Land Use Planner

Prairie Island; Minnesota; On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Prairie Island Indian Community seeks a Land Use Planner to lead planning for tribal trust and fee lands. You will evaluate proposals, coordinate multidisciplinary projects, and provide technical recommendations to leadership.

Role requires experience with planning regulations, strong communication, and GIS proficiency. Travel to project sites and meetings will be required; the position supports long-range planning and sustainability goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning, land use planning, civil engineering, environmental planning, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of professional experience with complex development or infrastructure projects and multi-stakeholder coordination.
• Ability to interpret and apply planning regulations, policies, ordinances, and technical standards.
• Strong written, verbal, analytical, organizational, and public communication skills.
• Proficiency with GIS and common planning, mapping, document management, and office software.
• Sensitive to Native American culture and able to travel as required.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to project sites and meetings.
• Pass drug screen and federal background check per relevant acts.

Responsibilities

• Maintain land use inventories, development data, infrastructure information, and planning maps.
• Support development and implementation of land use plans across trust and fee lands.
• Manage contracted engineering, surveying, environmental review and other technical services.
• Coordinate with tribal, federal, state, county, and municipalities on transportation planning.
• Coordinate with Public Works on water, wastewater, energy, and other utilities planning.
• Coordinate with Housing on land availability and infrastructure needs.
• Evaluate competing land use demands to protect productive lands for food sovereignty.
• Ensure planning recognizes cultural values, sacred sites, and historic properties.
• Track consultant budgets, invoices, schedules, milestones, and deliverables.
• Prepare planning studies, scenarios, maps, reports, and staff recommendations.

Skills

Public communication

GIS proficiency

Planning regulations interpretation

Multidisciplinary coordination

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in urban/regional planning or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

GIS software

Office software

Mapping tools

Job description

Applications will be accepted until November 30, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after this date.

SUMMARY:

The Land Use Planner provides professional expertise in the planning, coordination, and long-range development of Prairie Island Indian Community’s tribal trust and fee lands. This position evaluates development proposals, coordinates multidisciplinary development projects, manages planning processes, and provides technical recommendations to the Community.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES:

The following duties and responsibilities are not meant to be all inclusive and may be adjusted to meet business needs.

• Maintain current land use inventories, development data, infrastructure information, and planning maps.
• Support development and implementation of land use plans across both trust and fee lands with adherence to the Community’s ordinances, net-zero goals, and strategic plan.
• Manage contracted engineering, surveying, environmental review and other technical services needed to support land planning and infrastructure projects.
• Coordinate with tribal, federal, state, county, and municipalities on transportation planning across multiple jurisdictions.
• Coordinate with Public Works Department on planning for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, energy, and other utility infrastructure.
• Coordinate with Housing Department on land availability, population growth, infrastructure needs, and community facilities.
• Evaluate competing land use demands and recommend strategies to protect and enhance productive agricultural lands for food sovereignty objectives.
• Ensure planning processes recognize and incorporate cultural values, traditions, historic properties, archeological resources, and sacred places.
• Track consultant budgets, invoices, schedules, milestones, and deliverables.
• Prepare planning studies, development scenarios, maps, reports, and staff recommendations for tribal leadership.
• Recommend additional professional services when specialized expertise is required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning, land use planning, civil engineering, environmental planning, or a related field.

• 3-5 years of professional experience in managing:
  • complex development or infrastructure projects involving multiple stakeholders and technical disciplines.
  • professional consultants, contracts, project budgets, and scopes of work.

• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply planning regulations, policies, ordinances, and technical standards.
• Strong written, verbal, analytical, organizational, and public communication skills.
• Proficiency with GIS and common planning, mapping, document management, and office software.
• Sensitive to Native American Culture
• Valid driver’s license, proof of insurability, and ability to travel to project sites, meetings, and other locations as required.
• Pass drug screen (UA) and a federal criminal background check in compliance with the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act and the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act

Preferred

• Master’s degree in urban and regional planning, land use planning, civil engineering, environmental planning, or a related field.
• Previous experience working for a tribal government, tribal enterprise, or on tribal trust lands.
• Knowledge of tribal sovereignty, federal Indian law, trust land administration, and the regulatory framework affecting tribal development.
• Experience coordinating federal, state, county, or municipal funding and permitting programs.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:*

• Repetitive tasks and motions
• Frequent use of hands and arms including fine motor function
• Walk, stand or sit for long periods throughout the day

REQUIRED TRAINING:

• Effectively Handling Harassment training
• Any position‑related training as determined by department manager

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

• Work is performed primarily in an indoor setting, but will include occasional outdoor work to facilitate site visits and ground-truthing of planning data.

DISCLAIMER AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

All Prairie Island Indian Community employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship