Senior Planner Jobs

Under general direction, leads and manages the activities of planning teams responsible for performing planning assignments such as long-range plans and studies and current planning activities, including preparing and presenting staff reports, ordinance revisions and providing technical planning and zoning assistance to the public and city departments.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Ability to lead and manage planning teams responsible for assignments of long-range plans and studies and current planning activities, preparing and presenting staff reports, ordinance revisions and providing technical planning and zoning assistance to the public and city departments to ensure the city’s policies and standards are met. This may include the ability to negotiate complex consultant and professional service contracts and supervise the development of plans and documents to ensure compliance with Council priorities, the department’s work plan, and public input.
2. Ability to research and develop project objectives, development programs, alternative solutions to issues, design guidelines, neighborhood plans, and budgets based on Council priorities, the department’s work plan, and public input, and prepare reports with data, findings and recommendations.
3. Ability to review development and related land use permit applications, development plans, variance applications, etc.; examine applications for compliance with established plans and ordinances, and applicable local, state, or federal regulation; solicit input from appropriate staff, schedule hearing and actions, monitor through the approval process, enforce compliance with regulations and respond to various inquiries (e.g., other departments, citizens, committees/commissions, City Council, local authorities, civic leaders, social scientists, developers, architects, land planning professionals) regarding specific projects in order to expedite services by providing technical and professional information, assistance, and guidance regarding planning, economic development, and community development.
4. Ability to facilitate meetings of Planning and Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, community groups, consultants, City Council, and other groups as assigned.

OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS:

5. Ability to manage the development of a Comprehensive Plan and its related activities.

6 Ability to write reports that require limited editing, and evaluate demographic, zoning, economic, geographic and infrastructure information.

7. Ability to design, organize, and oversee the ongoing maintenance of databases for demographics, growth and development monitoring and application reviews.

8. Ability to administer the zoning process, platting process, variances, special exceptions, ordinance and code amendments, and related activities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Proven skill to effectively communicate with other city employees, the public, consultants, Boards, Commissions and City Council by oral, graphic, and written means.
• Skill in budget preparation and governmental accounting practices and procedures.
• Proven skill in presenting complex issues to the Planning and Zoning Commission, City Council, other boards and commissions, and the general public.
• Proven skill in researching, analyzing, and generating data and formulating conclusions and recommendations.
• Ability to lead and manage multidisciplinary and diverse project teams.
• Knowledge and experience related to research methodology and techniques for organizing and analyzing complex data, including computer applications related to project management, spreadsheet, database and word processing programs.
• Knowledge and experience related to professional service procurement, contract negotiation, and contract administration.
• Knowledge and experience related to GIS, ability to create maps and prepare audio-visual presentations.
• Ability to perform a variety of physical skills including, but not limited to, lifting, seeing, typing, writing and entering data on personal computer.
• Knowledge and experience related to comprehensive and neighborhood planning principles, urban design/architecture, transportation planning principles, economic development, finance, engineering, and/or GIS analysis as it applies to planning and zoning.
• Knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations relating to planning, zoning, site planning and urban development.
• Ability to show competency in possessing a working knowledge of the internal processes, ordinances and policies of the department.
• Ability to thoroughly and comprehensively evaluate all aspects of subdivision plats, development plans, and zoning cases, including ability to train staff on same.
• Ability to initiate, design, coordinate and manage planning projects and to coordinate multi-departmental projects.
• Ability to operate a personal computer, GIS and software packages (including graphics, visualization, and city specific programs), digital camera, scanner and use these mediums to evaluate and analyze information.
• Knowledge of the principles, concepts, practices and theories of urban planning, landscape architecture, economics, social sciences, engineering or statistics.

Qualifying Education and Experience:
Bachelor's Degree in urban and regional planning, geography/GIS, political science/public administration, architecture, environmental science, landscape architecture, business or related field plus two (2) years related experience. Prefer a Master's Degree in urban and regional planning, geography/GIS, political science/public administration, architecture, environmental science, landscape architecture, business, or related field. AICP preferred. Must successfully complete pre-employment screen including MVR check and criminal background check.