Senior Planner

City-of-Sacrament; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Sacramento is seeking a Senior Planner to join the Transportation Planning Section, supporting community listening, data analysis, policy development, and staff mentorship in long-range transportation planning.

The ideal candidate leads project teams, manages high-profile initiatives such as Vision Zero and the red-light camera program, and collaborates with City departments, elected officials, schools, and community groups to advance safe, equitable mobility.

Qualifications

• Five years of progressively responsible experience in urban planning.
• Bachelor's degree in planning, architecture, engineering, urban studies, public administration or closely related field.
• Proof of education may be required at time of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Plans, assigns, coordinates, supervises, and reviews the work of staff in planning-related areas and prepares master plans, zoning ordinances, CEQA/NEPA compliance and development regulations.
• Compiles and analyzes data; manages complex projects, permits, and consultant contracts; oversees budgets.
• Represents the City in meetings with departments, organizations, and professional groups on planning matters.
• Serves on interdepartmental committees related to land use; conducts public hearings and community engagement.
• Interprets regulations, conducts studies, and develops planning policies; performs other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Data analysis

Communication

Public speaking

Policy development

Negotiation

Stakeholder engagement

Research

Education

Bachelor's degree in planning or related field

Job description

With supervisor approval, incumbents may be eligible for intermittent remote work; however, they must physically reside within the Sacramento region or have the ability to regularly report to a City of Sacramento physical worksite with little notice.

The Public Works Department, Division of Mobility and Sustainability is seeking a Senior Planner to be part of the Transportation Planning Section to support transportation safety efforts. This position will support the City’s Transportation Planning Section, working on community listening and engagement, data analysis, policy, and staff mentorship. The section’s work is long-range transportation planning and includes policy, project and program management. Specific tasks for this position include serving as a leader on a team comprised of transportation planners, as well as leading large high-profile efforts such as the City’s Vision Zero program and red-light camera program.

Ideal Candidate Statement

The ideal candidate is an innovative, inquisitive, and resourceful individual who works successfully in a team-oriented environment; has outstanding communication and interpersonal skills; is able to conduct complex transportation studies and research; can independently and effectively work with staff in other City departments, appointed and elected officials, community leaders, school districts, and community groups; and can successfully lead project teams.

Under general direction, the Senior Planner performs responsible administrative and professional planning work; provides lead direction of assigned staff engaged in performing duties in the research, compilation, analysis, and reporting of planning data for a geographical area or a particular project, or by assuming highly complex and critical planning assignments.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This classification is populated with multiple incumbents. Senior Planners are responsible for interpreting and administering existing regulations, codes, and policy through the application of knowledge and procedures above normal or standard processing operations. The Senior Planner is distinguished from the next lower level of Associate Planner by degree of difficulty in planning assignments, such as in economic development, air quality, transportation issues, etc. and because the Senior Planner may provide lead supervision to a limited number of planners and technical staff. The Senior Planner is distinguished from the higher-level classification of Principal Planner in that the latter is responsible for overseeing several teams of staff engaged in planning duties for a large region of the City and participates in the development of the goals, objectives, and policies of the division.

Supervision Received and Exercised

General direction is provided by a Principal Planner or a higher-level management position. Incumbents may oversee a project team consisting of professional and technical personnel staff assigned to a project. The Senior Planner does not supervise.

Typical Duties

• Plans, assigns, coordinates, supervises, and reviews the work of professional planning staff and others in the preparation, revision, and administration of master plans, zoning ordinances, environmental compliance (CEQA/NEPA) and development regulations.
• Compiles and evaluates data and makes recommendations for the more complex planning projects; manages compliance permits and consultant/contractor contract administration for all City and private development projects.
• Manages environmental investigations, remedial actions, and oversight of budgets.
• Represents the City in public and official meetings with other city departments, organizations, and professional groups on planning matters related to environmental issues, land use entitlements, policy development and development applications.
• Serves on interdepartmental committees related to land use issues; responds to concerned individuals, developers, community and professional groups related to various planning policies and regulations.
• Prepares and presents staff reports for the Planning Commission and City Council; attends and facilitates community meetings and holds public hearings.
• Interprets and applies applicable regulations, codes, and policies; conducts special studies or projects related to current, long range and environmental planning.
• Performs other or related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of land use planning, environmental decision-making, and governmental planning.
• Applicable Federal and State regulations, and local laws, ordinances and guidelines, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Policy Act, Superfund Amendments.
• General Plan and specific plan preparation.
• Regulations and procedures affecting local planning agencies.
• Other disciplines related to city planning such as architecture, urban design, historical preservation, urban studies, environmental studies, land use planning, transportation, public administration, or economic development.
• Project management.
• Statistical concepts and methods.

Skill In:

• Use of computers, computer applications, and software.

Ability to:

• Lead professional and technical personnel on a team or project.
• Provide technical advice to subordinate personnel in solving difficult assignments.
• Perform technical research on planning, including environmental, economic, and transportation problems, analyze data and present recommendations on complex planning projects.
• Recognize and analyze potential environmental and policy impacts, develop planning policies and implementation strategies.
• Establish effective working relationships with employees, elected officials, government agencies, the business community, and the general public.
• Persuade, negotiate, and develop alternatives and resolve conflict among competing interests.
• Represent the City in meetings with other City departments, organizations, and professional groups on matters pertaining to development applications.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing; make presentations before large and small groups; organize and lead meetings to facilitate public participation.
• Prepare clear, concise, and accurate reports, correspondence, and policy documents.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience:

• Five years of progressively responsible experience in urban planning.

Education:

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in planning, architecture, engineering or other design-related field, urban studies, environmental planning, public administration, political science, economics, or closely related field.

PROOF OF EDUCATION

Should education be used to qualify for this position, then proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment. Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.

An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credential's evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due at time of appointment.

Please note, the City of Sacramento's preferred method of communication with applicants is via e-mail. As such, please ensure you verify the e-mail address on your application, and check your e-mail frequently, including your spam and junk folders.All e-mail notifications can also be accessed through the governmentjobs.com applicant inbox.

QUESTIONS

• Please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/Home/ApplicationGuide for a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to the application process.
• For technical support between 6 AM - 5 PM PT, contact Live Application Support at 855-524-5627.
• Visit the City of Sacramento Human Resources Department website at https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/employment;
• Send an email to [e-mail]; or
• Call the Human Resources Department at [phone]