Principal Planner

Toole Design is looking to hire an experienced and talented full-time Principal Planner in Portland, ME. Do you have a strong planning background with a successful track record of project management for multimodal transportation planning? Are you passionate about sustainability, equity and the opportunity to work on innovative multimodal projects that make communities more livable? Are you looking to collaborate with some of the most thoughtful and innovative transportation planners, engineers, landscape architects, urban designers, and policy experts? If so, please consider joining our Portland team.

This Principal Planner position with a focus on active and multimodal transportation earns a competitive salary and great benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, a health savings account (HSA), a flexible spending account (FSA). We practice what we preach and ensure that our employees also have access to transportation by providing them with financial incentives to bike, walk, or use transit for a better quality of life.

About Toole Design

Toole Design is the leading engineering, planning, and landscape architecture firm specializing in multimodal transportation. Since our start in 2003 as a single office in Maryland, we have expanded throughout the United States. Our talented team of planners, landscape architects and engineers are committed to delivering quality work that meets the needs of all people, regardless of age, ability, race, or gender. As an Engineering News-Record top 500 design firm, we have also been named a "best firm to work for" and have one of the lowest staff turnover rates in the industry.

Every project our employees deliver directly and positively affect our communities. We are industry-leading experts, and we work hard to encourage a collaborative and team-oriented environment.

A Day in the Life of a Principal Planner

As a Principal Planner, you will develop and nurture client relationships, mentor colleagues, and lead exciting projects throughout the Northeast region, while supporting efforts across the country. You will lead teams of professionals from a variety of disciplines; integrating input from a broad range of stakeholders to create award-winning plans and programs that build momentum toward positive change in communities and lead directly to implementation.

Our projects are at all different scales: national, state, regional, and local. They encompass research, policy, planning, design guidance, program development, inclusive engagement, implementation, and evaluation. As a Principal Planner, you may lead multimodal corridor studies, Vision Zero, Safe Routes to Schools, Pedestrian and Bicycle Plans, new mobility and curbside management, trails and greenways, complete streets, and access to transit projects.

You will participate in business development pursuits with a focus in Maine, while supporting the rest of the Northeast region. You will work with a close-knit team that is passionate about the communities we serve. What unites our work is our mission: we focus on projects that align with our values. We think about ethics, empathy, and equity every step of the way.

Qualifications of a Principal Planner

• Extensive knowledge of multimodal transportation planning practices and techniques
• At least 15 years of experience working on transportation projects, preferably in Maine
• At least 8 years of project management experience
• A bachelor's or master's degree in planning or a related field (or additional work experience in the field)
• Outstanding written, verbal, and public speaking communication skills
• The ability to deliver high-quality work on-time and on-budget
• The motivation to win work, including forming and managing client relationships, identifying potential opportunities, and developing proposals and interview materials
• A willingness to develop new techniques, lead projects in new practice areas, or oversee the use of new tools
• The ability to facilitate training for other employees, clients, agency staff, and professional organizations

You'll be great here if:

• You're passionate about contributing to the Northeast's future as a more accessible, sustainable, and equitable region
• You have a strong working knowledge of Maine's geography, public agencies, and political landscape
• You enjoy managing projects and meeting client needs
• You've led complex projects that involve coordinating collaborative work between staff teams, consultant partners, and public sector or nonprofit partners; and managing schedules and budgets
• You can build relationships, bring enthusiasm to exciting projects, and are detail-oriented with strong problem-solving skills
• You enjoy producing high-quality work products and contributing to projects that get built

Work Schedule for a Principal Planner

This full-time position typically works a flexible schedule of 40 hours a week. This position is currently remote in the Portland area but will transition to a hybrid schedule of 2-3 days in office when we open our Portland office. There will be occasions when being physically present in our Boston office will be expected as mutually agreed upon during the job application/interview/offer process. Applicants should be willing to travel within New England to support public engagement activities.

Ready to Join our Northeast Team?

We understand your time is valuable, so we have a quick and easy application process. If you feel that you would be right for this Principal Planner position, please fill out our application by clicking on the link on this page.

At Toole Design, diversity is a necessity, not a nice-to-have. We have a collaborative culture where people of all backgrounds come together to share ideas and build better, more inclusive communities. We encourage those from underrepresented communities - women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, those with disabilities and people at all the intersections in between - to apply. Even if you don't think your current skill set checks every box below, but this role seems to align with your strengths, we want to hear from you.

We're proud that about half of our managers are women and we are committed to achieving racial diversity in our leadership as well. Toole Design is a woman-owned business and an equal opportunity employer (EO/AA/VEV/Disabled employer).

Individuals may request accommodations or assistance with the application process by contacting and asking for Human Resources or emailing .

For more information about Toole Design, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook.