Environmental Land Use Planner I, II, III or Senior

UnisourceEnergyServicesInc • Flagstaff, AZ

13d • Onsite

About The Position

We are looking for talented individuals who are passionate about making an impact in the company and the community. Join our team to help deliver critical energy infrastructure projects while navigating environmental and land use requirements. We’re looking for an experienced Environmental & Land Use Planner who brings strong permitting and project coordination experience. This position will be located at our office in either Prescott, Flagstaff, or Kingman, Arizona depending on the selected candidate's location.

Requirements

• Experience with environmental permitting and land use/zoning processes (utility or infrastructure projects preferred)
• Knowledge of regulatory frameworks and ability to work with agencies and stakeholders
• Strong project management skills including budgeting, scheduling, and coordination
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and assess project impacts
• Proficiency in GIS and standard business software tools
• Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills
• Knowledge of and experience with researching and securing local, state, and federal land management environmental permits and land use authorizations.
• Knowledge of municipal and county zoning and land use codes, and the permitting and licensing processes required by the various governing agencies throughout Southern Arizona.
• Knowledge of Arizona Corporation Commission and Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee processes.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and assess their related influence on facilities and properties.
• Experience in facilitating business meetings and building consensus.
• Experience in project and budget planning, design, analysis, management, and communication.
• Experience with various software programs, including but not limited to word processing, spreadsheets, database, presentation and geospatial.
• Attention to detail in preparing and proofing materials.
• Establishing priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Requires a Bachelor degree in Environmental Planning or closely related field with one (1) year of related experience performing environmental and land use planning work.
• Requires minimum qualifications of ELUP I with three (3) or more years of professional experience in an Environmental and Land Planning role, or a Master’s degree in Environmental Planning or related field with at least one (1) year of experience.
• Requires minimum qualifications of ELUP II with five (5) or more years of professional experience in an Environmental and Land Planning role, or a Master’s degree in Environmental Planning or related field with at least three (3) years of experience.
• Requires minimum qualifications of ELUP III with ten (10) or more years of professional experience in environmental and land use planning, or a Master’s degree in Environmental Planning or related field with at least five (5) years of environmental and land use planning experience.

Nice To Haves

• Prior supervisory experience preferable.

Responsibilities

• Secure environmental permits and land use approvals for distribution, transmission, and generation projects
• Navigate local, state, and federal regulations to support project development from siting through closeout
• Manage consultants and coordinate cross-functional teams to meet project timelines and requirements
• Partner with regulators, agencies, and internal stakeholders to drive project success
• Develop project scopes, schedules, and budgets; track progress and provide updates
• Prepare and maintain GIS data, maps, and exhibits to support planning and permitting efforts
• Secures environmental permits and land use authorizations required to construct and maintain distribution, transmission, and generation assets for system reinforcement, system integrity, public improvement, and business development projects.
• Manages consultants and directs their efforts to secure environmental permits and land use authorizations that meet internal and external requirements throughout all phases of project work from initial site selection to post construction close out.
• Develops and maintains business relationships with internal departments, jurisdictions, regulators, and other key stakeholders on behalf of the company.
• Provides technical guidance and permitting assistance in response to general land use questions.
• Provides planning and permitting input for right-of-way project research.
• Reviews, develops and manages requests for proposals, project scopes and budgets.
• Works with TEP GIS staff to acquire and maintain Land Resources’ geospatial data layers.
• Provides GIS support within the Land Resources department, including preparation of maps, exhibits, and maintaining related database information.
• Works closely with the project manager on overall project management from inception to completion.
• Develops O&M and Capital budget forecasts, tracks expenditures, and provides variance explanations at the project level.
• Develops schedules and monitors progress to ensure proper coordination throughout all project phases.
• Leads formal and informal meetings concerning assigned projects.
• Works across departments to identify project needs and requirements.
• Provide services to all UNS affiliates subject to the UNS Energy Code of Conduct and the related Policies and Procedures.
• This position may provide services to affiliates of the Company subject to the UNS Energy Code of Conduct and the related Policies and Procedures.

What This Job Offers

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