Transit Planning and Scheduling Manager - Trainee Eligible

Transit Planning and Scheduling Manager - Trainee Eligible

Salary

$93,965.04 - $124,362.16 Annually

Location

Metro Transit, Madison, WI

Job Type

PERMANENT FULL TIME

Job Number

2026-00328

Department

Metro Transit

Opening Date

10/27/2026

Closing Date

11/10/2026 11:59 PM Central

Comp. Group/Range

44/12 or 44/14

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

General Description

The Opportunity

Metro Transit is looking for a strategic, detail-driven Transit Planning and Scheduling Manager to help shape the future of public transit in our city.

In this role, you'll lead the team that designs how Metro moves Madison-overseeing bus routes, stops, public schedules, operator shift schedules, long-range service planning, and data analysis. Your work will directly impact daily riders, frontline staff, and the long-term vision of our transit system.

You'll play a key leadership role at Metro, balancing big-picture planning with hands-on problem solving through your team to deliver reliable, efficient, and equitable transit service for our community.

Our Organization

Metro Transit has strong transit fundamentals with a major university, a constrained street grid, and strong financial support from the local government. This has allowed Metro to have more robust transit service compared to population peers nationally, running 193 buses and providing over 11 million rides in 2025. Metro is a department of the City of Madison and has contracts with surrounding communities and the University of Wisconsin to provide regional service. In the last several years, Metro has completed a full system redesign, rolled out our initial Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line, and added 65 electric buses to our system.

Our Community

The City of Madison was recently included in National Geographics 2027 Best of the World must-visit destinations. A thriving food scene, more than 200 miles of bike paths and trails, five beautiful lakes, excellent healthcare, and of course great transit work together to help meet Madison's vision to be inclusive, innovative and thriving.

See who else agrees!

As a member of the Senior Management Team at Metro, members will:

• Support and promote collaborative efforts to achieve mission requirements
• Infuse racial equity goals, principles, and tools into all aspects of Metro Transit operations
• Promote teamwork
• Communicate openly and candidly
• Participate fully in discussions
• Employ techniques for problem solving and decision making

IMPORTANT: THERE ARE SUPPLEMENTL ESSAY QUESTIONS ON THIS POSTING. YOU MUST UPLOAD YOUR ESSAYS IN THE ATTACHMENT SECTION OF YOUR APPLICATION.

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED WITHOUT YOUR ESSAYS WILL IMMEDIATELY BE ELIMINATED FROM CONSIDERATION.

To view the questions, click on the supplemental question tab OR view the bottom section of the job bulletin.

This position is trainee eligible, and we will consider applicants who meet the listed trainee-level qualifications as well as those who meet qualifications for the objective level. An employee hired in a trainee role would participate in a training and career progression program. An individualized training program developed for the trainee would provide for tailored training to guide advancement from a trainee to a Transit Planning and Scheduling Manager. A trainee is expected to complete the full training program in approximately 2 years or less depending on individual needs. Specific timelines would be developed at the time of hire.

Initial placement for the position is determined based on training and experience at time of hire.

Transit Planning and Scheduling Manager Trainee - $93,965.04 - $113,443.98 (CG44, R12)

Transit Scheduling and Planning Manager - $103,302.16 - $124,362.16 (CG44, R14)

Employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, trans, nonbinary, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We value the unique blend of lived experiences and diverse perspectives that comes from non-traditional education pathways and the variety of transferrable skills each candidate brings to the table. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Even if every item on the job posting doesn't match your experience perfectly, we encourage you to apply and share how your skills and experience can best serve our community.

Examples of Duties and Responsibilities

Work is done directly and through supervised team staff.

Data Analysis / Strategic Planning / Engagement

• Oversee the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Title VI Program update, National Transit Database (NTD) information submissions, and all federal reporting and grant submissions
• Develop and oversee a comprehensive public participation framework that manages expectations and gathers feedback from neighborhood groups and major institutions
• Serve as a principal staff liaison to boards and commissions, interpreting technical studies for non-technical audiences
• Oversee the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and geospatial tools to support quantitative analysis for operations and project development
• Monitor and report Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and forecasting to support strategic planning
• Represent Metro at inter-departmental meetings to integrate transit into street designs and safeguard operations from negative impacts
• Identify emerging ideas in transportation and assess potential applications within agency operations

Service Planning and Internal Collaboration

• Define and refine a vision for the route network, ensuring infrastructure projects align with long-range service goals
• Collaborate with Metro Operations and Maintenance to ensure service plans align with long-range fleet procurement goals and that route designs are operationally feasible
• Lead efforts to identify locations for transit signal priority (TSP), dedicated bus lanes, and other speed and reliability enhancements and collaborate with other teams to implement them
• Oversee the planning and integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), including real-time information and flexible service models
• Collaborate with Buildings and Grounds regarding the placement, design, and maintenance of transit infrastructure and passenger amenities
• Work with Metro Finance on budget tracking and Marketing and Customer Service to ensure public-facing materials and schedules are accurate and accessible
• Participate in local emergency management activities, assisting in the planning and coordination of transit resources during emergencies
• Work across city departments to ensure transit is reflected in citywide planning efforts and that transit recommendations made in those plans align with the network vision

