Planner II - Planning and Development

City of Phoenix; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 71,000 - 121,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Traditional pension

Health insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Free bus/light rail pass

Job summary

The City of Phoenix’s Planning and Development Department seeks four Site Planning Planner II roles to review plans, collaborate with partners, and ensure zoning stipulations are implemented through public hearings and approvals.

Ideal candidates have zoning ordinance experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage complex planning projects with autonomy and cross‑disciplinary coordination.

Qualifications

• Two years of experience in urban planning.
• Bachelor's degree in city or urban planning, landscape architecture, engineering, architecture, political science, or related field.
• All finalists subject to background check.
• Some positions require use of City vehicle with valid license and acceptable driving record.

Responsibilities

• Review development construction plans for conformance with City guidelines.
• Assist developers and the public; coordinate with internal/external stakeholders.
• Analyze data and information for planning and implementation of plans.
• Attend development meetings and implement stipulations from public hearing processes.
• Negotiate with developers and other departments to apply zoning stipulations.

Skills

Zoning ordinances knowledge

Development review process

Written and verbal communication

Organize, prioritize, present

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree (city/urban planning or related)

Tools

GIS software

Job description

About This Position

The Planning and Development Department guides the physical development of the city by preserving our historic sites, planning what can be built where, and ensuring the safe construction of buildings and infrastructure. A host of advisory and governing bodies of residents as well as elected officials provide oversight as the city grows and needs to arise. The process is governed through the development and enforcement of city codes and ordinances.

The Planning & Development Department is looking for four (4) Planner IIs to join their team. The vacancies within the department are on the Site Planning and Zoning teams. Planner II positions review development construction plans, provide assistance to developers and the public, as well as coordinate with other disciplines to ensure the stipulations of approval are included and implemented. These positions perform advanced analysis of technical data and major project work in the field of urban planning. Planners II are responsible for major planning functions or projects requiring combinations of skill in research, analysis, development, presentation, or interpretation of concepts and data pertaining to planning and implementation of plans. Tasks will be assigned based on the business operations of the division.

The ideal candidate will have the ability to attend public development meetings, experience in zoning ordinances, and general knowledge of all disciplines in the development process.

Site Planning Planner II

A Planner II specializing in Site Planning is typically responsible for review plans for conformance with City established design guidelines and development standards, collaborating with development partners and other internal and external stakeholders to implement zoning stipulations established through public hearing processes. Site Planning Planner IIs attend development meetings, are well-versed in the Zoning Ordinance, and have developed a general knowledge of all disciplines in the development process. They negotiate with developers and other departments, implementing stipulations established through public hearing processes. They have a high degree of contact with developers and the public and develop long term relationships with developers due to long term project assignments and repeat submissions. Site Planners II have a significant amount of autonomy in making recommendations and negotiating with developers.

Zoning Section

The Zoning Section Planner II serves on interdepartmental committees and coordinates large processes such as application screenings, annexations, regulatory license requests, school district notifications, text amendments, and the preparation of interpretation letters. Some Planner IIs may assist with hearing processes such as the Planning Commission or Zoning Adjustment Hearing. The position requires comprehension of a wide variety of City hearing processes and regulatory documents including the Zoning Ordinance, Special Planning Districts, Specific Plans, General Plan, and others.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

• Knowledge of zoning ordinances, State and Local codes, and all disciplines in the development process.
• Understanding of city of Phoenix development review and permitting process.
• Proficient written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present to diverse audiences.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and present information.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word).

SALARY

Pay Range: $70,886.40 to $121,243.20 annually.

Hiring Range: $70,886.40 to $99,736.00 annually.

Pay Range Explanation

• Pay range is the entire compensation range for the position classification.
• Hiring range is an estimate of where you can receive an offer. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, training, and internal equity.

Benefits

A comprehensive benefits package is offered which includes:

• Traditional pension with employer and employee contributions, click here for more details: Pension Information.
• 401(a) and 457 plans with employer contributions.
• Choice of generous medical HMO, PPO, or HSA/HDHP plans.
• Medical enrollment includes a monthly $150 City contribution to a Post-Employment Health Plan.
• Wellness incentive of up to $720 annually.
• Dental, vision, and life insurance options.
• Employer paid long-term disability.
• Free Bus/light rail pass.
• Tuition reimbursement program up to $6,500 per year.
• Paid time off includes 13.5 paid holidays, 12 vacation days, and 15 sick days and personal leave days.
• Paid Parental Leave for eligible employees up to 480 hours (12 weeks) of paid leave for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child during a 12-month period.
• Federal Student Loan Forgiveness offered through Savi.

For more details, visit: Unit 007 Benefits

Minimum Qualifications

• Two years of experience in the field of urban planning.
• Bachelor's degree in city or urban planning, landscape architecture, engineering, architecture, political science, a related field, or a field related the specialty area.
• Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements may be substituted.
• All finalists for positions are subject to a criminal background check applicable to the department or position.
• Some positions require the use of personal or City vehicles on City business. Individuals must be physically capable of operating the vehicles safely, possess a valid driver's license and have an acceptable driving record. Use of a personal vehicle for City business will be prohibited if the employee is not authorized to drive a City vehicle or if the employee does not have personal insurance coverage.
• For information regarding pre-screening and driving positions, click here.
• The City job description can be found here.

Preferred Qualifications

The minimum qualifications listed above, plus:

• Experience as a planner in municipal/county or private sector.
• Experience with plan review and preparing plans for submittal.
• Public counter experience.
• Experience in Urban Design and Design Review.
• Experience providing skilled communication, written and oral, to diverse audiences.
• Experience in reading, analyzing, and/or creating area plans and/or site plans.
• At least six months of experience working for an Arizona municipality.
• Experience using GIS (Geographic Information System) software.
• Project management experience and a proven ability to prioritize workloads and perform complex work assignments with considerable independence within established policies, procedures, and practices.
• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification.

RECRUITMENT DATES

Recruitment closes August 17, 2026. All materials must be received by 11:59 p.m. on this date.

This is a position-based recruitment and will not result in any ongoing eligibility list. This recruitment and any selection processes resulting from this recruitment may be used to fill other related vacancies within the organization now or in the near future.

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• If you require assistance at any stage of the application process due to an accessibility issue, please contact the Human Resources Department by phone at [phone] or by text at [phone]. You may also fill out and submit a Reasonable Accommodation Request Form.

REFERENCE

Planner II, JC:18220, ID# 62347, 08/10/26, USM, SG, Benefits:007

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City of Phoenix is an equal opportunity employer. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni who meet the required qualifications are encouraged to apply.