Principal Planner

Salary: $94,247.00 - $141,370.00 Annually
Location : Development Services, 90 E. Civic Center Drive, AZ
Job Type: Full Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 25-0225B
Department: DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Opening Date: 06/29/2026
Closing Date: 8/2/2026 11:59 PM Arizona


We Are Seeking

T eam Gilbert has an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated professional to fill the position of Principal Planner With every position we fill, our focus is on providing best-in-class service to our citizens while offering the opportunity for professional growth in a rewarding and innovative work environment.

The Principal Planner reports to the Planning Manager. The primary duties of this position include:

• Actively participate in and prepare organizational, departmental, and workgroup goals and objectives.
• Supervise staff, including prioritizing and assigning work, conducting performance evaluations, ensuring staff training, ensuring that policies and procedures are followed, maintaining a safe working environment, and making hiring, termination, and disciplinary recommendations.
• Manage and coordinate project/plan review activities to ensure compliance with applicable codes, ordinances, laws, and standards.
• Provides information, technical assistance, and interpretation regarding complex planning issues, land development, construction document reviews, plan reviews, codes, and regulatory compliance, design guidelines, development standards, permitted uses, project reviews, procedures, and other issues.
• Review of department staff reports and presentations.
• Write staff reports including analysis, recommendations, conditions of approval, ordinances, and resolutions.

The first review of applications will take place on Monday, July 13, 2026. If sufficient applications are received by the first review date, the posting may be closed. Otherwise, a final review will take place after the posting closes.

About You


At Team Gilbert, we hire innovative, forward-thinking problem solvers who love what they do. In addition to possessing the ability to live out our core and functional values daily, candidates must possess the following requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in urban planning, urban design, land use planning, landscape, geography, public administration, architecture, environmental design, or related field.
• Master's Degree desired but not required.
• Minimum of eight years of experience in municipal planning, public or private sector.
• Three years of interdisciplinary complex project management experience
• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) preferred.

This position will work 4/10s, Monday through Thursday. A hybrid/remote work schedule may be considered. This is an At-Will position and is FLSA Exempt - ineligible for overtime compensation.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions for this position include:

This position has been designated as a L ight work position that spends much of its workday in an office environment. Click here to learn more about the different physical exertion levels as defined by the Social Security Administration.

Why Team Gilbert?
To view the slide show presentation above, click

We Are Here to Help!


Gilbert is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. If any reasonable accommodation is needed while participating in the application and interviewing process, please contact our People Team (Human Resources) at View phone number on click.appcast.io. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.

Gilbert provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Gilbert offers a comprehensive benefits package for qualifying positions that includes medical and dental insurance, life insurance, disability, pension, tuition reimbursement, parental leave, babies at work, and more! to see a list of our benefit offerings at-a-glance, or visit our website to see our
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In the questions that follow, you will be asked for information about your work history, to include things such as dates of employment, names of employers and specific details of the work you did. In answer to questions asking you to describe your work experience, if you do not have that type of experience, enter "N/A". The answers provided in this supplemental questionnaire must be substantiated and verifiable in the employment history section of your application. Be aware that submitting a resume in lieu of completing the employment history section of the application and failing to provide all the information requested in these supplemental questions will disqualify you from further consideration, so be thorough in answering the questions. Please indicate whether you accept these terms by checking the appropriate response below.

• Yes
• No

02


Do you have a bachelor's degree or higher in Urban Design, Architecture, Civil Engineering or a related field?

• Yes
• No

03


Do you have a master's degree or higher degree in a similar or related field?

• Yes
• No

04


Do you have at least eight years of work experience in municipal planning?

• Yes
• No

05


If you answered yes to the previous question, please describe this experience in the space below. If not, please enter N/A.
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How many years of experience do you have supervising the work of a professional staff , to include hiring, mentoring and coaching, performance appraisal, and making disciplinary recommendations, up to and including termination.

• No experience in this area
• Less than one year
• 1-3
• 3-5
• 5+

07


If you indicated in the previous question that you do have this type of experience, please describe it in the space below. If not, please enter N/A.
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How many years of experience do you have managing planning and development review activities to ensure compliance with codes, ordinances, laws and standards?

• No experience in this area
• Less than one year
• 1-3
• 3-5
• 5+

09


If you indicated in the previous question that you do have this type of experience, please describe it in the space below. If not, please enter N/A.
10


How many years of work experience do you have providing technical assistance and guidance regarding complex planning and development issues?

• No experience in this area
• Less than one year
• 1-3
• 3-5
• 5+

11


If you indicated in the previous question that you do have this type of experience, please describe it in the space below. If not, please enter N/A.
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How many years of experience do you have conducting meetings and preparing and providing reports and presentations to internal and external customers and officials?

• No experience in this area
• Less than one year
• 1-3
• 3-5
• 5+

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If you indicated in the previous question that you do have this type of experience, please describe it in the space below. If not, please enter N/A.
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With which of the following types of projects do you have planning and development review experience?

• Code Writing
• Redevelopment
• Long Range Planning
• Master Planning
• Architectural Review
• Mixed Used Development
• None of the above

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With which size (population) of community have you gained most of your urban planning experience?

• < 75K
• 75 - 150K
• 150 - 250K
• > 250K

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Do you have a current AICP certification?

• Yes
• No

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The following question is strictly confidential and will not be made part of your application for employment. Preference Status per Arizona Revised Statute 38-492 (select all that apply):

• Veteran
• Disabled Veteran
• Veteran's Spouse/Surviving Spouse
• Disabled Person

Required Question