Transportation Policy and Communications Specialist
Minneapolis, MNJob$64–105K/yrSeen 2w agoSeen in employer's feed 6 days ago
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At a glance
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Job overview
CDM Smith’s Transportation Advisory Services team supports transportation clients in identifying, analyzing, and addressing public policy issues, especially funding and potentially technology, energy, emissions, and equity. The role involves policy research and analysis, stakeholder engagement, proposal development, and presenting findings. It is aimed at a recent graduate specializing in communications, political science, public policy, or a related field; an advanced degree is a plus.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Company Overview
Check out this video and find out why our team loves to work here! (https://www.cdmsmith.com/resources/videos/meet-cdm-smith)
Join Us! CDM Smith – where amazing career journeys unfold.
Imagine a place committed to offering an unmatched employee experience. Where you work on projects that are meaningful to you. Where you play an active part in shaping your career journey. Where your co-workers are invested in you and your success. Where you are encouraged and supported to do your very best and given the tools and resources to do so. Where it’s a priority that the company takes good care of you and your family.
Our employees are the heart of our company. As an employer of choice, our goal is to provide a challenging, progressive and inclusive work environment which fosters personal leadership, career growth and development for every employee. We value passionate individuals who challenge the norm, deliver world-class solutions and bring diverse perspectives. Join our team, and together we will make a difference and change the world.
Job Description
Are you a recent graduate specializing in communications, political science, public policy, or a related field? Are you interested in transportation, the environment, and infrastructure? This is an exciting opportunity to join CDM Smith's Transportation Advisory Services, a multi-disciplinary team of experts, including senior policy and communications specialists, to help our transportation clients identify, analyze, and solve their public policy issues and challenges, especially funding, and potentially also including technology, energy, emissions, and equity. Examples of specific work tasks include:
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Conducting in-depth financial analysis of transportation revenue and spending projections
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Analyzing stakeholders including policy positions, influences, priorities, and authorities
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Designing and conducting stakeholder and community outreach to solicit input on policy proposals
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Researching, analyzing, and summarizing statutes and regulations
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Researching, tracking, and analyzing bills
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Supporting the design and setup of special-purpose commissions, task forces, and working groups to address policy issues and challenges including process design, invitation design, content preparation and presentation, and facilitation
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Coordinating input on policy proposals from task forces, working groups, and other stakeholders as directed by clients
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Designing policy proposals and solutions to address client and stakeholder objectives and constraints
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Authoring papers and memoranda that frame policy issues including alternative solutions, trade-offs, and considerations
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Drafting bill language to align with client priorities for policy proposals
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Presenting findings and recommendations to working groups, task forces, legislative committees, other public bodies, and the public
Preferred Office Locations are Bellevue, Austin, or Chicago
Skills & Abilities
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Working understanding of top transportation public policy challenges facing U.S. federal, state, and local governments, including funding, technology, energy, emissions, and equity
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Excellent analytical skills including stakeholder and political awareness especially as relates to revenue collection systems
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Fluency with financial analysis including cost analysis of revenue collection systems
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Understanding of transportation technology and innovation trends
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Undergraduate degree required, advanced degree a plus
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree. 1 year of related experience. Domestic and/or international travel may be required. The frequency of travel is contingent on specific duties, responsibilities, and the essential functions of the position, which may vary depending on workload and project demands. Equivalent additional directly related experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
Amount of Travel Required
10% or less
EEO Statement
We attract the best people in the industry, supporting their efforts to learn and grow. We strive to create a challenging and progressive work environment. We provide career opportunities that span a variety of disciplines and geographic locations, with projects that our employees plan, design, build and operate as diverse as the needs of our clients. CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, pregnancy related conditions, childbirth and related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression), national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Background Check and Drug Testing Information
CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries (hereafter collectively referred to as “CDM Smith”) reserves the right to require background checks including criminal, employment, education, licensure, etc. as well as credit and motor vehicle when applicable for certain positions. In addition, CDM Smith may conduct drug testing for designated positions. Background checks are conducted after an offer of employment has been made in the United States. The timing of when background checks will be conducted on candidates for positions outside the United States will vary based on country statutory law but in no case, will the background check precede an interview. CDM Smith will conduct interviews of qualified individuals prior to requesting a criminal background check, and no job application submitted prior to such interview shall inquire into an applicant's criminal history. If this position is subject to a background check for any convictions related to its responsibilities and requirements, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history. Criminal history will not automatically disqualify a candidate. In addition, during employment individuals may be required by CDM Smith or a CDM Smith client to successfully complete additional background checks, including motor vehicle record as well as drug testing.
Massachusetts Applicants
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Additional Pay Range Information
CDM Smith is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. This pay range is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels for the geographic location assigned to the position. In addition to geographic location, a candidate’s salary is determined by several other factors including, but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, relevant work experience, skills, required certifications, and education/training.
Additional Compensation
All bonuses at CDM Smith are discretionary and may or may not apply to this position.
Visa Sponsorship Available
No-We will not support sponsorship in the United States, i.e. H-1B or TN Visas for this position
Agency Disclaimer
All vendors must have a signed CDM Smith Placement Agreement from the CDM Smith Talent Acquisition Manager to receive payment for your placement. Verbal or written commitments from any other member of the CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries staff will not be considered binding terms. All unsolicited resumes sent to CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries and any resume submitted to any employee outside of CDM Smith Talent Acquisition Team will be considered property of CDM Smith. CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries will not be held liable to pay a placement fee.
Pay Range Max
USD $105,310.00
Pay Range Min
USD $63,835.00
How this job compares
Set against the 2,058 open Communications jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 27, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$64–105K/yr
- Minnesota median$77–126K/yr20 salary ranges
- US median$96–136K/yr1,096 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $85K, is 19% below the Minnesota median midpoint ($104K) — in the lowest quarter of Communications salary ranges in Minnesota.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 41 open Communications jobs in Minnesota and 2,058 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Minnesota
- CDM Smith (this employer)8 open
- Hamline University2 open
- Insight Global2 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 1 year of experience — less than three in four Communications postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 1,351 postings).
- Education
- 784 of the 2,058 open Communications jobs (38%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 27, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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