Market Leader, Planning Applications

RSG is seeking a dynamic Market Leader to join our Planning Applications practice! If you’re passionate about transportation planning, business development, and leading innovative solutions that make a real-world impact, we’d love to hear from you.

PRIMARY PURPOSE

RSG’s Planning Market Leader (ML) is a senior technical and people leader responsible for guiding a market-focused team delivering complex transportation planning work across the U.S. The ML blends deep planning expertise with a data-driven mindset, ensuring analytics, modeling, and visualization are tightly connected to client goals, policy direction, and actionable outcomes. They lead the development of high-quality plans, studies, and analysis—including long-range, corridor, multimodal, TOD, freight, Complete Streets, integrated land use-transportation planning and sustainability-focused efforts—while ensuring work is relevant, defensible, and aligned with client priorities.

The ML is accountable for business performance, including sales, project delivery, client satisfaction, and team development. They build trusted client relationships, facilitate informed decision-making, and help clients navigate complex tradeoffs with clarity and credibility. Internally, they recruit, mentor, and develop staff, foster collaboration across disciplines, and align resources to deliver projects efficiently. The ML contributes to strategic growth by strengthening RSG’s market presence, expanding service offerings, and advancing innovative, evidence-based planning practices.

If you are ready to make an impact in growing RSG’s transportation planning support business line, come join our superb team by submitting your application, along with your resume and cover letter! ---> HERE

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Execution (15%)

• Represent RSG’s mission, vision, values, and strategy in internal and client-facing settings.

• Partner with company leadership to translate strategy into operational plans and measurable outcomes.

• Lead and guide a market/service line, executing consulting engagements on-time and on-budget with RSG’s high standard for delivery.

• Develop project strategies that align with client and organizational goals, considering client objectives and industry trends.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve and expand service offerings.

• Guide project managers in managing project resources efficiently, including human capital and other project-related assets.

• Optimize staffing and resource allocation to win work and deliver it efficiently.

• Drive accountability for on-time and on-budget delivery of high quality projects.

• Actively participate in the recruitment, selection, management of staff, including mentoring and development of staff.

• Mentor consulting leadership to enhance the overall capabilities of the consulting team. Ensure junior staff are receiving effective mentorship and guidance for growth.

Business Development and Client Relations (35%)

• Drive business development efforts to generate revenue.

• Play a key role in positioning the planning division strategically within the market.

• Understand client needs and contribute to solution development, while acting as a key point of contact for clients.

• Build long-term client relationships that expand in scope and duration.

• Identify growth opportunities within existing client organizations, including cross-selling additional services, and build new client relationships.

• Maintain knowledge and information about industry trends and best practices to lead the development of market strategies and business plans.

• Actively participate in activities and industry events to advance the RSG brand.

• Identify opportunities for service enhancement and innovation.

Project Delivery and Management (50%)

• Help project managers provide project direction, define deliverables, and align scope with client goals.

• Help project managers effectively set and manage project budgets, timelines, and resource plans to ensure successful delivery of projects.

• Hold PMs and team members accountable for successful project delivery across a large project portfolio and ensure alignment with organizational goals.

• Efficiently allocate resources and monitor key performance indicators for departmental success.

• Drive accountability for key performance indicators, contingency planning, and issue mitigation (e.g., difficult client conversations) to maintain high standards of performance and successful outcomes.

• Manage projects and perform project-related tasks, as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree related to transportation, planning, market research, statistics, economics, geography, engineering, , or a similarly relevant field of study.

• Master’s degree or other advanced degree preferred.

• 15+ years in consulting or a comparable role building domain expertise in market research, transportation, or related fields.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proven ability to lead and manage professional consulting teams delivering large-scale, complex projects.

• Strong track record of driving accountability for team performance, quality, and client outcomes.

• Ability to communicate strategic direction clearly and translate strategy into aligned team execution.

• Experience overseeing multiple teams and project portfolios to deliver work within scope, schedule, and budget, while maintaining high client satisfaction.

• Ability to adapt plans, priorities, and resource allocations in response to changing business and operational conditions.

• Demonstrated leadership mindset focused on quality, innovation, and sustainable growth.

• Sound judgment and decision-making skills, with the ability to independently solve complex problems in alignment with organizational policies and business plans.

• Experience providing professional and technical guidance to staff, colleagues, and clients.

• Demonstrated ability to lead collaboration across functional areas to deliver work products, resolve issues, and develop new solutions/services.

• Demonstrated ability to recruit, manage and develop people (e.g., performance and developmental goal setting, delivering performance feedback, participating in pay decisions, and productively participating in disciplinary action).

• Strong professionalism, executive presence, and presentation skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical materials clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.

• Demonstrated success building and sustaining client relationships that generate new and repeat business.

• Well-established professional network that supports business development efforts.

• Strong organizational and project management skills.

BENEFITS

• Competitive salary range of $140k - $237k/year (Compensation within the posted range is based on multiple factors including geographic location, experience, internal equity, and qualifications. Offers are typically not made at the top of the range)
• 100% employee-owned company with employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
• Award-winning culture and workplace flexibility
• Competitive 401(k) with matching, medical with HSA, dental, vision, disability, and other insurance coverage
• Professional Development opportunities

RSG is not currently accepting H-1B applicants for this position. EEO/AA Employer/ Vet/ Disabled