Job Information
Vanderbilt University Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner in Nashville, Tennessee
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner is a professional in the Transportation & Mobility Office which oversees the implementation of MoveVU, Vanderbilt’s strategic transportation and mobility plan. MoveVU calls for the diversification of transportation options, reduction of the drive alone rate to campus that aligns with university goals to become carbon neutral, prioritization of pedestrian and micromobility travel modes, and improvement of accessibility.
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner will plan future bike, walk, and roll facilities with campus stakeholders; implement strategies that improve and encourage biking, walking, and using micromobility devices across campus; and proactively monitor access and safety issues that may negatively impact one’s ability to walk on campus and around the campus edge. This position will be responsible for developing Vanderbilt’s Plan for Bike Friendly University Gold Status, a strategic deliverable that will guide bike/walk/roll activities and infrastructure on campus. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner will need to be knowledgeable of transportation options and issues on Vanderbilt’s campus and throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee to coordinate with our Commute Concierge team to advise on bike and walk commuting logistics.
Transportation & Mobility Office staff support university faculty, staff, and students in getting around campus and to campus with projects, programs, and policies that support riding transit, walking, bicycling, carpooling, and vanpooling when possible and thereby reducing the university’s drive alone rate and carbon footprint. Decisions over generations at multiple public and institutional levels have resulted in transportation options on campus and in Middle Tennessee that heavily rely on cars, which is not an equitable solution to our community’s dynamic and changing mobility needs for the 21st Century. As a critical thinker, this professional will be most successful with a collaborative skillset with internal and external stakeholders.
Vanderbilt has successfully secured multiple grants to support campus transportation demand management initiatives. There is strong leadership commitment to these objectives, so workload and resources are anticipated to grow over the coming years.
Duties and Responsibilities
This position will spend their time developing and implementing Vanderbilt’s Plan for Bike Friendly University Gold Status. This will include maintaining bike/ped infrastructure inventory with Facilities, developing design guidelines that support improved walking and biking with construction projects, conducting classes and encouragement activities for biking and walking, and advising on bike and walk commutes.
- Transportation Expertise
• Ability to understand the attributes of Vanderbilt University’s values and convey how it informs land use, transportation, and sustainability goals.
• Experience with using transit, bikeshare, vanpool, carpool, and walking for commuting to work, so one can personally relate to commuting decisions.
• Listen to concerns and advise on possible methods and routes to overcome challenges with biking and walking to campus.
• Collaboratively develop a plan to improve biking and walking conditions on campus based on MoveVU and FutureVU goals and guidance from past Bicycle Friendly University applications.
• Work independently, diplomatically, and using good judgment with minimal supervision.
- Urban Design Education and Leadership
• Develop an urban design vision for bike and pedestrian facilities aligned with MoveVU and FutureVU and develop bike and pedestrian design guidelines to incorporate into new facilities construction.
• Review capital project plans through an equity lens and recommend bike and pedestrian infrastructure solutions that achieve MoveVU and FutureVU goals.
• Comprehensively consider the impacts of design solutions on accessibility and safety, guide internal stakeholders on communications, and serve as an active advocate for bike and pedestrian issues to be resolved on campus and with Metro Nashville and TDOT.
• Regularly scan the campus to proactively identify bicycle and pedestrian issues and report issues for resolution.
- Customer Service and Outreach
• Provide exemplary customer service to all university community members and the public.
• Highlight and promote bike accommodations on campus.
• Positively promote and assist university community members with transportation options on campus and throughout the region. This will involve advising the Commute Concierge team about bicycling and walking options and sometimes guide Vanderbilt community members as they learn their bike and walk commutes.
• Develop a bike and pedestrian campus committee to guide issues.
• Develop safety education and encouragement programs to promote walking and biking to campus and on campus.
• Tactfully and thoughtfully address transportation complaints to realign with university sustainability and mobility goals.
• Act as a visible resource and mentor for the university community on transportation issues.
• Prepare presentation materials and present reports to interdepartmental committees, faculty, students, staff, and community groups to educate.
- Communications with University Community and Stakeholders
• Maintain close working relationships with many university schools, divisions, and departments and city departments to ensure open communication about transportation options.
• Work successfully with members of the public and project teams.
• Effectively communicate complex information with demonstrated excellence in written and verbal skills.
- Continuing Education and Career Growth
• Participate in relevant meetings, conferences, workshops, training sessions, and professional associations and review relevant publications to remain current on bicycle, pedestrian, and micromobility best practices, transportation planning principles and practices, and new developments in the transportation demand management field.
• Research best practices and identify resources for future implementation.
• Increase in job responsibilities and potential management opportunities as Transportation & Mobility staff expands.
Supervisory Relationships
This position will have supervisory responsibility in the future of a student intern and reports administratively and functionally to the Director of Mobility.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution is required.
A degree in urban design, transportation planning, civil engineering, or related field is strongly preferred.
At least 4 years of relevant experience is required.
Experience in a higher education institutional setting or government setting is preferred.
Demonstrated skills in customer service are required.
Experience with the following software: ArcGIS, Microsoft Office, and Adobe suite of software are strongly preferred.
Strong organizational, interpersonal communication (verbal and written) skills are required.
Personal experience taking various forms of city transportation is required and knowledge of transportation options in Middle Tennessee is preferred.
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.
Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.