Manager-Code Revision and Compliance

City of Indianapolis; Indianapolis (IN); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Indianapolis' Department of Metropolitan Development seeks a Senior Planning Manager to lead a team responsible for upholding the Comprehensive Plan, Indy Rezone, and related land use initiatives. You will supervise planners, manage hearing operations, code revisions, and procedural compliance, ensuring high-quality decisions and streamlined processes.

In this role you will mentor staff, design training programs, present to boards, and collaborate with city leaders, developers, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in urban planning or related field.
• Five years of planning and zoning agency experience.
• Understanding of land use terminology and zoning principles.
• Strong writing and public speaking skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ArcMap.

Responsibilities

• Oversee compliance and hearing administration in the Current Planning Division.
• Lead development review and evaluate petitions against Indy Rezone and adopted plans.
• Provide guidance on land use, code revisions, and regulatory techniques.
• Develop and deliver trainings for staff and external stakeholders.
• Present to boards and the public; mentor staff and manage projects.

Skills

Urban planning

Leadership

Public speaking

Team management

Strategic thinking

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in urban planning or related field

Master’s degree in urban planning or related field

Tools

ArcMap

Microsoft Office

Job description

Overview

This position is an integral member of DMD that will manage a team responsible for upholding all the Comprehensive Plan, Indy Rezone (the Indianapolis Zoning Ordinance), and other related plans and planning initiatives. Position is responsible for leading and supporting division staff in the administration of hearing operations, procedural compliance, ordinance amendments, Rules of Procedure, code revision initiatives, and related land use processes associated with MDC, BZA, Hearing Officer, Regional Center, and other hearing bodies, while overseeing operational workflows, procedural implementation, hearing administration, ordinance modernization efforts, and training initiatives to ensure consistent and compliant land use administration.

This is an important leadership role who will mentor and train a well‑rounded and professional team. The position will directly supervise a team of planners and other staff that perform zoning petition review. This position will act with integrity and openness to collaboration. The position will apply supportive, positive, and productive management, decision‑making and process improvement skills to evaluate, streamline, and modernize processes, documents, and workflows. Position will create and provide training internally and externally. Position will focus on quality output of decisions for improving the short‑ and long‑term built environment of the city in accordance with guiding documents and applicable laws. This position will report to the Administrator – Current Planning.

Agency Summary

The purpose and mission of the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD) works to shape the city’s identity by strengthening people and places, building upon our history, and fostering visionary development. The DMD agency envisions the city as a growing, vibrant, and beautiful city where people and businesses thrive in an inclusive, world‑class community. The agency is able to do this by cultivating a productive, collaborative, and compliant work environment in order for our workforce to meet the needs of the residents of Indianapolis and Marion County.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The City of Indianapolis Marion County is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. We value diversity in perspectives and experiences among colleagues and the residents of this city of whom we serve.

Position Responsibilities

• Manages compliance, hearing administration, code revision, and operational workflow functions of the Current Planning Division. Monitors staff and projects’ progress and evaluates projects and staff performance results, including personnel issues, performance evaluations, monitoring staff activities and participates in the hiring of new staff.
• Assists in the management of the City's development review process and development review team in evaluating land use petitions and their consistency with Indy Rezone, the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, and other adopted plans.
• Applies extensive urban planning expertise and provides guidance consistent with local, state, and federal laws, codes and regulations to the review and production of advanced, highly complex planning activities.
• Proactively researches best practices and emerging trends for supporting growth in the city of Indianapolis.
• Leads planning initiatives, in collaboration with appropriate staff and stakeholders.
• Evaluates land uses, recommendations, and progress on planning initiatives.
• Supports the Administrator by coordinating ordinance amendments, Rules of Procedure updates, public hearing compliance, and other operational and procedural improvements in collaboration with planning staff, leadership, and legal counsel. Uses data, input, and observation to evaluate topics needed for trainings.
• Creates and implements trainings on an annual and as‑needed basis.
• Provides structure and continuity of training program for new DMD staff, boards, and commissions as well as outside stakeholders.
• Provides information, technical assistance and professional guidance to developers, attorneys, the public, Metropolitan Development Commission, other city agencies, City‑County Council, City Management, and staff.
• Makes oral and written presentations to the Hearing Examiner, Metropolitan Development Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, Plat Committee, and other boards and commissions and community organizations as directed by the Planning Administrator.
• Supervises and assigns public hearing petitions and projects to Planners ensuring efficient review and compliance.
• Provides appropriate training and mentoring to staff members, acts as project manager for assigned projects and directs the activities of professional, paraprofessional, and technical planning staff.
• Along with the Current Planning Administrator, provides strategic guidance to the resolution of customer service issues and disputes presented by the public, development community, city agencies and elected officials regarding development requirements and procedures.
• Meets and consults with City officials, other municipal officials, major developers, and the public on planning projects.
• Performs and manages complex and sensitive professional planning projects, research, and analysis, including projects valued in the millions.
• Advises the Current Planning Administrator on all planning‑related matters and may serve as Current Planning Administrator in their absence.
• Oversees the Planner‑On‑Call program and supports consistent zoning and petition guidance to the public, petitioners, and City departments. Fills in for staff to answer zoning/petition questions from the public, petitioners, and other City departments, as needed.
• Occasionally reviews and evaluates petitions as needed based on current worklog. Utilize resources such as ArcMap computer program/internet resources/historical maps/green bar printouts/microfilm reader to research properties, as needed.
• This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all‑inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities that management may deem necessary from time to time.

