Associate City Planner

City and County of Denver • Denver, CO

3d • $68,773 - $113,476 • Hybrid

About The Position

The City and County of Denver’s Community Planning and Development Department (CPD) is seeking a highly motivated and creative individual to fill a full-time Associate City Planner position. In this position, you will participate on interdisciplinary teams for a variety of exciting and complex regulatory and planning projects that advance Denver’s vision of great, inclusive places. Our work is typically performed with the direction and mentorship of team leaders and project managers such as senior and principal city planners in a collaborative, team-based environment. This Associate City Planner position will report to the rezoning supervisor, and will primarily focus on regulatory planning projects, such as rezonings (also known as map amendments) and text amendments to the zoning code to implement our adopted plans. This position may also assist with long-range planning projects under Denver’s ambitious Neighborhood Planning Initiative program. While this position is focused on regulatory planning work, Associate City Planners typically also spend a portion of their time working on other CPD Planning & Policy teams and projects, and so we encourage all qualified candidates interested in working in the Planning & Policy division to apply.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in City or Regional Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation, Engineering, or a related field.
• Three (3) years of entry-level professional planning experience which includes participating and assisting in developing planning projects, goals, and guidelines and conducting planning studies and research in a variety of social, economic, and physical areas.
• One (1) year of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education.
• Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Commitment to integrating equity in planning
• Experience working with long range plans, zoning codes and other land use regulatory tools
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Outstanding interpersonal and customer service skills
• Previous experience with community outreach/engagement
• Familiarity with software used in Denver’s planning and regulatory implementation efforts, including Adobe Creative Suite (especially InDesign); GIS applications and Sketchup or other similar design visualization/evaluation software
• Proficiency in speaking, reading and writing in Spanish is preferred but not required
• Government experience preferred but not required

Responsibilities

• Review and interpret applications, such as rezonings and sign plans, for compliance with applicable codes, policies, and standards.
• Lead rezoning applications, including customer support, management of internal and public review, drafting staff reports, presenting to Planning Board and City Council, and ensuring outcomes further the City’s adopted plans.
• Engage with internal and external partners, including facilitating meetings, making effective presentations, and bringing together stakeholders to anticipate and resolve issues.
• Contribute to efforts to improve city processes to make them more efficient, equitable and transparent.
• Collect and analyze socioeconomic, land use, transportation and demographic data for planning and regulatory projects.
• Support public meetings and other stakeholder engagement events, including planning, preparation, and participation, and facilitation.

Benefits

• Five (5) Medical Plans, Dental, Vision Insurance (effective within 1 month of start date)
• Pension Plan for Life (Employee contributes 8.45%, Employer matches at 17.95%)
• 457 (b) Retirement Plan (no early withdrawal fee!)
• PTO (over 3 weeks in your first year) and 14 paid holidays
• Merit Increases
• STD, LTD, HSA, FSA, Life Insurance
• CARE Bank, Family Leave Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program, Employee Volunteer Program
• Tuition Reimbursement (up to $2000/year)
• We Qualify for Student Loan Forgiveness Program
• Learning and Development Opportunities; Courses and Career Development Resources
• EcoPass (unlimited free RTD bus/train rides)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level