Long Range Planner

Pender County Government; Burgaw (NC); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Pender County Government is seeking a professional planner to perform long-range planning, including research, data compilation, and applying state and county codes. The role focuses on updating the Comprehensive Plan, land development regulations, and related community and transportation planning tasks.

Under the supervision of the Senior Planner, you will prepare reports, coordinate with boards, assist with grants, engage with the public, and support regional planning projects as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with course work in urban and regional planning, geography, public administration, or related field and experience in the planning profession, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Master's degree in planning or a related field is preferred.
• Ability to interpret and apply state and county codes, ordinances, and regulations.
• Strong research, analytical, and report writing skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities for diverse audiences.
• Experience coordinating with county boards, staff, and the public.
• Proficiency in developing and updating planning documents and regulations.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Performs professional work in long range planning including extensive research, compiling technical data, interpreting and applying applicable state and county codes, ordinances, and regulations.
• Primarily engaged in updating and maintaining the comprehensive plan and land development regulations, community and transportation planning, grant administration and related work as apparent or assigned.
• Work is performed under the moderate supervision of the Senior Planner.
• Assist with other duties as needed or assigned.
• Conducts meetings, engages with citizens, developers, other County staff and officials, and partners on planning matters.
• Writes and prepares formal and technical reports, working papers, and correspondence.
• Writes, or assists in writing, a variety of ordinances and regulations relating to development controls.
• Collaborates on regional planning projects including transportation planning and sustainable development.

Skills

Regulatory interpretation

Planning analysis

Data compilation

Public engagement

Report writing

Collaboration

Oral communication

Regulatory coordination

Project coordination

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in urban planning or related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Performs professional work in long range planning including extensive research, compiling technical data, interpreting and applying applicable state and county codes, ordinances, and regulations. Primarily engaged in updating and maintaining the comprehensive plan and land development regulations, community and transportation planning, grant administration and related work as apparent or assigned. Work is performed under the moderate supervision of the Senior Planner. Assist with other duties as needed or assigned.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Interprets and applies applicable state and county codes, ordinances, and regulations in the performance of assigned duties and to citizens, developers, and County officials.
• Devises and writes amendments to current regulations through thorough research, technical expertise, and collaboration with staff, County boards, and the public.
• Corresponds and coordinates with staff and representatives on projects for the various County boards.
• Initiates and collaborates with staff to correct deficiencies of regulations.
• Updates Comprehensive Plan and land development regulations, as directed.
• Conducts review and issues approval of various development applications including text amendment requests, rezoning requests, or other applications as assigned.
• Responsible for extensive research in specific or general project areas including community plans, land use development, and County ordinances.
• Compiles and analyzes data on social, economic, and physical factors affecting land use.
• Reviews various development plans and applies provisions of the ordinances and codes to determine compliance with such regulations and applies regulations to field conditions.
• Writes and prepares formal and technical reports, working papers, and correspondence.
• Writes, or assists in writing, a variety of ordinances and regulations relating to development controls.
• Participates in meetings, workshops, and conferences outside of normal business hours, including occasional travel involving overnight stay.
• Engages with citizens, developers, other County staff and officials, members of partner organizations and jurisdictions, and members of the general public on matters related to comprehensive planning, development regulations, community development, and planning.
• Conducts meetings and facilitates presentations related to comprehensive planning, development regulations, current planning, and community development.
• Research, apply, and coordinate grants and technical assistance as applicable in collaboration with the Senior Planner.
• Collaborates and initiates contact with various County departments and other agencies for community planning, ordinance evaluation, and long-range planning efforts.
• Assists Senior Planner on regional planning projects including transportation planning, sustainable development, and other topics as necessary.
• Utilizes existing tracking systems for development records including text amendments, map amendments, variances, and subdivisions as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned.

General knowledge of the principles and practices of planning; general knowledge of economics, sociology, and municipal finance as applied to planning; general knowledge of current literature and recent developments in the field of planning; ability to analyze and systematically compile technical and statistical information and to prepare technical reports; ability to prepare and present technical information clearly and in an interesting manner to lay groups and the public; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, developers, engineers, surveyors, elected officials, and the general public.

Bachelor's degree with course work in urban and regional planning, geography, public administration, or related field and experience in the planning profession, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Master's degree in planning or a related field is preferred.

North Carolina Drivers License

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle, or feel and reaching with hands and arms, frequently requires standing and walking and occasionally requires climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, pushing or pulling, lifting and repetitive motions; work requires close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth perception, color perception and peripheral vision; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, using of measuring devices, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work occasionally requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).