Qualifications

Minimum Job Requirements and Qualifications Bachelor's degree required with a preference in urban planning or related field. Five (5) years of experience working in a planning and zoning agency is required; two (2) years of experience may be substituted with an applicable master’s degree in planning or related field. Must have thorough understanding of land use terminology, zoning principles and practices, current land use law and contemporary land use concepts, and regulatory techniques. Working knowledge of Microsoft software and ArcMap is required, as well as research procedures and methodologies. Excellent writing skills, strong problem‑solving skills, and public speaking skills are required. Working with integrity, respect and an ability and openness to collaborate are required.

Preferred Job Requirements And Qualifications

Master’s degree. Accreditation from the American Institute of Certified Planners or similar accreditations preferred but not required.

Working Conditions

Work is conducted in a standard office environment and can also be completed in a work from home environment. Off‑site meeting may occasionally be required.

Physical Conditions

• Sitting at a desk the majority of the day
• Some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10) pounds
• Tasks may involve extended periods of time at keyboard or workstation
• Tasks require the ability to perceive and hear sounds and see visual cues or signals
• Tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

All rates are bi‑weekly.

2026 Rate Sheet - To view our rate sheet, please copy and paste this link into your web browser: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:67382b58-4d1a-4519-89d7-8453f91e19a1

Life Insurance Employee Only (rates per $1,000 per month)

Basic: Employer Paid

Optional Life Insurance Employee Only (rates per $1,000 per month)

Additional

• 25-29 $0.058
• 30-34 $0.083
• 35-39 $0.099
• 40-44 $0.132
• 45-49 $0.223
• 50-54 $0.363
• 55-59 $0.600
• 60-64 $0.795
• 65-69 $1.329
• 70 + $2.054

Important Perf Update

• For more information on eligibility options, refer to Proposal 21-288 https://bit.ly/3exq8yR
• All employees hired/rehired after 1/1/2022 have a choice to select the PERF Hybrid plan (3% + Pension) or the INPRS My Choice: Retirement Savings plan (3% + 1% Contribution). The Hybrid plan consists of two components:
• Uses data, input, and observation to evaluate topics needed for trainings.
• Creates and implements trainings on an annual and as‑needed basis.
• Provides structure and continuity of training program for new DMD staff, boards, and commissions as well as outside stakeholders.
• Provides information, technical assistance and professional guidance to developers, attorneys, the public, Metropolitan Development Commission, other city agencies, City‑County Council, City Management, and staff.
• Makes oral and written presentations to the Hearing Examiner, Metropolitan Development Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, Plat Committee, and other boards and commissions and community organizations as directed by the Planning Administrator.
• Supervises and assigns public hearing petitions and projects to Planners ensuring efficient review and compliance.

With the PERF My Choice: Retirement Savings Plan, the ASA is split up into two parts:

• Part one – This consists of the mandatory employee contribution of three (3%) percent of compensation (made for the employee by the City), plus interest credits or earnings. You're always vested in your ASA portion - it's always yours.
• Part Two – This Consists Of An Additional Variable Rate Contribution Paid By The City Toward Your ASA. This Variable Rate Contribution Is Currently 1% Of Your Gross Wages. Vesting In The Value Of The Variable Rate Employer Contribution Will Vary By Length Of Participation. You Are
• 20 percent vested after 1 full year of participation
• 40 percent vested after 2 full years of participation
• 60 percent vested after 3 full years of participation
• 80 percent vested after 4 full years of participation
• 100 percent vested after 5 full years of participation
• All employees hired/rehired prior to 1/1/2017 are grandfathered into PERF Hybrid plan. The Hybrid plan consists of two components:

Employees hired/rehired by the City and County between 1/1/2017 and 12/31/2021 will be automatically enrolled in the PERF My Choice: Retirement Savings plan. This plan is an annuity savings account (ASA) only plan and does not have a pension component. Any service that an employee has in the My Choice: Retirement Savings Plan will not count toward the service time requirements for pension eligibility in the Hybrid Plan.

City Employees hired/rehired between 1/1/2017 and 12/31/21 that are members of the City AFSCME labor union can choose to enroll in either the PERF My Choice: Retirement Savings plan or the PERF Hybrid plan. Both plans are described above. Employees have 60 days to choose which option they want, and by state law this cannot be changed. If no choice is made, the employee will then be automatically added to the PERF My Choice: Retirement Savings plan.

The Indiana General Assembly has enacted a provision that allows public employees to make voluntary contributions in addition to the mandatory three percent (3%) contributions. Employees may contribute up to an additional ten percent (10%) of their compensation per pay period to the annuity savings account. This means that the maximum level of contributions to the annuity savings account under this new provision is thirteen percent (13%) of an employee's compensation per pay period.

Employees who separate from the city within their first ten (10) years of employment need to contact INPRS – PERF regarding their ASA account.

Questions relating to PERF may be directed to INPRS – PERF at:

Indiana Public Retirement System

Public Employees' Retirement Fund

One North Capitol, Suite 001

Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

[phone]