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• Deputy Community Development Director - $182,763-$233,258
• Planning Manager -$162,189 -$207,000

Belmont's Community Development Department is hiring, and uniquely, this is one opening that can be shaped by the right candidate. Depending on your experience and qualifications, the City will appoint at either the Deputy Community Development Director or Planning Manager level.

As Deputy Community Development Director, you would step into a senior leadership role working hand-in-hand with the Director to guide the department's overall direction. This is a position for someone with a broad portfolio of experience who is ready to share responsibility for the department's success, represent the City at a high level, and help set the strategic course for community development in Belmont.

As Planning Manager, the focus sharpens around leading the planning function directly, overseeing the Planning Commission, managing a robust pipeline of current development projects, and driving advance planning initiatives tied to City Council priorities. This is the right fit for a strong planner-leader who wants to go deep on planning practice while growing into greater management responsibility.

Both roles involve mentoring staff, improving processes, developing policy, and working in a collegial environment where good judgment and a sense of humor go a long way. Whichever title you come in at, you'll have a genuine opportunity to make your mark on Belmont's future - not from the sidelines, but from the room where decisions get made.

General

The Principal Transportation Planner, Multimodal Corridor Programs will report to the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) Manager, Planning and Fund Management, and will be responsible for leading strategic planning initiatives for the Corridor Connect Program, managing the Highway Program Call for Projects, and leading major multimodal safety and congestion relief planning projects. This Principal Transportation Planner will work in partnership with jurisdiction staff across San Mateo County to support local agencies with complex transportation projects, community engagement, and grant or funding strategy development. This role will also support the Planning & Fund Management team members with other SMCTA managed programs, as needed, including the Pedestrian & Bicycle Program and Transportation Demand Management Program. 

Essential Functions & Duties

Examples of Essential Functions: 

• Coordinate on-going initiatives and programmatic activities, monitor progress of priority projects, and communicate updates regularly to stakeholder groups along SMCTA Corridor Connect major highways include US 101, El Camino Real, and Highway 1   
• Manage complex and multi-disciplinary planning projects, or significant portions of such projects, involving a high level of technical complexity, public visibility, and coordination with numerous stakeholders.
• Compile, arrange, analyze, and interpret transportation, demographic and financial data, and presenting them in both quantitative and qualitative formats.
• Facilitate public meetings/workshops and assist with promoting community-based organization partnerships in planning efforts.
• Provide technical assistance to stakeholder agencies on various transportation subject areas by leading projects on behalf of outside agencies, managing consultant contracts, and providing strategic guidance on an as needed basis.
• Lead the development of funding strategies to assist with advanced planning for implementing projects.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external teams to help advance and support mobility initiatives with a focus on multimodal safety and congestion relief for highways and major arterials.
• May supervise staff including hiring, mentoring and taking appropriate corrective and/or disciplinary action. Ensure EEO and affirmative action policies and procedures are followed. Coordinate staff training and professional development, establish performance objectives, monitor and evaluate employee performance. 

• Advance planning work related to a number of wide-ranging topics including but not limited to the following: mobility hubs, transportation demand management, bicycle and pedestrian planning and concept design, signal operations, and/or multimodal highway planning efforts.

• Manage projects and/or programs in partnership with outside agencies, including but not limited to cities, County of San Mateo, and City/County of San Mateo Association of Governments (C/CAG).

• Prepare or coordinate the research, analysis and writing of reports for the SMCTA Board and/or advisory committees.

• Develop and present oral reports in relation to SMCTA planning and program initiatives.

• Assist with the strategic development and preparation of grant applications.

• Establish and maintain working relationships with key partners at the local, regional, and state levels.  

• Assist with the development of strategic planning efforts.

• Perform all job duties and responsibilities in a safe manner to protect one’s self, fellow employees, and the public from injury or harm. Promote safety awareness and follow safety procedures to reduce or eliminate accidents

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Sufficient experience, training and/or education to demonstrate the knowledge and ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. In lieu of a degree, work-related experience that demonstrates the skills and experience necessary to perform this role will be accepted. Development of the required knowledge and abilities is typically obtained through but not limited to:

• Bachelor’s degree in Public or Business Administration, Transportation/Urban Planning, Public Policy, Economics, Engineering, and/or other related field. 

• Four (4) years of increasingly responsible experience in providing professional-level multimodal transportation planning and concept designs. 

• Knowledge of transportation planning and/or engineering for bicycle/pedestrian, transit, transportation demand management, multimodal highways and the environmental process for transportation projects is preferred.
• Knowledge of Caltrans Local Assistance Procedures Manual and best practice design standards such as NACTO, AASHTO, and other sources.
• Knowledge of local, regional, state, and federal grant funding opportunities.  
• Experience with GIS and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Proven experience utilizing analytical, written and verbal communication and presentation skills at many different levels of an organization.
• Effective oral and written communications skills.

Join VTA’s Dynamic Multimodal Planning and Real Estate Team! 

At VTA, the newly aligned Multimodal Planning and Real Estate team is a passionate group dedicated to transforming transportation and real estate connections across Santa Clara County.

