PLANNING MANAGER

City of Stockton; Stockton (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Stockton is seeking a Planning Manager to lead the Advanced Planning Section within the Community Development Department. The role focuses on implementing a General Plan Update, ensuring conformity with zoning maps and ordinances, and supervising planning staff and consultants.

Ideal candidates will have strong supervisory experience in local government, excellent communication skills, and deep knowledge of CEQA, Subdivision Map Act, and Planning and Zoning Law.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in City or regional planning, urban planning or closely related field, and five years of progressively responsible professional planning experience.
• Master's degree may substitute for one year of experience; strong supervisory experience in local government planning is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced management direction to professional planning staff and oversee complex planning projects.
• Oversee the Advanced Planning Section and manage consultants, scope development, and budgets.
• Coordinate research, data analysis, and environmental/regulatory compliance for planning objectives.
• Prepare and present reports, recommendations, and permit/documentation to boards and community groups.
• Represent the department in meetings with other agencies and community organizations.

Skills

Urban planning

Public administration

Supervision

Oral and written communication

Analytical skills

Budget management

Education

Bachelor's degree in City/Regional Planning

Master's degree in City/Regional/Urban Planning or related field (substitution)

Tools

Maps and graphics preparation

Job description

MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

TENTATIVE INTERVIEW DATE: TBD

The City of Stockton is seeking to fill a Planning Manager position to oversee an Advanced Planning Section in the Community Development Department. The Planning Manager for Advanced Planning Section will be responsible for the strategic implementation of a recently adopted General Plan Update that requires further conformity compliance with the zoning map and ordinance. The ideal candidate has supervisory experience in local government planning with strong technical and analytical skills, effective oral and written communication competencies, and extensive knowledge and expertise complying with the California Environmental Quality Act, California Subdivision Map Act, and California Planning and Zoning Law. The successful candidate has extensive experience developing, interpreting and applying General Plan policies, zoning ordinance and environmental regulation.

This is the management level in the professional planning series. Incumbents in this class possess considerable professional planning knowledge and exercise considerable independent judgment and initiative, while overseeing major planning projects and initiatives. The ideal candidate will be effective in managing consultants in the delivery of projects, which includes oversight of project scope development, requests for proposals, contract deliverables, schedules, meetings, outreach and budget.

Incumbents work a City of Stockton 9/80 schedule: 7:30am to 5:30pm Mondays through Thursdays; 8:00am to 5:00pm Fridays, with alternating Fridays off. May be required to work additional hours and/or weekends to provide critical support to key initiatives.

This is an At-Will (Unclassified/Represented) position. Incumbents in this position are excluded from the Civil Service system and are represented by the Mid-Management Bargaining Unit.

Prior to appointment, eligible candidates may be required to submit to and successfully pass a background investigation, which will include fingerprinting.

Under direction, provides advanced management direction to professional planning staff; plans and coordinates complex professional work on difficult current and/or advanced planning projects; performs related work as assigned.

• Manages the activities of a subsection within the Planning Division; assigns, trains, directs and evaluates the work of subordinates, including supervisory staff; selects staff as needed; performs disciplinary action when appropriate.
• Oversees and coordinates research, administrative and technical activities necessary to achieve planning project objectives and to maintain departmental information programs.
• Checks and analyzes information such as population and economic growth estimates, demographic, housing and land use data.
• Directs the utilization of computers and software programs for various technical projects and studies; develops plans and recommends changes in policies and procedures.
• Evaluates information related to the application process and recommends approval, disapproval, or alternative approaches.
• Coordinates and performs evaluations and analyses pertaining to the elements of the comprehensive General Plan, area plans, environmental impact reports, implementation, redevelopment and capital improvement plans, programs and related municipal ordinances and policies.
• Prepares reports and recommendations and state and federal applications and documents; confers with personnel from other departments and agencies in coordinating assigned work; meets with representatives of community organizations and other groups to encourage cooperative action or to resolve problems.
• Makes oral presentations before commissions, committees, community groups and boards of other governmental agencies.
• Makes special investigations of a technical nature regarding planning projects; reports conclusions and recommendations in technical report form, or in form for publication.
• Directs the preparation and design of maps, charts, models, sketches and other graphic presentations; prepares reports, presentations, correspondence and other written materials.
• May act in the absence of the Deputy Community Development Director/Planning on a relief basis.

Education/Experience

Possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in City or regional planning, urban planning, or a closely related field; and five (5) years of progressively responsible professional planning experience. A Master's degree in City, regional or urban planning, public administration, or closely related field, may be substituted for one year of the professional planning experience.

Other Requirements

• Must possess a valid California Driver's License.
• Must be willing to attend evening meetings as required.

Knowledge of

• Principles and practices of public administration, supervision and management;
• Objectives, principles, procedures, standards, practices, information services, and trends in the field of urban planning;
• Land use, physical design, demographic, environmental, and social/economic concepts as applied to municipal planning;
• Statistical analysis and mathematical concepts related to the planning process;
• Application, modification and interrelationships between ordinances, policies, standards, procedures, and practices associated with the planning function;
• Applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations;
• Terminology, symbols, methods, and techniques used in planning and map drafting;
• Local government organization and the functions and practices of a municipal planning unit.

Skill in

• Planning, assigning, training, directing, and evaluating the work of others in work procedures;
• Organizing, directing, and conducting complex planning studies and activities;
• Performing and coordinating activities, such as the collection, analysis, and preparation of reports and recommendations;
• Interpreting laws, policies, procedures, regulations, maps, specifications, site and building plans, graphs, and statistical data;
• Making persuasive presentations of ideas and recommendations;
• Establishing and maintaining cooperative and effective relationships with those contacted in the course of the work;
• Exercising sound independent judgment within established guidelines;
• Preparing clear, concise, and complete technical documents, reports and correspondence.

This class specification should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the essential functions and requirement of this job. Incumbents may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification. Any essential function or requirement of this class will be evaluated as necessary should an incumbent/applicant be unable to perform the function or requirement due to a disability as defined by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). Reasonable accommodation for the specific disability will be made for the incumbent/applicant when possible.

In accordance with California Government Code section 3100, et seq., all City of Stockton employees are considered disaster service workers who may be required to report for duty, or remain on duty to address disaster service activities in the event of an emergency or disaster and are required to undertake an applicable loyalty oath.

This position is subject to Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) annual filing requirements. Please see the FPPC website, www.fppc.ca.gov, for more information.

The City of Stockton requires employees in this position to reasonably respond to emergencies at all times. Employees will be required to maintain primary residence within 45 minutes of City Hall in order to timely respond to emergencies and meet the health, safety, and welfare needs of the City. New employees have up to three (3) months from date of hire to comply with the requirement. Any interested candidates must be willing to adhere to this requirement throughout the duration of employment.