PLANNING MANAGER

City of Cathedral City; Cathedral City (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work schedules

Remote work opportunities

Job summary

City of Cathedral City is seeking a Planning Manager to guide growth and development of the city’s future, overseeing planning and land use management, coordinating with building and engineering divisions, and providing professional expertise to City management.

As a member of the leadership team, you will manage long-range and current planning, implement policy, and engage with the community to preserve the desert character while supporting development that enhances quality of life.

Qualifications

• Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree with major work in city or regional planning, urban planning, or a closely related field and three years of supervisory or project leadership experience in both advanced and current planning in a public agency setting.
• Experience dealing with citizen boards or committees and a Master’s degree in regional and urban planning are desirable.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all aspects of planning and land use management, from long-range strategic planning and current development review to policy implementation and community engagement.
• Shape decisions that foster a well-designed, inclusive city where residents and businesses can thrive, preserving the desert character for generations to come.

Skills

Leadership

Supervisory experience

City/Regional planning knowledge

Community engagement

Policy implementation

Education

Bachelor's degree in city or regional planning

Master’s degree in regional and urban planning (desirable)

Job description

Placement within this range is dependent on qualifications and experience.

This recruitment is continuous and may close without prior notice. Applications will be reviewed as submitted. It is in the candidate's best interest to apply immediately.

The City offers flexible work schedules, including 5/8 and 4/10 options, to support work-life balance. Remote work opportunities are subject to operational needs.

THE COMMUNITY

Cathedral City offers more than just a career – we offer an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in our vibrant desert community. As our Planning Manager, you'll guide the thoughtful growth and development of our city's most valuable asset: its future.

Nestled in the heart of the Coachella Valley with stunning mountain views, Cathedral City provides an exceptional quality of life with a balance of urban amenities and natural beauty. Our diverse community of approximately 55,000 residents enjoys cultural events, outdoor recreation, and a strong sense of belonging.

THE POSITION

Under administrative direction, plans, organizes, supervises and manages the operational activities and programs of the planning division; coordinates planning activities with building, engineering and other divisions and departments; provides expert professional assistance to City management staff in planning and related matters; performs related work as assigned.

YOUR ROLE

As a key member of our leadership team, you'll oversee all aspects of planning and land use management, from long-range strategic planning and current development review to policy implementation and community engagement. You'll shape the decisions that foster a well-designed, inclusive city where residents and businesses can thrive — and where our community's unique desert character is preserved for generations to come.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Any combination of training and experience that provides the above listed knowledge, skills and abilities may be qualifying. A typical way of qualifying would be:

• Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree with major work in city or regional planning, urban planning, or a closely related field and three years of supervisory or project leadership experience in both advanced and current planning in a public agency setting.

• Experience dealing with citizen boards or committees and a Master’s degree in regional and urban planning are desirable.

Based on the information provided in the application documents, qualified applicants may be invited for further examination and will either be pre-scheduled by the Department of Human Resources or be invited to self-schedule. All applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination.

Depending upon the number of applications received, the selection process may consist of an initial application screening, a supplemental questionnaire assessment, an oral board exam, or any combination listed. Responses to supplemental questions may be used as screening and testing mechanisms and will be used to assess an applicant’s ability to advance in the process; as such, responses to supplemental questions should be treated as test examination responses. Information contained herein does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

Americans with Disabilities Act

The City of Cathedral City is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Individuals with qualified disabilities who need reasonable accommodation during the selection process must specify the accommodations needed, in writing, at the time when the employment application is submitted.