Manager, Local Planning Section

Are you a collaborative leader looking for an opportunity to advance local housing, transportation, and land use strategies to promote sustainable, equitable communities? Do you want to find a dynamic position where you can use your leadership skills and your expertise in housing and air quality / climate policy and research to help achieve the State’s climate, air quality, and equity goals?

The Sustainable Transportation and Communities Division (STCD) is looking for a motivated individual with strong scientific and policy knowledge and interpersonal leadership skills to lead the Local Planning Section of the Transportation and Land Use Planning Branch as an Air Resources Supervisor I. This person will independently supervise a team of professional staff to complete a range of both technical and policy assignments around the climate, air quality, and public health effects of housing, transportation, and land use actions.

The Local Planning Section works to provide local agencies with guidance and support on advancing climate change mitigation and air quality strategies in equitable ways. Specifically, the Local Planning Section is responsible for:

• Leading CARB’s current work under Executive Order (EO) N-2-24, including to develop and propose metrics to assess the climate and environmental benefits of infill housing development, and to participate on the interagency Task Force on Mitigation Banks;
• Implementing the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP) and fulfilling CARB’s role in implementing the Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) Grants;
• Assessing land use development projects, as well as Climate Action Plans, and providing comments under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (see https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/es/node/41161), as well as working with CARB staff and other local and State agencies to provide guidance related to CEQA and associated statutes to ensure projects further the State’s air quality and climate goals and incorporate best practices to mitigate project emissions;
• Developing and implementing strategic plans and guidance documents to support and guide local agencies in efforts to identify and address barriers to vehicle miles traveled reduction and zero-emission mobility in local communities.

This work is done with a goal of centering community leadership to effectively improve transportation and housing choices, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

The staff member will need to execute the above responsibilities with a high degree of initiative and vision, and a positive attitude. As the section manager, you will supervise a team of talented individuals with a wide range of analytical, policy, and programmatic experience. In managing the staff, you will be expected to foster a team environment based on the tenets of shared respect, trust, honesty, staff leadership and decision-making, collaboration, analytical accuracy and precision, and clear communication. You will need to provide staff with feedback and mentorship to support their development and identify and resolve sensitive program and personnel issues with tact and diplomacy.

As manager, you will conduct section planning and be expected to establish priorities and deadlines to manage the successful and timely completion of projects. You will review deliverables to ensure they meet standards of accuracy, clarity, adherence to CARB's procedures, and documentation of work. This role interfaces with many other internal and external agency staff, and you will need to form and maintain effective working relationships with CARB staff and external stakeholders. You will represent the section in meetings with other public agencies, CARB and CalEPA executive leadership, and the public. To support this, you will guide staff in developing reports, presentations, speeches, and other technical and policy documents requiring a broad perspective of Board-wide programs and initiatives. Travel within California will be required.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

This position may be eligible for hybrid in-office work and in-state telework. The amount of telework is at the agency's discretion and is based on the California Air Resources Boards' (CARB) current telework policy. While the CARB may support telework, some in-person attendance is also required.? 

The positions at the CARB may be eligible for telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position under Government Code 14200 for eligible applicants residing in California, subject to the candidate meeting telework eligibility criteria outlined in the CalEPA telework policy and/or future program need. Employees not residing in California are not eligible for telework. Regardless of hybrid telework eligibility, all employees may be required to report to the position’s designated headquarters location at their own expense, as indicated on their duty statement. 

• Position located in a high-rise building
• Daily use of a personal computer, office equipment, and/or telephone.
• Requires being in a stationary position, consistent with office work, for extended periods.
• Standard office environment (for example, artificial lighting, controlled temperature, etc.)