Planner - Planning and Policy

City of Richmond•Richmond, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This is a journey-level planning position requiring a balanced level of independence, judgment, and discretion. The role is responsible for overseeing and completing complex tasks and small-to-medium sized projects that shape land use and development in the City of Richmond. It requires a high level of responsibility, training, experience, and competence, with work usually performed under minimal supervision. The position contributes to the dynamic team of Planning and Policy that work to create and implement long-range plans, develop neighborhood, district, corridor, and other small-area plans, and propose and adopt amendments to the zoning ordinance and associated codes. The role also assists with the redevelopment of city-owned land via public-private partnerships, participates in capital budget review to ensure alignment with master plan priorities, prepares plans of work, and assigns tasks and projects. Additionally, the Planner prepares and administers scopes of work, budgets, contracts, and programmatic agreements, prepares reports and presents findings to boards, commissions, and Council, and organizes and facilitates meetings and public engagement activities, including night and weekend meetings. The role also involves compiling and analyzing data to create charts, graphs, maps, and other visualizations, and creating publications, presentations, and content for the website. Finally, the Planner prepares, evaluates, and awards requests for proposals.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in urban planning, civil or environmental engineering, landscape architecture, or a related field
Three years of experience or an equivalent amount of graduate level training.
General knowledge of principles, methods, and practices of land use planning and zoning, and how they affect each other.
General knowledge of Euclidian, form-based, and hybrid approaches to zoning.
Basic knowledge of state and local land use laws and zoning codes.
General knowledge of pedestrian, bicycle, and transit transportation planning.
General knowledge of principles, methods, and practices of economic development, affordable housing, historic preservation, urban design, environmental planning, and brownfields redevelopment.
Creating and implementing of comprehensive, long-range plans as well as neighborhood, district, corridor, and other small-area plans.
Proposing and adopting changes to zoning ordinances and associated codes.
Participating in planning efforts led by other departments.
Reviewing the capital budget.
Preparing plans of work and assigning tasks and projects
Preparing and administering scopes of work and contracts.
Preparing reports and presenting findings to boards, commissions, and Council.
Organizing and facilitating meetings and public engagement activities.
Compiling and analyzing data to create charts, graphs, maps, and other visualizations with ArcGIS, SketchUp, and Excel.
Creating publications, presentations, and content for website with Adobe Acrobat, InDesign, Illustrator, or Photoshop, or Microsoft PowerPoint or Publisher.
Preparing, evaluating, and awarding requests for proposals.
Thrive in a fast-paced, high-stakes, large and diverse political environment and adapt and improvise as conditions change.
Think critically, using logic and reason to identify solutions.
Communicate clearly and concisely, both in writing and speech.
Facilitate discussion and debate and exhibit excellent interpersonal communication in order to resolve conflicts.
Maintain composure in stressful situations.
Provide superior customer service and manage unhappy clients.

Nice To Haves

A Master's degree in urban planning, urban design, or landscape architecture
Direct experience in the preparation of Small Area Plans and writing zoning ordinances
Demonstrated experience working in current planning, zoning, and with boards and commissions
Experience working in an urban environment, and engaging with diverse populations
Excellent public presentation, leadership, time management and organizational skills
Significant experience with code development, new urbanism and both downtown and neighborhood revitalization techniques
Demonstrated experience in Arc-GIS, SketchUp, InDesign, Illustrator, and graphics packages
Certified planner with AICP credentials.

Responsibilities

Contribute to the dynamic team of Planning and Policy that work to create implement long-range plans.
Develop neighborhood, district, corridor, and other small-area plans.
Propose and adopt amendments to the zoning ordinance and associated codes that help implement these plans.
Assist with the redevelopment of city-owned land via public-private partnerships.
Participate in capital budget review to ensure alignment with master plan priorities.
Prepare plans of work and assign tasks and projects.
Prepare and administer scopes of work, budgets, contracts, and programmatic agreements.
Prepare reports and present findings to boards, commissions, and Council.
Organize and facilitate meetings and public engagement activities, including night and weekend meetings
Compile and analyze data to create charts, graphs, maps, and other visualizations.
Create publications, presentations, and content for website.
Prepare, evaluate, and award requests for proposals.