Planning Director

STV is seeking a Planning Director to lead and expand transit and mobility planning efforts across the Southwest, with a primary emphasis on Arizona and the surrounding region. This role is ideal for a planning leader who can guide hands-on project work, provide strategic direction to teams, and build strong working relationships with city, county, and regional agency partners.

STV continues to grow our strong resume of project work with the region’s key transportation agencies. The candidate will be a recognized senior professional with a focus on innovative transportation planning services.

The Planning Director is responsible for:

• Lead Southwest Transit & Mobility Programs

  • Direct transit and multimodal planning projects from early concept through implementation.

  • Guide development of service plans, operational improvements, corridor and network analyses, and capital project planning.

  • Ensure planning recommendations align with local community needs, regional priorities, and regulatory compliance.

• Build and Strengthen Regional Client Relationships

  • Serve as a key point of contact for city and municipal transit groups, county transportation departments, MPOs, and regional planning bodies.

  • Support the development of new project opportunities by understanding client needs and positioning the team to respond effectively.

• Project and Team Leadership

  • Manage project scope, schedule, staffing, and resource coordination to ensure high-quality and on-time delivery.

  • Lead and mentor planners and technical staff, promoting professional growth and collaborative problem-solving.

  • Conduct quality oversight and ensure clarity in planning deliverables, presentations, and client communications.

• Strategic Support (Without Sales Targets)

  • Contribute to pursuit strategies, proposal narratives, scope approaches, and interview preparation.

  • Help identify emerging opportunities in transit planning, mobility innovation, safety, and accessibility—particularly in the Southwest.

Requirements

• Qualifications

  • 12+ years of experience in transit, multimodal planning, urban mobility strategy, or transportation program development.

  • Demonstrated success working with municipal transit providers, MPOs, and regional planning agencies.

  • Strong understanding of transit operations, capital planning, funding pathways, performance evaluation, and regulatory compliance.

  • Proven ability to manage multidisciplinary planning efforts and lead teams in a collaborative environment.

  • Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s in Planning, Public Administration, Engineering, or a related field preferred.

  • Professional credential PE or AICP strongly preferred.

• Preferred Attributes

  • Prior work across Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, or Southern California.

  • Experience supporting regional coordination and multi-jurisdiction mobility programs.

Compensation Range:

$127,400.42 - $169,867.22

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At STV, we are fully committed to expanding our culture of diversity and inclusion, one that will reflect the clients we serve and the communities we work in, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

STV offers the following benefits • Health insurance, including an option with a Health Savings Account • Dental insurance • Vision insurance • Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care and Transit and Parking where applicable) • Disability insurance • Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment • 401(k) Plan • Retirement Counseling • Employee Assistance Program • Paid Time Off (16 days) • Paid Holidays (8 days) • Back-Up Dependent Care (up to 10 days per year) • Parental Leave (up to 80 hours) • Continuing Education Program • Professional Licensure and Society Memberships

STV is committed to paying all of its employees in a fair, equitable, and transparent manner. The listed pay range is STV’s good-faith salary estimate for this position. Please note that the final salary offered for this position may be outside of this published range based on many factors, including but not limited to geography, education, experience, and/or certifications.