Project Director- DC

Reconnecting America is hiring a Project Director based in our Washington, DC office. We are looking for a motivated, enthusiastic and self-directed individual with strong leadership qualities and deep knowledge and interest in land use, transportation, and community development.

Organization Description

Reconnecting America is a national nonprofit organization that helps transform promising ideas into thriving communities, where transportation choices make it easy to get from place to place, where businesses flourish, and where people from all walks of life can afford to live, work and visit. We accomplish these goals by advising civic and community leaders on how to overcome community development challenges to create better communities for all. We also develop research and innovative public policy, while building on-the-ground partnerships and convening the players needed to accelerate decision-making. Reconnecting America engages in an integrated set of activities to support our efforts including technical assistance with a broad set of stakeholders in regions big and small across the country, policy reform at the federal, state and local levels and education activities to build capacity among the range of stakeholders ultimately responsible for building stronger and more equitable communities. Through a strong communications infrastructure we are able to deploy our resources and our point of view to a wide audience. We are focused on engaging a growing network of stakeholders in identifying best practices, deploying leading edge strategies and innovation, and highlighting the leaders in the field, often in unexpected places. Reconnecting America’s main office is in Washington, DC, with additional offices in Oakland, California and Denver, Colorado.

Reconnecting America is the managing partner in the Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD), one of our signature programs. Formed in 2004, the CTOD is a partnership between Reconnecting America, the Chicago-based national nonprofit Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) and the economic consulting firm Strategic Economics based in Berkeley, California. The CTOD partnership is focused on maximizing the value of transit investments in diverse communities across the country by working to leverage additional private, public and philanthropic investment that fosters an improved quality of life for all citizens.

Project Director

Washington, DC

Position Overview

The Project Director will serve as part of the leadership team of Reconnecting America. The Project Director will help manage projects in the Technical Assistance program of Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD). The Project Director will work closely with a range of stakeholders—including public agency staff, policymakers, community-based organizations, philanthropy, developers and others—to help identify appropriate policies, programs, plans and implementation strategies to promote and support the equitable integration of transportation and land use at the regional, city and neighborhood scale. Our placed-based work in diverse locations across the country helps identify best practices, innovative solutions and strategies, and key lessons learned that informs a national effort in support of transit-oriented development (TOD) and other livability-related initiatives. Reconnecting America provides a national platform from which an effective Project Director can help launch leading edge strategies, identify needed policy reform and facilitate groundbreaking partnerships and collaborations in support of the integration of transportation and land use.

Primary Responsibilities

• Managing Technical Assistance and collaborative efforts in a variety of localities and regions. Working closely with local partners, including community-based non-profit groups, public agency staff, elected officials, non-profit and for-profit developers, philanthropic partners to advance transit-oriented development efforts in cities and regions across the country.
• Leading research projects, including data-intensive analysis, with multi-disciplinary teams on subjects related to transit-oriented development, transit performance, sustainability, urban form characteristics and other leading edge issues.
• Writing on key issues related to TOD in a variety of formats to effectively communicate complex concepts to a range of stakeholders.
• Collaborating with the Policy Team on developing policy reform proposals to advance transportation reform, equitable community development, and TOD-related priorities.
• Collaborating with the Communications Team on developing communications tools and publications to help inform national and local transportation and land use efforts.
• Developing funding proposals and identifying potential opportunities for new and expanded programs.
• Representing the organization through public speaking engagements and networking at conferences, stakeholder meetings and with the media.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning or other related field and a minimum of five years of work experience in a related field with at least two years of project management experience.
• Self-directed, resourceful and results oriented.
• Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills. Demonstrated ability to work productively, professionally, collaboratively and respectfully with a wide range of partners in a diversity of settings;
• Understanding of transit-oriented development principles and strategies. Familiarity with land use and transportation policy a plus, as well as expertise in other associated disciplines such as health, affordable housing and infrastructure financing.
• Strong project management skills, with demonstrated experience managing complex projects involving a variety of stakeholders.
• Experience in the private or public sector working on TOD planning and implementation.
• Experience managing support staff and serving in a mentoring capacity.
• Strong oral and written communication skills; ability to analyze, to think critically and to explain alternatives clearly. Comfort speaking in front of diverse audiences.
• Strong research and analytical skills; ability to write clearly and convincingly synthesizing complex information and conveying new concepts and ideas in the areas of land use, transportation, housing, community development, social and physical environmental issues, commercial and residential development, as well as a wide variety of related subjects.
• Group facilitation skills; experience working in situations involving collaboration among multiple stakeholders representing diverse interests and points of view.

• Experience in fundraising, including grantwriting and proposal writing and marketing a plus.
• Motivated, enthusiastic and committed to the organization’s mission.

Essential Functions

• Computer proficiency, knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite. Expertise with Geographic Information Systems and the Adobe Creative Suite a plus.
• Ability to work long hours, including some evening and weekend meetings.
• Frequent travel
• Position will be based in the Washington, D.C. office

Salary and Benefits

The position is full-time. Salary is competitive and commensurate with training and experience. Reconnecting America provides a comprehensive benefits package.

To Apply: