Planner Project Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

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At Parsons, you can imagine a career where you thrive, work with exceptional people, and be yourself. Guided by our leadership vision of valuing people, embracing agility, and fostering growth, we cultivate an innovative culture that empowers you to achieve your full potential. Unleash your talent and redefine what's possible.
Job Description:
At Parsons, we are shaping the future of transportation through innovative, multimodal solutions that connect communities, improve mobility, and advance sustainability. Across Southern California and throughout North America, our planners, engineers, and technical specialists partner with public agencies to solve complex transportation challenges involving highways, transit, active transportation, freight, emerging mobility, and intelligent transportation systems.
Parsons is seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager - Planning to support and expand our transportation planning practice across Southern California. Reporting within our Traffic Engineering and Planning team, this role offers the opportunity to lead major planning studies, manage multidisciplinary teams, cultivate client relationships, and contribute to business growth while delivering innovative mobility solutions that improve transportation systems and communities.
As a senior project manager and seller-doer, you will lead transportation planning projects from initiation through delivery, manage project performance, support business development and strategic pursuits, and serve as a trusted advisor to agencies including Caltrans, LA Metro, SCAG, SANDAG, RCTC, local cities and counties, transit operators, ports, and freight stakeholders. You will collaborate closely with planning, engineering, environmental, and engagement professionals while mentoring staff and advancing high-quality planning solutions that help clients achieve their mobility goals.
The ideal location for this position is Pasadena, California, with hybrid work flexibility. Alternate California office locations include Irvine, Corona, and San Diego.
What Required Skills You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, Transportation Planning, Civil Engineering, Geography, or a related field.
• 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in transportation planning, project management, or infrastructure consulting.
• Demonstrated experience managing multimodal transportation planning projects involving transit, highways, active transportation, freight, and emerging mobility.
• Experience working with Southern California transportation agencies and stakeholders, including public sector clients, regional agencies, and transportation partners.
• Proven success managing project scope, schedule, budget, quality, and client expectations.
• Experience supporting business development, capture planning, proposal development, and interview presentations.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multidisciplinary teams and mentor junior staff.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively engage clients, stakeholders, and project teams.

What Desired Skills You'll Bring

• Advanced degree in Public Administration, Urban Planning, Transportation Planning, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Professional certification such as AICP, PE, PTOE, or similar credential.
• Experience developing planning studies, corridor plans, mobility plans, transportation master plans, and implementation strategies.
• Knowledge of federal, state, regional, and local transportation funding programs and planning processes.
• Experience supporting competitive grant applications and funding strategies.
• Understanding of Southern California transportation planning, environmental, and project delivery processes.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams involving planning, traffic engineering, environmental planning, public outreach, and data analytics.
• Participation in professional organizations and industry events.

What You'll Be Doing

• Manage transportation planning projects throughout Southern California from project initiation through successful delivery.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams supporting multimodal planning, corridor studies, transportation master plans, active transportation programs, traffic and mobility studies, and emerging mobility initiatives.
• Serve as a primary client contact, maintaining strong relationships and supporting long-term client success.
• Manage project scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk, and contract compliance.
• Support business development activities, including identifying opportunities, preparing proposals, participating in interviews, and expanding existing client relationships.
• Guide development of transportation plans, mobility studies, implementation strategies, and funding recommendations.
• Coordinate closely with traffic engineering, transportation systems, environmental, and community engagement teams to deliver integrated solutions.
• Mentor and develop planning staff while fostering technical excellence, innovation, and collaboration.
• Support strategic growth initiatives across Southern California transportation markets.
• Represent Parsons at client meetings, industry events, professional organizations, and public workshops.

This position offers an exceptional opportunity to lead impactful transportation planning projects, build lasting client relationships, and help shape the future of mobility throughout Southern California while working within a globally recognized infrastructure consulting organization.
Security Clearance Requirement:
None
This position is part of our Critical Infrastructure team.
For more than 80 years, our experts have designed and delivered the critical infrastructure that connects and protects communities around the world. We work in collaborative teams, both within the company and with our partners and customers, to plan, design, build, and modernize infrastructure. We take special pride in projects and solutions that improve communities as well as people's quality of life by promoting economic growth, enhancing mobility, and increasing sustainability and resiliency. Powered by our people, we provide the imagination necessary to support our customers' visions-and to help them see what's next!
Salary Range: $134,100.00 - $241,400.00
We value our employees and want our employees to take care of their overall wellbeing, which is why we offer best-in-class benefits such as medical, dental, vision, paid time off, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401(k), life insurance, flexible work schedules, and holidays to fit your busy lifestyle!
This position will be posted for a minimum of 3 days and will continue to be posted for an average of 30 days until a qualified applicant is selected or the position has been cancelled.
Parsons is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.
We truly invest and care about our employee's wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest-APPLY TODAY!
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