Principal Planner

County of Riverside•Riverside, CA

8h•Onsite

About The Position

The County of Riverside’s Transportation and Land Management Agency Planning Department is seeking a Principal Planner to lead its Advanced Planning Team. Under general direction, the Principal Planner assists in planning, organizing, and managing professional and support staff in a specialized planning section or district office. The role manages and coordinates a major section within a planning division, a combination of smaller sections, a district office, or an outreach program, directing activities through subordinate personnel. The position reports to the Planning Director or another management-level position and is distinguished from the Planning Director, who manages the Planning Department. The Principal Planner supports the County’s long-range planning initiatives and oversees community plans, ordinance and policy updates, and Housing Element and General Plan updates. The position also performs complex planning assignments and related duties. The Planning Department is responsible for the County General Plan, which guides growth and development in unincorporated areas, and formulates County growth-management plans and zoning. The position requires a bachelor’s degree in a qualifying field or an education-equivalent combination of experience, four years of professional environmental, land use, or transportation planning experience involving at least two specified planning activities, and one year in a lead or supervisory capacity. A qualifying master’s degree may substitute for the supervisory experience. A valid California driver’s license is required, and the position involves travel to locations throughout the County for off-site and community meetings. In-person attendance is the standard work expectation; some assignments may be eligible for hybrid telework subject to management approval and operational needs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in planning, transportation planning, public administration, geography with a related course concentration, architecture, environmental sciences, landscape architecture, or a closely related field. Additional qualifying experience may substitute for education at one year of full-time experience for 30 semester or 45 quarter units.
Four years of professional environmental planning, land use planning, and/or transportation planning experience, including at least two kinds of planning activities associated with a planning agency: comprehensive, regional, area, or community planning; plan/proposal review; general plan amendments; zoning; land division; information services; urban renewal; planning administration; or transportation planning.
One year of experience in a lead or supervisory capacity. A master’s degree in planning, transportation planning, or a closely related field may substitute for this year of supervisory experience.
Valid California Driver’s License.
Knowledge of organizational and decision-making principles, management and supervision; land use or transportation planning principles, methods, and procedures; and physical, social, environmental, and economic implications of planning.
Knowledge of local, state, and federal legislation governing land use development and transportation planning; research methods; General Plan elements and consistency considerations; and the structure and jurisdiction of governmental agencies involved in planning.
Ability to manage and coordinate subordinate planners, provide training, motivate and evaluate staff, analyze data and alternatives, reach logical conclusions, and formulate consistent recommendations.
Ability to prepare clear and thorough reports and recommendations; present findings orally to public groups and governmental bodies; work effectively with the public and community and governmental boards and commissions; and interpret and apply planning laws and regulations.
The position involves travel to various locations throughout the County for off-site and community meetings.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application; the County does not provide employment-based visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree or above in planning.
Experience in long-range planning.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage the Advanced Planning Team.
Support development and implementation of the County’s long-range planning initiatives.
Oversee preparation and maintenance of community plans.
Assist with ordinance and policy updates and support Housing Element and General Plan updates.
Perform complex planning assignments and related duties as needed.
Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate activities of a major planning section, multiple smaller sections, a district office, or an outreach program, directly or through subordinate lead personnel.
Participate in developing and reviewing division policies and goals, particularly those affecting the assigned section.
Review and evaluate programs for effectiveness and efficiency, and initiate operational improvements as needed.
Review ordinance amendment and policy studies and staff reports for thorough analysis, consistency with County requirements, and legal compliance.
Represent the department before committees, civic and community groups, County departments, governmental agencies, environmental regulatory and permitting agencies, stakeholders, and the public.
Confer with property owners, developers, and their representatives about the applicability and impact of County policies, ordinances, and regulations related to property development.
Provide technical and administrative direction to staff; interview and recommend prospective employees.
Coordinate and assign personnel, conduct staff development and in-service training, and evaluate subordinate personnel performance.
Coordinate with other departments and regional and state agencies on information and work plans, and coordinate projects to ensure consistency.
Compile workload, staffing, and priority data for the department’s program budget.
Prepare or delegate reports and recommendations for County hearing bodies, including the Director’s Hearing, Planning Commission, and Board of Supervisors.
Present section activities to the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, and other local, regional, and state agencies; address public relations problems, investigate complaints or requests, and recommend resolutions.
Coordinate drafting of new ordinances and review existing ordinances pertaining to the Planning Department.
Analyze proposed or adopted legislation to determine potential or actual impacts on the County and implementation.