Planning Services Coordinator: Public Records & Meetings

Smithfield, Rhode Island; Smithfield (RI); On-site; USD 34,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The Town of Smithfield is seeking a Planning Services Coordinator to manage daily administrative tasks, records, notices, and filings for development reviews. You will support the Director and Principal Planner, coordinating intake, board materials, and electronic permitting systems in a municipal setting.

Responsibilities include preparing agendas, posting notices, managing meeting packets, and tracking deadlines.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in administration, planning, geography, communications, legal studies, or a related field preferred.
• Administrative, records management, public meeting, customer service, or permitting experience preferred; relevant coursework or internships may qualify.
• Municipal planning experience is not required; familiarity with local government or development applications is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Prepare agendas, meeting notices, hearing notices, public postings, and abutter notifications; maintain posting and publication records.
• Assemble and distribute meeting packets, including plans, reports, correspondence, and exhibits; maintain current versions and distribution records.
• Draft minutes, routine correspondence, and decision documents from approved actions; coordinate review, signatures, distribution, recording, and filing.
• Maintain meeting calendars, submission deadlines, hearing logistics, and follow-up tasks; attend evening meetings as assigned.
• Receive, log, and organize applications, plans, fees, revisions, and correspondence; maintain records in the Town’s electronic permitting system.
• Check submissions for required forms, fees, plans, and supporting documents; refer formal completeness and technical questions to professional staff.
• Track application status, procedural deadlines, notices, and referrals; alert staff to approaching deadlines and outstanding items.
• Circulate applications for departmental and agency review; collect and organize comments for professional staff.
• Coordinate approved plans, decisions, endorsements, recordings, and filings; maintain required documentation.
• Maintain accurate paper and electronic files for applications, plans, decisions, meeting records, and departmental correspondence.
• Maintain templates, checklists, filing conventions, application logs, and tracking tools; recommend improvements to office procedures.
• Prepare and proofread letters, notices, forms, spreadsheets, reports, and public information materials.
• Respond to telephone, email, and counter inquiries about procedures, schedules, and public records; refer substantive questions to appropriate staff.
• Handle scheduling, supplies, mailings, records requests, fee documentation, and other office needs; assist with E-911 addressing coordination.
• Retrieve zoning provisions, parcel information, recorded plans, and other reference materials for professional planning staff.
• Assist with basic GIS maps, spreadsheets, development activity summaries, tables, and presentation materials.
• Provide administrative support for comprehensive planning, economic development, grants, and public engagement activities.
• Perform other related administrative, procedural, and limited technical duties as assigned.

Skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Professional communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree in administration/planning/geography/communications/legal studies

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)

Job description

The Town of Smithfield is seeking a Planning Services Coordinator to manage daily administrative tasks, records, notices, and filings for development reviews. You will support the Director and Principal Planner, coordinating intake, board materials, and electronic permitting systems in a municipal setting.

Responsibilities include preparing agendas, posting notices, managing meeting packets, and tracking deadlines.