Planning Assistant

Job Description

Job Description

Starting your career and looking to return home to help communities in New Mexico and the Four Corners.  Or looking for a change and wanting to join a professional planning firm and the best team in Northwest New Mexico.  Here's your opportunity!

• Administrative Support: Assists planning and executive staff with calendaring, communications, document management and other office support functions. 
• Technical Support: Assists planning and executive staff with technical functions related to the planning and program work of the COG organization, including but not limited to: 
• Research: Conducting research on a variety of topics as required by the organization’s programs, projects and services; compiles, interprets and applies statistics; and prepares research reports. 
• Document and Data management: Assisting in managing the COG’s website, social media, document databases (including file storage) and GIS and graphical media. 
• Technical writing: Assisting executive and planning staff in the preparation of technical reports, grant proposals, graphics, mapping products and correspondence for internal and external use; uses standard and specialized software on the computer as primary tools of communication and documentation. 
• Meeting facilitation: Assisting COG planning and executive staff in preparing for, facilitating and documenting a variety of meetings and workshops. 
• Project management: Providing technical and logistical support to specific projects or events as assigned; may take on primary responsibility in some assigned project areas. 
• Inter-agency communications: Assists with inter-agency communications and liaison tasks on behalf of COG planning and executive staff and in support of various client services, projects and events; prepares and assists in delivering written and verbal reports as needed and assigned to governmental and other groups. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• College education: Bachelor’s degree preferred, or actively pursuing such a degree, preferably including areas of study related to planning and community development. Equivalent knowledge, experience or expertise as applicable to this position may be substituted for academic credentials. 
• Related experience: At least one year of experience in professional and/or internship work related to community planning & development, public administration, grantsmanship, project management or related fields. Compatible academic coursework and technical skills may be substituted for past experience; multicultural experience will be positively considered. 
• Strong interpersonal skills: Good teamwork and cooperative skills; positive, flexible and constructive attitude; mature approach to conflict resolution. 
• High energy: Ability to sustain high levels of performance, enthusiasm, flexibility and productivity, to handle productive stress, and to meet deadlines. 
• Professional commitment: Commitment to meet high professional standards; ongoing professional interest in the work of regional and community development. 
• Strong writing skills: Ability to independently compose and self-edit correspondence, reports, summaries, and proposals; ability to develop appropriate written products based on general information, direction and intent; ability to represent workshop and meeting results in narrative, tabular and other report formats. 
• Good analytical skills: Ability to read, comprehend and evaluate a wide range of professional material; ability to research, interpret and report information across a range of topics and applications. 
• Mature self-direction: Ability to respond effectively to both specific and general direction and supervision; ability to show initiative in solving problems and seeking answers from a variety of sources. 
• Sense of organization: Ability to organize various/numerous projects, schedules, activities, materials and information in an efficient and productive manner; good multi-tasking skills. 
• Fluent computer/word processing skills: Ability to efficiently utilize current computer software to compose, edit, format and print presentation-quality documents; ability to utilize, or to learn and master, telecommunications, database, spreadsheet and statistical programs; strong working familiarity with Windows-based applications; web page development, social media, and GIS/mapping skills preferred. 
• Driver’s license: Possession of or ability to obtain a valid New Mexico driver’s license. 

GENERAL CONDITIONS, EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Residency: Must reside within commuting distance of Council of Governments headquarters in Gallup, New Mexico. 
• Comportment: Appropriate professional business attire is required; professionalism is expected in communications with fellow employees, with governmental clients and associates, and with the public. 
• Initiative: Initiative, flexibility and focused productivity are expected in the accomplishment of assignments under general and specific professional supervision. 
• Travel: Frequent vehicular travel within the region and occasional travel outside the region by commercial carriers will be required. 
• Physical requirements: Ability to efficiently operate a passenger vehicle, to independently conduct local, regional, in-state and out-of-state travel, including field visits to office and land sites throughout the region, and to operate standard office equipment is required.
• Limitations: The employee is responsible for informing the employer of any physical, mental or other factors that may substantially affect or limit ability to meet the demands of the position.