Senior Planner

Job Title

Position Description

Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve. Hiring Range: $72,731.00-$87,277.20 Work Day/Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm

A flexible work environment, top-notch management, highly qualified, competent staff and opportunities for career advancement and professional success make the Planning & Development Department a great place to work. We help plan and direct Durham's growth to support a high quality of life, a robust economy, and a sustainable, equitable, and accessible Durham for generations to come. We work collaboratively with other agencies and the community in a fast-paced, innovative environment looking for solutions to today's land-use, community planning, and infrastructure challenges. If you're talented, creative and focused on serving the community, join our team! This position is devoted to professional urban planning services for Durham and/or regional organizations. This position is focused on the implementation of Durham's Comprehensive Plan through the creation of small area plans and/or other long range planning projects; this position shall be expected to perform advanced professional analyses and provide recommendations; prepare and present graphic and narrative reports; ensure effective and efficient project management; coordinate with regional planning organizations and federal/state agencies; give presentations to a diverse range of audiences; and other duties as assigned.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Manages large land-use and master planning processes as assigned; and ensures adherence to project schedules and budgets.
• Conducts advanced professional analyses; develops and makes recommendations on planning and development issues, including regulatory and policy-related recommendations; conducts research studies; coordinates development review operations; may oversee property inspections and identification of ordinance violations.
• Prepares, maintains, reviews, and/or approves graphic, narrative, and other reports, development proposals, plans/plats, permits, maps, articles, applications, and other documents; approves and issues certifications and notices; prepares and conducts complex presentations to diverse audiences; maintains records, websites, and databases; researches, reviews and analyzes data; develops and makes recommendations; and ensures compliance with applicable ordinances, codes, policies, and procedures.
• Coordinates with customers, regional planning organizations, federal or state agencies, and other City/County departments; attends community forums and hearings; participates in or leads meetings; plans and implements public engagement and outreach events; provides technical assistance; addresses escalated issues and responds to inquiries; and serves as a representative of the City/County and the planning function.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in planning, engineering, or a directly related field OR equivalent experience.
• Five years of professional urban planning experience.

Additional Preferred Skills

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification.
• Master's degree in planning, engineering, or a directly related field is preferred.
• Proficiency in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software and/or other data visualization techniques.

Benefits

Benefits – General Full-Time Employees

• 12-13 paid holidays per year
• 13 standard work days of vacation per year
• 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement
• 2 weeks paid military leave per year
• Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans
• State and City retirement plans
• Short and long term disability plans
• Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions
• City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System
• Paid funeral leave
• Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling
• Paid life insurance equal to annual salary
• 48 hours for volunteer work each year*
• 4 hours parental leave each year
• Workman's Compensation Insurance
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plans

Benefits - Part-Time (1,000 hours or more per year)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan

Benefits Part-Time (Average 30 hours per week over 12 month period)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Dental and life insurance, after one year of service
• Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service