Planner Senior - Austin Planning

City of Austin

2d•$33 - $41•Hybrid

About The Position

The mission of the Planning Department is to provide equitable and people-centered planning services to shape an Austin where everyone can thrive. This role involves carrying out very complex urban planning duties for the City of Austin under very limited direction while working independently. The position requires coordinating division/section activities, researching information, reviewing analyzed data, assisting in developing operating procedures and budgets, and evaluating plans for various projects. It also involves investigating citizen complaints, representing the City before public groups, reviewing complex plats and site plans for compliance, answering citizen questions, interpreting and enforcing City policies and codes, attending City Council and board meetings, coordinating activities of boards and committees, writing informational reports and legal documents, and developing/utilizing transportation planning models and reviewing traffic impact analyses. The role may also involve performing as Lead Case Manager and coordinating the activities of other planners.

Requirements

Knowledge of the principles of community and urban planning.
Knowledge of Federal and State laws relating to planning and urban development.
Knowledge of City practices, policies, and procedures.
Skill in oral and written communication.
Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
Skill in data analysis and problem solving.
Skill in planning and organizing.
Skill in using computers and related software.
Ability to make formal presentations of program and/or project recommendations.
Ability to work under the pressures of rigid and/or short work cycle.
Ability to maintain confidentially.
Ability to develop and implement long-range plans.
Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with other City employees and the public.
Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Planning, Geography, Social Science, Landscape Architecture, or a planning related field, plus five (5) years of planning related work.
Twelve (12) semester hours of relevant graduate college course work may substitute for six (6) months of required experience with a maximum substitution of two (2) years.
Experience in planning-related work may substitute for education up to the maximum of four (4) years.

Nice To Haves

Experience in managing a project or elements of a project from beginning to end, identifying the scope of a project, objectives, deliverables, stakeholders, associated risks and timeline.
Experience collaborating, communicating and facilitating dialogue with stakeholders of varying backgrounds and areas of interest, including boards and commissions, community organizations, and people whose voices have been historically excluded from planning processes.
Experience or knowledge of planning at different scales ranging from comprehensive planning to area planning (corridor, district, neighborhood plans, station area plans, etc.) and applying principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in planning work.
Experience and proficiency with data analysis, interpretation, and visualization through various tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Microsoft Office Suite (PPT, SharePoint, Word, Excel), Power BI, SketchUp, Adobe Acrobat Pro (InDesign, Illustrator), or other.
Experience in technical writing for planning, including the preparation and review of area or comprehensive plans and policy documentation with a focus on land use and/or community development.

Responsibilities

Coordinates division/section activities with other division/sections.
Research information as requested and or needed.
Reviews analyzed data to discover patterns and/or discrepancies.
Assists in developing operating procedures.
Assists in developing division/section budget.
Assists in developing and evaluating plans, criteria, etc. for a variety of projects, programs, and activities.
Investigates consumer/citizen complaint to determine validity.
Speaks as City representative before public groups.
Reviews complex plats and site plans for compliance with policy codes, ordinances, standards, etc.
Answers more complex citizen questions and provide assistance.
Interprets/explains/enforces City policies & procedures, building/land development codes, specifications, ordinances, etc.
Attends City Council, board, and etc. meetings to provide technical advice and assistance.
Coordinates activities of various boards, committees, etc.
Writes informational reports.
Writes/draft legal documents, i.e., contracts, regulations, ordinance amendments, resolutions, etc.
Develops, utilizes, and modifies complex transportation planning models.
Reviews complex traffic impact analyses.
Perform as Lead Case Manager.
May coordinate the activities of other planners.
Work as part of a team; conduct background research and analysis on District planning approaches and considerations.
Develop draft planning reports, updates, and presentations.
Conduct plan area assessments and resulting plan updates.
Conduct basic GIS and data analysis to develop visual aids for plan deliverables and other work products.
Collaborate with plan partners to ensure District Plans and associated plans are in alignment with best practices.
Develop plan and meeting content (text, illustrations, tables, photographs, charts, graphs, etc.).
Review projects for plan compliance.
Develop and implement community engagement and outreach strategies and techniques (visual/written, virtual, and in-person).
Present to boards and commissions.
Identify, plan, and develop responses for risks.
Other planning activities as needed to support the development of equitable planning activities in the department.