Planner III (11655, Grade 28)

Planner III

This is a re-advertisement. Previous applicants need not re-apply.

Would you like to have an impact on the built environment while advocating for excellent design within planned communities? If so, the Prince George's County Planning Department of The Maryland National-Capital Park and Planning Commission is seeking a Planner III to join our planning team. The Department provides land use planning for the physical development of Prince George's County, Maryland.

As the second most populous county in Maryland, Prince George's has a population of approximately 900,000 residents with 15 Metro Rail Stations and is home to The University of Maryland at College Park, WMATA Headquarters, UMD Capital Region Medical Center, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and Joint Base Andrews. Prince George's County is also home to attractions such as Northwest Stadium (formerly FedEx Field) and National Harbor. If you are interested in working for the Prince George's County Planning Department, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our Planner III position.

Examples of Important Duties

The individual in this position should be a planner with urban design, land use, and/or zoning experience capable of reviewing and analyzing development proposals, managing ongoing processes related to the assigned cases including variances, and serving as a mid-level specialist in Zoning and Urban Design analysis. Primary duty will be the review of applications for conformance to the County Code including Zoning and Subdivision regulations. This includes coordinating a Departmental recommendation on each application and various inquiries. The workload will include all types of applications, such as rezoning cases, site plans, special exceptions, departures, certified nonconforming uses, subdivisions, as well as providing zoning expertise to planning teams. The candidate must have very good plan review skills including engineered site plans. In addition, the candidate should have an understanding of basic land use law. Other duties may include participation in master plans or sector plans, working as part of an interdisciplinary project team. Requires negotiating solutions and making effective presentations on complex and controversial topics before public groups and in public hearings. Must possess strong oral, written, and visual communication skills; critical thinking skills; innovative problem-solving skills; and the ability to work well with people. Ability to express planning and design principles verbally, graphically and in writing is essential. Combined public/private experience is preferred but not required.

• Coordinates development review functions of varying degrees of complexity.
• Provides timely and accurate reviews of zoning map amendments, site plans, special exceptions, departures, site plans, and other applications of varying complexity.
• Ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, such as the Zoning Ordinance and Landscape Manual, adopted policies, standard methodologies, guidelines and regulations, while promoting and achieving the best design.
• Leads, advocates and negotiates for better design in all projects.
• Develops goals, schedules, and deadlines for work effort and assures that objectives are met for completion.
• Writes and develops planning reports, correspondence, plans, and other materials.
• Ensures the development and design of presentations, charts, graphs, maps, data, and other exhibits as appropriate.
• Presents and defends staff recommendations to the Planning Board in a public hearing setting.
• Makes presentations to a variety of individuals and groups (e.g., Planning Board, community, business developers) for the purpose of communicating planning issues, procedures, and recommendations.
• Attends pre-application meetings to provide general guidance and feedback on development proposals.
• Effectively coordinates applicant, citizen, agency and staff meetings to resolve issues in a manner that produces appropriate, successful solutions.
• Offers suggestions, including design alternatives, that can address identified planning issues and works toward achieving creative and equitable solutions.
• Responds to general inquiries from citizens, elected officials, developers, engineers, architects, and attorneys concerning development, actions of the Planning Board, planning regulations and development processes.
• Conducts site visits and documents important site conditions as needed.
• Serves as project lead; coordinates and reviews multi-faceted projects that typically involve coordination with other department staff, county agencies, and citizens.
• Serves on committees, task forces, and special teams for the purpose of contributing technical expertise, problem solving approaches and resource support to achieve goals and objective of work effort.
• Brings innovative ideas and solutions to work assignments by keeping current with the latest developments in other jurisdictions and the body of current design and planning knowledge.
• Assists and mentors other staff on design principles related to architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design.

What you should bring:

The ideal candidate will be highly organized, have strong analytical skills, possess outstanding communication and leadership skills, and provide a directly related innovative approach to planning. In addition, they must be independently engaged in the work program and highly dependable.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor's Degree in Planning, Geography, Architecture, Parks and Recreation, Transportation, Urban Design, Engineering, Environmental Science, Public Policy, Economics or any related field.
2. Four (4) years of progressively responsible professional level planning experience related to specific area of assignment such as transportation planning, environmental planning or urban planning.
3. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted, which together total eight (8) years.
4. Valid driver's license (depending on area of assignment) in accordance with both State and Commission rules and regulations. Driver's license must be unencumbered by restrictions, revocations, suspensions, or points that could limit the employee's ability to drive Commission vehicles or perform driving duties required by the position of assignment.

Supplemental Information

Classification Specification Planner III

Why Prince George's Planning?

• Telework opportunities
• Flexible schedules
• Onsite fitness center
• Complimentary access to M-NCPPC gymnasiums throughout Prince George's County
• Free parking is available for employees
• Professional development opportunities/Tuition assistance
• Positions may qualify for federal student loan forgiveness assistance

The M-NCPPC offers a competitive salary range of $75,336 to $135,882 (salary is commensurate with education and experience) with excellent benefits including generous leave, extensive health coverage, deferred compensation plan, and employee pension plan.

The Prince George's County Planning Department is conveniently located in Largo, Maryland near Metro and I-495.

May be subject to medical, drug and alcohol testing.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate a workplace culture of diversity, equity and inclusion without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, gender identity, or any other non-merit factor.

Applicants with Disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If you require accommodations or special arrangements due to a qualifying disability, please notify the Recruitment & Selections Services Unit at the time of application at View phone number on click.appcast.io (Maryland Relay 7-1-1).

M-NCPPC will make all efforts to reasonably accommodate you.