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For a complete position profile, please visit Prothman at https://www.prothman.com/ and click on "Open Recruitments."

Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) provides public transportation services throughout Whatcom County which is in the northwest corner of Washington State. Located just south of the Canadian border, Whatcom County (population 213,000) is made up of several rural communities and smaller towns, as well as the City of Bellingham (population 85,000), the county seat, and WTA’s headquarters. With its proximity to Mt. Baker, beautiful Puget Sound and the world-renown San Juan Islands, it is an extremely desirable place to live and work. With nearly 15,000 students, Western Washington University (WWU) is the largest employer in Bellingham, as well as a major contributor to Bellingham’s liveliness and culture. WTA enjoys a strong partnership with WWU and their students account for 40% of WTA ridership.

WTA is governed by a 10-member Board of Directors, and services include fixed routes, paratransit service and a vanpool program. The agency is composed of seven divisions overseen by the Executive Department: Finance, Fleet & Facilities, Human Resources, Information Technology, Marketing & Community Relations, Operations, and Planning. WTA has an operating budget of $32.2 million and employs about 270 FTEs. In 2017, WTA provided 4.6 million fixed route boardings.

Working under the direction of the General Manager, the Planning Director provides overall leadership to the Planning Division, including short and long-range service planning, capital/facilities planning for the agency, grant oversight and property acquisition/disposal. The Planning Director also works extensively with the Board of Directors to discuss, receive approval for, and then implement fixed route service changes. Currently, service development staff are comprised of 4.7 FTEs.

A bachelor’s degree in planning, public administration or a related field, and five years of experience applying the principals and practices of transportation planning is required. AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) certification, three years of project management experience, and three years of staff supervision experience is preferred. Absent a bachelor’s degree, a combination of education and experience that would provide the applicant with the desired qualifications required to perform the job may be considered.

Whatcom Transportation Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer. First review: November 18, 2018 (open until filled). To apply online, visit Prothman at https://www.prothman.com/ and click on "Submit Your Application" and follow the directions provided. For questions, please call 206-368-0050.