount towards your selection:

• $550/month for single coverage
• $1,040/month for employee + one dependent
• $1,392/month for employee + 2 or more dependents

Dental Insurance: NCTD offers two different dental plans for employees and their eligible dependents (HMO and PPO) from a reliable dental insurance provider. Human Resources can provide information regarding annual insurance provider and available plans. Both plans are part of NCTD’s cafeteria plan (pre-tax payroll deductions for monthly premiums).

Vision Insurance: NCTD offers vision services for employees and their eligible dependents through a reliable vision insurance provider. Human Resources can provide information regarding annual insurance provider and available plan. The plan is part of NCTD’s cafeteria plan (pre-tax payroll deductions for monthly premiums).

The benefits include:

• $10.00 co-pay for Annual Exam
• No charge for standard lenses every 12 months
• $125 retail allowance for frames every 2 years; OR $125 toward the contact lens.

Life Insurance: NCTD cares for its employees, and thus provides at no cost to the employee group life insurance in the amount of $50,000 (coverage includes Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Accelerated Death benefits). Additional life insurance is available for you and your eligible dependents at your expense. * Tax reporting is required for any amounts over $50,000, per IRS guidelines. Supplemental life insurance coverage premiums are deducted on a post-tax basis.

Long Term Disability Insurance: NCTD offers voluntary Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance. You may elect units of $100 up to 60% of your hourly wage to a maximum of $6,000/month. Deductions are post-tax, coverage 24/7, limitations or exclusions, and benefits are payable to age 65 or for two years (whichever is longer).

Flexible Spending Account Plan: NCTD offers two core FSA plans and two Commuter plans. Health Care and Dependent Care plans are “Use It OR Lose It” calendar year plans (Jan. 1st – Dec. 31st). The Commuter Transit and Parking plans do not have a “use it or lose it” policy. Plans are as follows:

• Health Care Spending Account:
  • May contribute up to amount specified annually by the IRS
• Dependent Care Spending Account:
  • May contribute up to amount specified annually by the IRS (including limitations if married)
• Commuter Transit Accounts:
  • May contribute up to amount specified annually by the IRS

Disability Insurance: Employees contribute to California State Disability Insurance (SDI). The current contribution rate is 1.1% of earnings and is totally paid by the employee. After the 7-day waiting period, SDI pays a percentage of employee’s salary up to a maximum of $1,540.00per week, for up to 52 weeks. SDI may be coordinated with Paid Time Off (PTO).

Accident Insurance: NCTD offers voluntary accident insurance. You may elect coverage for you and your dependents for a flat monthly rate. Deductions are post-tax.

Critical Illness Insurance: NTD offers voluntary Critical Illness insurance. You may elect coverage up to $10,000 in increments of $2,500, for you and between $2,500 – $5,000 for your dependents, not to exceed 50% of coverage amount. Deductions are post-tax.

Administrative Holidays: 9 recognized paid holidays per year: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

PTO (Paid Time Off):All NCTD Regular, Probationary, and Limited-Term employees shall receive Paid Time Off (PTO). PTO shall be taken at reasonable times approved by the employee’s supervisor.

PTO shall be earned equally in each pay period during the year in accordance with the following schedule, based on the number of years of NCTD service completed:

– 0 through 3.99 years of service completed: 120 hours per year (15 days)
– 4.00 through 9.99 years of service completed: 176 hours per year (22 days)
– 10 and more years of service completed: 216 hours per year (27 days)

Bereavement: NCTD offers up to three (3) days of paid leave. Five (5) days if travel is greater than 300 miles.

Transportation Passes: All NCTD employees receive an identification “PRONTO Card” which can be used to ride the following NCTD/MTS transit services (BREEZE, FLEX, SPRINTER, COASTER, MTS Bus, Trolley) at no charge. Eligible family members also receive a pass for NCTD public transportation at no charge (paratransit excluded).

Employee Assistance Plan: The EAP offers assistance in areas such as:

• Emotional Support
• Work/Life Balance
• Family Care

Family Status Change: This allows you to add/drop dependents from current benefit plan elections per IRS “Qualifying Events.” If a “Qualifying Event” occurs, you MUST contact HR within 30 days of event, (Qualifying Event must relate to the benefit change you are requesting).

Please contact Human Resources should you have any questions regarding NCTD Benefits.

01

Please be advised that an incomplete application WILL NOT be considered for employment. An attached resume is not an acceptable substitution for a completed application. Incomplete responses, false statements, omissions, or partial information may result in disqualification in the selection process. By continuing in the process, you are certifying that all information provided in the application and supplemental questionnaire is true to the best of your knowledge. Select “Yes” to reflect that you have read and understand this statement.

• Yes
• No

02

APPLICANT’S ACKNOWLEDGMENT – NOTIFICATION VIA EMAIL: I understand that it is my responsibility to check my email, including junk mail or spam folders, for any communication from the North County Transit District. Communication will be sent via email to the email address I have provided on my application. Select “Yes” to reflect that you have read, understand, and agree to this statement.

• Yes
• No

Required Question