Assistant Director of Planning

Mackenzie Eason & Associates • Midland, TX

4d

About The Position

Mackenzie Eason & Associates has been retained by the City of Midland to recruit its next Assistant Director of Planning, a senior leadership role created to help guide one of Texas’ fastest-growing metropolitan areas through a pivotal period of growth, policy modernization, and long-range visioning.

Reporting to the Planning & Development Officer, the Assistant Director of Planning will lead Planning initiatives and staff, providing strategic leadership for long-range planning, ordinance modernization, and consultant-led plan development, while mentoring a growing professional planning team. This newly elevated role is designed to shift Midland’s planning function from historically reactive development review to a proactive, policy-driven, and vision-oriented planning culture.

Midland is experiencing sustained population growth, development pressure, and economic expansion tied to its position as the hub of the Permian Basin. The Assistant Director of Planning will play a central role in shaping how that growth translates into complete neighborhoods, high-quality development, connected parks and infrastructure, and a built environment that supports long-term quality of life.

The City of Midland is at an inflection point. Long recognized as an economic engine for West Texas and the energy industry, Midland is now focused on ensuring that its physical growth keeps pace with its economic success. For many years, the City’s Planning Division has concentrated primarily on current planning functions, including zoning, platting, and application processing. The next phase requires a deliberate pivot toward long-range planning, ordinance modernization, and big-picture urban policy. The Assistant Director of Planning will lead that shift.

This role will assume responsibility for major planning initiatives, including a citywide Comprehensive Plan update, the Northeast Master Plan, and targeted rewrites of key development ordinances related to parkland dedication, subdivision standards, and neighborhood quality. Working closely with City Council, the Planning & Zoning Commission, internal departments, consultants, and the public, the Assistant Director will help establish a clear, implementable vision for Midland’s future growth.
In the next two to three years, the Assistant Director of Planning will be instrumental in:
Standing up and directing the City’s Comprehensive Plan update.
Leading a consultant-driven master planning and corridor studies.
Modernizing outdated ordinances to better align development outcomes with community goals.
Institutionalizing a long-range planning function within the organization.
Elevating professional standards, tools, and training across a young and growing planning team.
This is a rare opportunity for a senior planner to step into a city-shaping role with direct access to executive leadership and elected officials, and with the mandate to move Midland toward more intentional, high-quality urban development.

Located in the heart of the Permian Basin, Midland is one of the most economically dynamic cities in Texas. The City continues to experience strong population growth, significant private investment, and expanding regional influence. With that growth comes increasing complexity in land use, infrastructure coordination, housing policy, and neighborhood design.

The Planning Division is housed within the Development Services Department and currently includes eight professional staff. The Planning Manager continues to oversee day-to-day current planning activities, including zoning, platting, and development review. The Assistant Director of Planning provides division-wide leadership without absorbing daily casework, focusing instead on strategy, long-range planning, policy development, and staff mentorship.

The City’s broader vision is to become the premier and safest city in West Texas, delivering world-class municipal services through operational excellence and innovation. Planning is central to that vision, guiding growth in ways that support economic opportunity, neighborhood quality, and long-term livability.

The Assistant Director of Planning serves as the City’s senior leader for long-range planning and planning policy. This role translates executive direction and community priorities into actionable plans, ordinances, and implementation strategies that guide Midland’s growth.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Geography, Architecture, Public Administration, or a related field (required).
• Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible professional planning experience, including leadership of major projects or teams.
• Demonstrated experience with comprehensive planning, master planning, land use policy, or ordinance drafting.
• Strong project and consultant management experience.
• Experience presenting to boards, commissions, and elected officials.
• Strong working knowledge of GIS and comfort using spatial data in planning decisions.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Urban Planning or a related discipline (preferred).
• AICP certification strongly preferred (or ability to obtain within a defined timeframe).
• Experience introducing or overseeing innovative planning tools, including data analytics or AI-assisted applications, is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Strategic and Long-Range Planning: Lead the development and implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, master plans, corridor studies, and special planning initiatives that shape Midland’s long-term growth and urban form.
• Ordinance and Policy Development: Direct targeted updates to zoning, subdivision, parkland dedication, and related development regulations to improve neighborhood quality and align regulations with adopted plans.
• Consultant and Project Management: Manage planning consultants across multiple concurrent initiatives, including scope development, budgeting, schedules, deliverables, and quality control.
• Leadership and Team Development: Mentor and guide planning staff, set professional standards, encourage APA/AICP development, and build internal capacity for long-range and policy-focused planning.
• Executive and Elected Official Engagement: Present complex planning concepts clearly and confidently to City Council, the Planning & Zoning Commission, executive leadership, and the public.
• Interdepartmental and External Coordination: Work closely with Engineering, Parks, Transportation, Economic Development, GIS, and regional partners to ensure alignment across City initiatives.
• Innovation and Tools: Advance the use of GIS, data analytics, and emerging AI-assisted planning tools to support data-driven decision-making and operational efficiency.

Benefits

• The City of Midland offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and participation in the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS).
• This role offers long-term career growth potential within a dynamic and expanding municipal organization.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees