Senior Planner (Coastal Land Use Planner) - Municipal Planning Assistance Program

Maine Office of Community Affairs•Augusta, ME

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Join the State of Maine’s land-use planning team and help build thriving communities that are sustainable, resilient to environmental challenges, and prepared for the future! The Municipal Planning Assistance Program (MPAP) at the Maine Office of Community Affairs has a part-time Coastal Land Use Planner (Senior Planner) opportunity. MPAP partners with Maine municipalities, regional planning councils, state agencies, and the Legislature to build the planning capacity that Maine communities need to grow responsibly, adapt to change, and protect the assets that define Maine. The program and this part-time position are in Augusta, and remote work options are available subject to management approval. This position will become a full-time position by December 2026. This professional services position works with Maine’s coastal communities to increase their resilience to the impacts of growth and development, storm damage, changing demographics, and economic challenges. As the Coastal Land Use Planner, you will support efforts to protect shorelines, support coastal economies, and strengthen long-term resilience. In this role, you will manage municipal and regional grants that advance implementation of Maine's Growth Management Law and Climate Action Plan, translating statewide priorities into practical, on-the-ground outcomes. You will also contribute to the development of coastal land use policies and guidance that inform decision-making at the state and legislative levels. The plans you support, the guidance you develop, and the partnerships you build will have lasting impacts on Maine’s coastal communities and landscapes. The successful candidate will have experience in and know the principles, practices, methodologies, and objectives of land use planning and resilience issues facing coastal municipalities; local government management, capabilities, and constraints; funding opportunities to address municipal planning concerns; and the ability to evaluate land use planning problems and recommend solutions. Finally, the successful candidate will be able to extract and apply information from technical documents, effectively communicate orally and in writing, establish and maintain effective working relationships, work collaboratively in a team environment, and produce high-quality work products. Work is performed under limited supervision. Remote work options are available for this position with the approval of management.

Requirements

A Bachelors’ Degree in Urban or regional planning, geography, environmental science, landscape architecture, public administration, or a related field and four (4) years of related work experience.
Equivalent related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.
Familiarity with general principles of land use planning and coastal resilience planning.
Experience in coastal zone management, comprehensive planning, writing and interpreting land use ordinances, community development, and housing issues.
Experience in GIS, database management, and other computer software applications.
Excellent organizational, writing, communication, teaming, problem-solving, consensus-building, and process skills are essential.
Ability to extract and apply information from technical documents.
Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
Ability to produce high-quality work products.

Responsibilities

Manage municipal and regional grants that advance implementation of Maine's Growth Management Law and Climate Action Plan.
Translate statewide priorities into practical, on-the-ground outcomes.
Contribute to the development of coastal land use policies and guidance that inform decision-making at the state and legislative levels.
Support efforts to protect shorelines, support coastal economies, and strengthen long-term resilience.
Work with Maine’s coastal communities to increase their resilience to the impacts of growth and development, storm damage, changing demographics, and economic challenges.

Benefits

13 paid holidays
12 days of sick leave
3+ weeks of vacation leave annually
Health Insurance Coverage (State pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums)
Health Insurance Premium Credit (Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%)
Dental Insurance (State pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums)
Retirement Plan (State contributes 14.11% of pay to MainePERS)
Gym Membership Reimbursement (up to $40 per month)
Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness eligibility
Living Resources Program (employee assistance program)
Forty-two (42) consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave
Voluntary Deferred Compensation (MaineSaves 457(b) account)