Staff Leadership and Administration

• Interview, hire, train, and evaluate the performance of staff in the Planning unit
• Assign work to staff members and manage divisional budgets
• Oversee fixed-route and BRT service scheduling, including run cutting efforts and the driver pick process
• Prepare and administer the units annual operating and capital budgets to ensure alignment with agency goals
• Manage projects using federal and state grant programs and budgets, including the oversight of grant-funded operating expenditures
• Create and execute annual and long-range work programs for the Planning unit, ensuring the effective integration of staff, funds, and local resources
• Perform administrative management tasks associated with professional services, including consultant selection and contract administration
• Maintain high productivity and morale while ensuring the unit follows principles of racial equity, social justice, and ethical transparency

Scheduling

• Oversee fixed-route and BRT service scheduling, including run cutting efforts and the driver pick process

Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Four (4) years of progressively responsible professional transit or transportation planning experience which included independent responsibility for developing and coordinating related professional planning activities
• One (1) year of experience leading people as a supervisor, lead worker, team leader responsible to direct work/enforce deadlines, or other leadership capacity (could be within the planning experience or in another work setting)
• OR-
• Bachelors degree in transportation planning or other directly related field
• Two (2) years of responsible professional transit or transportation planning experience which included independent responsibility for developing and coordinating related professional planning activities
• One (1) year of experience leading people as a supervisor, lead worker, team leader responsible to direct work/enforce deadlines, or other leadership capacity (could be within the planning experience or in another work setting)

The City of Madison strives to provide exceptional customer service to all its residents and visitors. Therefore, successful candidates will have demonstrated ability to work effectively with multicultural communities.

For a complete list of the knowledge, skills and abilities, please view the Transit Planning and Scheduling manager class specification.

Special Requirements

The employee will be expected to occasionally attend meetings and provide presentations outside the normal work schedule, including evenings and weekends.

Ability to meet the transportation requirements of the position.

Ability to work at a sit/stand desk for extended periods using standard office equipment.

This position is not remote. Employee must work on site.

• Payroll title for this position is Transit Planning and Scheduling Manager.

The City of Madison offers excellent pay and benefits for employees. City Ordinances, handbooks, and labor contracts provide specifics; the description here is not to be considered a binding statement but offers an informal summary.

Compensation

The City of Madison strives to pay competitive wages. View the current salary schedules for pay for all classifications. Employees receive increases based on tenure with the City.

Benefits

The City offers a competitive benefits package, including a generous leave package, a variety of insurance options, and non-traditional benefits such as optional pet insurance, a bus pass for all employees, and the possibility of flexible work schedules. A brief summary of benefits is listed below. Please visit our website for more information.

Leave

Vacation is earned upon starting employment and can be used after completion of probation. The general vacation schedule is below.

After 1 year 5 work days of vacation

After 2 years 10 days

After 7 years 15 days

After 12 years 20 days

After 19 years 25 days

After 27 years 27 days

Employees earn 5 personal days in addition to vacation.

Employees receive eight official paid holidays (New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day), as well as 1 paid leave day (the Friday after Thanksgiving).

Employees also earn 13 sick days annually that may accrue to a total of 150 days.

Retirement

The City of Madison participates in the Wisconsin Retirement System through the State of Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds.

Insurance

The City of Madison offers a variety of optional insurance programs including:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Income Continuation Insurance (for short and long-term disability)
• Long Term Care Insurance

Other Benefits

The City offers numerous other benefits and programs for employees, including:

• 457(b) deferred compensation plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Bus Pass on Madison Metro
• Flexible Work Schedules
• Employer-paid Training

01

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY--YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS AS PART OF YOUR APPLICATION. You can answer the questions using a word processing program and attach as a .docx or .pdf file. You must attach the document in the "Attachments" section of the application or you will not receive further consideration for this position. Your responses will be evaluated on your writing ability including: spelling, grammar and your ability to express your thoughts in a logical fashion. By checking this box, you acknowledge the above and understand that your response is required and failure to attach your essay response will immediately eliminate you from consideration.

• AGREED

02

Public transit agencies frequently face the challenge of optimizing existing networks, managing service adjustments, or matching service to constraints such as fleet availability, staffing, and budget. Describe a time you had to lead a planning or scheduling initiative that required tradeoffs, cuts to existing routes, or identifying efficiencies. How did you balance data-driven operational realities with interested parties expectations and internal constraints? By checking this box, you acknowledge that your response to this question is required and must be submitted as an attachment in the attachment section of the application with a maximum length of one (1) page.

• AGREED

03

This role requires continuous coordination across several City of Madison Departments and all Metro divisions such as maintenance, operations, finance, and administration - each operating with distinct priorities and pressures. Describe an operational problem or project where you had to bridge competing interests between different workgroups to reach a workable solution. How did you build consensus, align disparate goals, and ensure the outcome was operationally feasible for frontline staff? By checking this box, you acknowledge that your response to this question is required and must be submitted as an attachment in the attachment section of the application with a maximum length of one (1) page.

• AGREED

04

Below you will be asked to respond to a question in a text box. You may prepare your answers in another document and then cut and paste your response in the text box. Otherwise, you can work on your response within the application and save your work to come back later, as needed. Please be sure to provide a complete response to this question. It may determine whether or not you move forward in this process. This position requires one year of leadership experience. Please describe the scope of your leadership experience, including your position title and employer, what leadership tasks you performed and in what setting. Please be as specific as possible in the space provided.

Required Question

Employer Madison, City of (WI)

Address 215 Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.

MMB Rm 261

MADISON, Wisconsin, 53703

Phone (608) 266-4615

Website http://www.cityofmadison.com/jobs