Senior Planner - Dakota County

Minnesota City Jobs; Minnesota; On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Minnesota City Jobs is sourcing a Senior Planner to lead the 2050 Dakota County Comprehensive Plan update and related long-range planning initiatives in the Office of Planning.

The role focuses on guiding multi-disciplinary teams, coordinating external consultants, and delivering high-quality planning analyses to inform policy decisions. Preference is given to candidates with a Master’s degree and GIS experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 2 years of professional experience in Urban Planning, Geography, Public Administration, GIS, Landscape Architecture, or a closely related field; OR an equivalent combination totaling at least 6 years.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience using GIS software and direct experience with comprehensive plans is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Plan Development: Lead multi-disciplinary teams and manage external consultants to deliver long-range planning initiatives.
• Community Engagement: Design and execute public participation plans.
• Research & Policy: Conduct comprehensive research to inform county planning policies.

Skills

Project leadership

Public engagement

Research & analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

GIS software

Job description

Dakota County is seeking a Senior Planner to serve as a project lead within the Office of Planning. A focus of this role will be leading the 2050 Dakota County Comprehensive Plan update. Additional project areas include park and greenway long-range plans, active living, pedestrian and bicycle planning, and environmental systems planning.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan Development: Lead multi-disciplinary teams and manage external consultants to deliver high-quality, long-range planning initiatives.
• Community Engagement: Design and execute public participation plans.
• Research & Policy: Conduct comprehensive research to synthesize findings and directly inform county planning policies.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education & Experience: A Bachelor's degree AND 2 years of professional experience in Urban Planning, Geography, Public Administration, GIS, Landscape Architecture, or a closely related field; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience totaling at least 6 years.
• Preferred: A Master's degree, experience using GIS software, and direct experience working with comprehensive plans.