Planning Division
This division is responsible for conducting all Congestion Management Program (CMP) and VTA transportation and transit planning activities, as well as programming, grants management, and real estate. The Planning Division consists of three primary focus areas: Planning, Programming and Grants, and Multimodal Planning & Real Estate

Multimodal Planning & Real Estate Department Real Estate Department 
As part of the Planning Division, the Multimodal Planning & Real Estate department is a passionate group dedicated to transforming transportation, land use, and community connections across Santa Clara County. The department successfully integrates several key programs to achieve this mission, including Multimodal Planning, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD/TOC), Asset Management/Real Estate, and Right-of-Way. 

The Right-of-Way Program
As a core program within the department, the Right-of-Way (ROW) team directly executes VTA’s capital delivery by overseeing the acquisition of full properties, permanent easements, temporary construction easements, and other critical property interests. ROW ensures project certification and delivery for massive infrastructure improvements across Santa Clara County, including major rail extensions like BART Silicon Valley and Eastridge to BART Regional Connector (EBRC), as well as highway and complete streets projects. This work involves extensive multi-agency coordination with external partners like Caltrans, utility providers, and local municipalities to handle complex property clearances and utility relocations.

What You'll be Doing
Definition
Under direction, the Senior Real Estate Agent plans, organizes, supervises, and integrates the work of assigned staff and consultants engaged in acquiring, appraising, managing, leasing or disposing of real property and rights-of-way and/or planning, offering, negotiating, and managing VTA's joint development projects and associated agreements, and performs related duties as assigned.

Distinguishing Characteristics
Senior Real Estate Agent is the first line supervisory classification in the Real Estate job series. Incumbents are responsible for planning, organizing, and supervising staff engaged in all aspects of VTA real estate transactions and agreements, and for performing the more difficult and complex duties.  Senior Real Estate Agent is distinguished from Manager, Real Estate & Project Administration in that the latter has full managerial responsibility for the entire real property program for VTA.

Typical Tasks
Not all positions perform all duties and not all duties performed are listed. Duties performed vary depending on the area of assignment.

• Selects, supervises, trains, motivates, assigns, evaluates, counsels, and disciplines staff;
• With assigned staff and consultants, develops, implements, and monitors plans, goals and objectives to ensure that designated property appraisal, acquisition, management, sales, relocation projects, and joint development functions are accomplished in accordance with adopted schedules and budgets;
• Supervises and performs work related to major joint development planning projects that encompass residential, commercial, and other types of real estate development;
• Conducts and/or participates in complex planning and rezoning approvals, competitive offerings for long-term leases, difficult appraisals, negotiations, relocation assistance, and property sale or disposition functions;
• Performs detailed, complex research, analyses, and determinations;
• Develops work plans, schedules, and budget estimates for joint development studies and projects and oversees their execution;
• Prepares and presents information to the public, boards, committees, and community groups;
• Reviews, evaluates, and approves architectural, planning, engineering, environmental, financial, and real estate appraisal work product produced by consultants;
• Provides attorneys with market appraisals and other data for use in property settlements and condemnation litigation;
• Plans, directs, negotiates, administers and/or participates in the development, negotiation and administration of consultant contracts;
• Reviews, recommends, and administers Real Estate Department policies and procedures;
• May perform budget preparation and review;
• Reviews, evaluates, and approves appraisals and amounts for negotiation and settlement in accordance with VTA policies and procedures;
• Ensures compliance with VTA policies and procedures regarding equal opportunity and discrimination and harassment prevention;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Concepts, methods and techniques for appraising property and establishing market value, current market conditions, and land sales;
• Principles and practices of planning, development, and management of large-scale mixed-use real estate development projects in complex urban settings;
• Methods and techniques for property recordation and property record search;
• Federal, state and local laws and regulations applicable to land and easement acquisition by public agencies, including condemnation and eminent domain proceedings and vacation and relinquishment law;
• Federal, state, and local laws and regulations applicable to planning, design, construction, financing, and operation of real estate development projects;
• Basic principles and practices of property and contract law, including preparation of detailed legal descriptions;
• Basic terminology, methods, and practices of engineering design, architecture, land use planning, land surveying, mapping, construction processes, real estate finance, and relocation;
• Principles and practices of communication and engagement with diverse stakeholders;
• Principles and practices of effective good faith negotiations;
• Principles and practices of effective supervision, training, employee development, motivation, discipline, and management.

Ability to:

• Analyze technical data and legal requirements, evaluate alternatives, and make sound, timely recommendations within established guidelines;
• Understand, interpret, explain, and apply federal, state and local laws and regulations applicable to real estate responsibilities;
• Perform sound property appraisals that require the application of complex valuation considerations;
• Estimate and manage budgets and schedules for planning studies and projects;
• Read and interpret plans, maps, engineering drawings, and sketches;
• Prepare clear, concise, comprehensive, and legally sound documents and reports;
• Exercise sound independent professional judgment within established guidelines;
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing;
• Negotiate effectively and persuasively on behalf of VTA to meet tight acquisition or project deadlines and legal, regulatory, and budget constraints;
• Use tact, discretion and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive situations and parties;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with managers, staff, consultants, other governmental agencies and their representatives, property owners, tenants, and others encountered in the course of work.

Minimum Qualifications:

Sufficient training, education, and experience to demonstrate possession of the required knowledge and abilities. 

Development of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is typically obtained through a combination of training and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business administration, public administration, finance, real estate, or a related field; and five years of increasingly responsible experience in the appraisal, acquisition, relocation, design, financing, construction, and/or management of real property, with at least two years in a project lead or supervisory capacity.

Experience in acquisition of property for public use or experience with public-private development on public property is desirable.