Colliers International Property Consultants

Principal Consultant - Transportation

Transportation
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years in management consulting or transportation agency roles
  • Strong client relationship management with senior officials
  • Expertise in multidisciplinary engagements and business development
  • Solid grasp of transportation operating models and governance
  • Knowledge of public sector economics and funding mechanisms
  • Experience in organizational design and performance enhancements

Responsibilities

  • Build and maintain trusted client relationships
  • Contribute to financial advisory and complex project engagements
  • Advise on organizational and operating model transformations
  • Drive business development through proposals and industry representation
  • Foster team development and high-performance culture
  • Translate policy trends into actionable client strategies

Benefits

  • Hybrid working environment with flexibility
  • Opportunity for advanced degree support
  • Engagement with a high-profile transportation network
  • Professional development through coaching and mentoring
  • Participation in thought leadership initiatives
Full Job Description
Job Description

We are seeking a commercially sharp, strategically minded Principal Consultant to join and strengthen our Transportation practice. Equivalent to a Director, this role sits at the intersection of client engagement, business development, and delivery excellence helping public and private transportation clients navigate their most complex operational, financial, and strategic challenges.

What You Will Do

Client Engagement

Build and sustain trusted relationships across transit authorities, toll agencies, DOTs,and mobility operators, helping clients navigate complex stakeholder environments define strategic priorities.

Financial & Commercial Advisory

Contribute to engagements spanning business cases, funding strategy, fare revenue modeling, P3 structuring, and capital program financial management for major infrastructure clients.

Operating Model Design

Advise clients on organizational restructuring, governance design, operating model transformation, and workforce strategy across complex multi-modal transport systems.

Business Development

Support and drive pipeline growth by contributing to pursuit strategy, authoring proposals, and representing the firm at industry forums, conferences, and with strategic partners.

Team & Practice Development

Coach and support consultants and managers, contribute to a high-performing team culture, and participate in practice capability building, hiring, and thought leadership.

Strategic & Policy Insight

Translate federal and state policy trends, funding mechanisms (IIJA, FTA, FHWA), and market dynamics into actionable strategies for clients and internal planning.

Qualifications

Required Experience & Qualifications
  • 10+ years of progressive experience in management consulting, public sector advisory, or a substantive role within a transportation authority or agency
  • Experience building and managing client relationships at a senior level, including engagement with executive directors, C-suite, or senior public sector officials
  • Experience contributing to and managing complex engagements with multidisciplinary teams - from project initiation through final deliverable Involvement in business development activities, including contributing to proposals, responding to RFPs, and supporting go-to-market efforts Financial acumen: experience with business case development, budget oversight, cost-benefit analysis, and value-for-money assessments
  • Solid understanding of transportation operating models, including multimodal service delivery, fare systems, fleet management, and capital project governance
  • Familiarity with public sector economics: funding structures, deficit management, ridership demand modelling, and public finance instruments
  • Experience with organizational design, operating model transformation, or performance improvement in a transportation or infrastructure context

Skills & Subject Matter Expertise
  • Financial modelling, scenario analysis, and investment appraisal for public infrastructure programs
  • Operating model design: governance structures, organizational charts, RACI frameworks, workforce planning, and change management
  • Transportation economics: demand forecasting, revenue optimization, subsidy analysis, and cost allocation methodologies
  • Public-private partnership (P3) advisory, including procurement structure, risk allocation, and contract management
  • Program management for capital delivery: schedule risk, funding management, and contractor oversight frameworks
  • Knowledge of federal and state transportation funding mechanisms (IIJA, FTA programs, TIFIA, state revolving funds) Data-driven decision-making: comfort with performance metrics, KPIs, dashboards, and translating analysis into executive narratives
  • Executive communication: ability to produce board-level briefings, strategy documents, and compelling presentations

Preferred Qualifications
  • An advanced degree in business administration, public policy, finance, engineering, or a related field; an MBA is highly valued
  • Prior experience within a transit authority, state DOT, or transportation agency, whether in an advisory, operational, or project role
  • Active network within the US transportation industry with transit authorities, toll agencies, federal agencies (FTA, FHWA), or industry bodies (APTA, IBTTA)
  • Familiarity with technology-enabled transportation transformation: MaaS platforms, contactless fare collection, GTFS/data standards, or intelligent transportation systems
  • Experience working in coalition or teaming arrangements with engineering, construction, or technology partners


Additional Information

Hybrid working - our approach is to be in the office or on client site a minimum of 2 days per week. However, the actual time you spend and where you spend it will vary by role or assignment.

In compliance with Colorado's, New York & Massachusetts's Equal Pay Transparency Act, PA is required to provide a reasonable salary range for this role. This salary range is specific to the State of Massachusetts and is commensurate with experience, market data, applicant skills, internal equity and/or degrees/certifications.

Salary Range: Low: $159,200 - High: $212,300.

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About Colliers International Property Consultants

Colliers International is a leading diversified professional services and investment management company. With operations in 68 countries, our more than 15,000 enterprising professionals work collaboratively to provide expert advice to maximize the value of property for real estate occupiers, owners and investors. For more than 25 years, our experienced leadership team, owning more than 40% of our equity, has delivered industry-leading investment returns for shareholders. In 2019, corporate revenues were more than $3.0 billion ($3.5 billion including affiliates), with $33 billion of assets under management in our investment management segment.
Learn more about Colliers International Property Consultants
Size
16,780 employees
Market Cap
$3.6 billion
Industry
Founded
1976
5 Year Trend
+16.6%
NASDAQ

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