Land Use Planner

Prairie Island Indian Community•Welch Township, MN

About The Position

The Land Use Planner provides professional expertise in planning, coordination, and long-range development of Prairie Island Indian Community’s tribal trust and fee lands. The position evaluates development proposals, coordinates multidisciplinary development projects, manages planning processes, and provides technical recommendations to the Community. The role supports land use planning consistent with Community ordinances, net-zero goals, strategic plans, cultural values, and food sovereignty objectives. Work is primarily indoors, with occasional outdoor site visits and ground-truthing of planning data.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning, land use planning, civil engineering, environmental planning, or a related field.
3–5 years of professional experience managing complex development or infrastructure projects involving multiple stakeholders and technical disciplines.
3–5 years of professional experience managing professional consultants, contracts, project budgets, and scopes of work.
Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply planning regulations, policies, ordinances, and technical standards.
Strong written, verbal, analytical, organizational, and public communication skills.
Proficiency with GIS and common planning, mapping, document management, and office software.
Sensitivity to Native American culture.
Valid driver’s license, proof of insurability, and ability to travel to project sites, meetings, and other locations as required.
Ability to pass a drug screen (UA) and federal criminal background check in compliance with the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act and the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in urban and regional planning, land use planning, civil engineering, environmental planning, or a related field.
Previous experience working for a tribal government, tribal enterprise, or on tribal trust lands.
Knowledge of tribal sovereignty, federal Indian law, trust land administration, and the regulatory framework affecting tribal development.
Experience coordinating federal, state, county, or municipal funding and permitting programs.

Responsibilities

Maintain current land use inventories, development data, infrastructure information, and planning maps.
Support development and implementation of land use plans across trust and fee lands in accordance with Community ordinances, net-zero goals, and the strategic plan.
Manage contracted engineering, surveying, environmental review, and other technical services for land planning and infrastructure projects.
Coordinate with tribal, federal, state, county, and municipal entities on transportation planning across multiple jurisdictions.
Coordinate with the Public Works Department on planning for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, energy, and other utility infrastructure.
Coordinate with the Housing Department on land availability, population growth, infrastructure needs, and community facilities.
Evaluate competing land use demands and recommend strategies to protect and enhance productive agricultural lands for food sovereignty objectives.
Ensure planning processes recognize and incorporate cultural values, traditions, historic properties, archeological resources, and sacred places.
Track consultant budgets, invoices, schedules, milestones, and deliverables.
Prepare planning studies, development scenarios, maps, reports, and staff recommendations for tribal leadership.
Recommend additional professional services when specialized expertise is required.