POSITION: Manager of Environmental Planning

SALARY RANGE: $88,895 to commensurate with experience, education, and certification(s)

ORGANIZATION

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) is a regional planning agency.  As the Metropolitan Planning Organization and Areawide Water Quality Management Agency, NOACA conducts transportation and environmental planning for a five-county region that is home to 2.1 million people and includes the counties of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Manager of Environmental Planning supervises and collaborates with the air quality, climate pollution reduction, and water quality planners within NOACA’s Strategic and Environmental Planning (SEP) Division.  Under supervision of the SEP Division Director, the Manager coordinates projects, programs, and plans and monitors the budgets for those activities. The Position also serves as the Agency’s primary point of contact for and works closely with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) state and regional offices, and the Ohio Association of Regional Councils’ (OARC) Rideshare/Air Quality and Areawide/Water Quality Subcommittees.

Core air quality responsibilities include oversight of the agency’s Air Quality Trends Report; NOACA’s Rideshare Program (Gohio Commute transportation demand management platform, Gohio Mobility Tool, Gohio Commute App, and CommutePerks); coordination with the Programming Division’s administration of NOACA’s Vanpool Program; active participation in the Cleveland Tree Coalition; and collaboration with the Public Affairs Division on air pollution public education and outreach programs. The Position also collaborates with the Agency’s Programming and Transportation Planning and Engineering Divisions, conducting conformity analysis to ensure that NOACA’s projects contribute to regional attainment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

Core climate pollution reduction responsibilities include development and implementation of the regional Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) under the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (US EPA’s) Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) Program. Climate pollution reduction planning integrates work from both air quality and water quality planning programs into a more comprehensive framework to strengthen regional cohesion and improve quality of life in Northeast Ohio. The Position will coordinate with SEP staff, the CPRG Program Manager, and staff from the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County to implement public education and outreach to low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDACs) and implement priority actions to help the region meet regional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets.

Core water quality responsibilities include working with staff on the preparation of scopes of work for grant applications and funding agreements; development of strategies and plans for nutrient reduction; review of and providing recommendation on modifications to facility planning area (FPA) boundaries; maintaining and implementing the Water Quality Strategic Plan; and maintaining and implementing NOACA’s Water Quality and Wastewater Management Plan (208 Plan).

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s Degree in Urban/Regional Planning, Public Administration, Public Policy, Environmental Planning, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Sustainability or relevant field preferred
• Ten (10) years of relevant planning experience. Master’s degree may be substituted for one year of experience. PhD may be substituted for an additional year of experience.
• Advanced understanding of regional air quality, climate change, and water quality issues, with basic understanding of regional transportation issues
• Advanced knowledge of local, state and federal air quality, water quality and transportation programs, policies, and procedures
• Advanced experience with Microsoft Office applications
• Advanced experience with ESRI GIS application
• Advanced research and data analysis skills
• Advanced experience with policy and program development and implementation
• Proven leadership and team-building capabilities
• Strong organizational skills
• Strong collaboration skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Must be authorized to work in the United States

BENEFITS

• Paid time off includes 12 holidays, plus vacation, sick and personal time
• Employer sponsored health, vision, dental, and prescription coverage
• Employer sponsored life insurance
• Enrollment in Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) pension program
• Employer sponsored professional certifications and memberships
• Other voluntary programs

OTHER

• NOACA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
• Employees telecommute for one day each week (Mondays) with an additional 18 flexible telecommute days throughout the calendar year.