Senior Planner (Hazard Mitigation) - City of Birmingham

Personnel Board of Jefferson County; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 94,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Retirement plan (pension)

Paid holidays

Sick and vacation leave

Job summary

The Personnel Board of Jefferson County is seeking a Senior Planner to join the Hazard Mitigation Division in Birmingham. The role focuses on reviewing drawings, maps, surveys, and applications to ensure compliance with city and department requirements and ordinances, and acts as a liaison to committees, commissions, and citizens.

Under supervision, you'll help communicate activities, provide information on project development, and contribute to long-range planning and hazard mitigation efforts,

Qualifications

• Experience writing, developing, or preparing hazard mitigation plans and long-range planning elements.
• Experience collecting and analyzing data for planning studies.
• Experience presenting to public bodies and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Reviews drawings, maps, surveys, and applications for compliance with codes and ordinances.
• Communicates with contractors, engineers, developers, and the public regarding ordinances.
• Processes cases (re-zoning, subdivisions, variances) with research and analysis.
• Acts as staff liaison to planning commissions and boards to relay information.
• Participates in long-range planning and ordinance revisions with data analysis.
• Manages federal/state project grants including scope, budgets, and timelines.
• Manages hazard mitigation and disaster recovery programs with procedures to meet regs.
• Researches adopted long-range plans to align site development with goals.
• Reviews site and development plans for regulation adherence.
• Conducts neighborhood meetings to inform and get feedback.
• Interprets codes and ordinances to ensure compliance with regulations.

Skills

Hazard mitigation planning

Long-range planning

Data analysis

Public presentations

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Planning or related field

Job description

Job Summary

The City of Birmingham is seeking a well-qualified and motivated Senior Planner to join their Hazard Mitigation Division. Senior Planners focus on reviewing submission documents such as drawings, maps, surveys, and applications related to development projects to ensure compliance with City and department requirements and ordinances. Individuals in this job class also act as liaisons for the department to various committees, commissions, and citizens to communicate activities taking place, and to provide information related to project development within the community. Their work is performed under the general direction of a supervisor and is reviewed for completeness and adherence to policies and procedures.

Target Close Date

10/02/2026

Pay Grade

Grade 26

Type

Full time

Job Summary

The City of Birmingham is seeking a well-qualified and motivated Senior Planner to join their Hazard Mitigation Division. Senior Planners focus on reviewing submission documents such as drawings, maps, surveys, and applications related to development projects to ensure compliance with City and department requirements and ordinances. Individuals in this job class also act as liaisons for the department to various committees, commissions, and citizens to communicate activities taking place, and to provide information related to project development within the community. Their work is performed under the general direction of a supervisor and is reviewed for completeness and adherence to policies and procedures.

Compensation & Benefits

The City of Birmingham provides competitive pay and comprehensive benefits packages to include medical and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement plan (pension), generous paid holidays, sick and vacation leave, and more. The pay range for this job is listed below:

$60,486 - $93,828

Minimum Qualifications

Option A

• Driver's license.
• Experience writing, developing, or preparing hazard mitigation plans and long-range planning elements, such as land-use planning, environmental planning, and demographics.
• Experience collecting and analyzing data (e.g., demographic, land-use survey, market, census) in preparation for a planning study.
• Experience writing, developing, preparing, and interpreting current planning functions or development regulations, including zoning, subdivision, and floodplain regulations.
• Experience implementing long-range, short-range plans and hazard mitigation plans and developing appropriate regulations to specific situations.
• Experience developing and delivering presentations to the public, public bodies, and other stakeholders (e.g., civic and business organizations, neighborhood associations, public hearings).

Option B

• Driver's license.
• Bachelor's degree in Planning, Urban Planning, Emergency Management, Urban Studies, Public Administration, Environmental Management, or a related degree.
• Experience writing, developing, or preparing hazard mitigation plans and/or long-range planning elements, such as land‑use planning, environmental planning, and demographics.
• Experience developing and delivering presentations to the public, public bodies, and other stakeholders (e.g., civic and business organizations, neighborhood associations, public hearings).

Typical Job Duties

• Reviews drawings, maps, surveys, and applications for various purposes (e.g., zoning, subdivisions, building, addressing, construction permits) to ensure compliance with departmental requirements and County/City codes and ordinances.
• Communicates with various individuals (e.g., contractors, realtors, engineers, developers, general public) in order to answer questions and explain ordinances relating to flood plain, zoning, signage, subdivision, future land use, and the comprehension plan.
• Processes cases or projects (e.g., re‑zoning cases, subdivision cases, variances) by conducting research, analysis, and findings of cases in order to ensure accuracy and adherence to best planning practices.
• Acts as a staff liaison to various committees/commissions (e.g., Planning and Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Subdivision Committee, Zoning Advisory Committee, Historic Preservation, Planning and Zoning, Design Review Board, Board of Landscape Design) in order to gather feedback, relay information and deliver presentations.
• Participates in strategic, current, and long‑range planning and ordinance revisions by conducting research and analyzing various data (e.g., demographic reports, neighborhood revitalization plans) to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Manages federal and state project‑based grants to include defining and managing the project scope and deliverables, troubleshooting problem areas, and overseeing project budgets, timelines and contingency plans.
• Manages hazard mitigation and/or disaster recovery programs and watershed and/or floodplain planning programs by developing management plans, protocols, and procedures to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations and requirements.
• Researches other adopted city or county long‑range plans to ensure the site development plans/projects are consistent with the stated goals of the long‑range plan.
• Reviews site and development plans for adherence to development regulations required through the Zoning Ordinance and, when appropriate, approves them.
• Conducts or participates in neighborhood or public involvement meetings to inform citizens about projects in their community and to obtain feedback.
• Interprets codes and ordinances to ensure compliance with applicable federal regulations and programs.

Physical Demands

Job is primarily sedentary involving sitting for long periods of time, but may involve occasional walking or standing for brief periods. May involve occasional light lifting of items or objects weighing up to 25 lbs.

Work Environment

Work is conducted mostly indoors in an office setting, with periodic field visits to external indoor or outdoor locations. Work involves use of standard office equipment, such as computer, phone, copier, etc.

Eeo Statement

The Personnel Board of Jefferson County provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment with the Personnel Board of Jefferson County, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Each Merit System member city/agency operates its own equal employment opportunity policies available on the individual city/agency website.

Accommodation

To request an accommodation in the application or hiring process due to your own ongoing medical condition or disability, please contact our Accommodations Coordinator at [e-mail] or phone at 205-279-3500 (select option 1) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The accommodation process is reserved solely for job seekers with disabilities requesting accessibility assistance or accommodation in the job application process.

Disclaimer

This job posting is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of the job duties, responsibilities, or skills and abilities required for this position and may be changed at the discretion of the Personnel Board at any time.