Team Leader, Sprint Team

City of New York; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of New York’s Department of City Planning seeks a Team Leader for the Sprint Team to supervise project managers reviewing land use applications through pre‑certification. You will manage assignments, track milestones, and escalate schedule risks while collaborating with borough offices, divisions, and applicants to accelerate project timelines.

You will mentor staff, ensure consistency in guidance, and maintain accountability to deadlines, contributing to affordable housing goals and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in city planning or related field with two years of satisfactory full‑time experience.
• Graduate education may substitute for experience (30 grad credits = 1 year).
• Assignment Level III/IV require additional professional experience beyond minimum requirements.

Responsibilities

• Supervise a team of project managers across boroughs handling pre‑certification processes.
• Coordinate with borough offices, divisions, applicants, and senior management to resolve bottlenecks.
• Monitor capacity, review milestones, and ensure timely guidance and comments to applicants and the City Planning Commission.
• Support staff development, quality control, reporting, and day‑to‑day workflow within the Sprint Team.

Skills

Land use review

Team supervision

Project coordination

Interagency collaboration

Written and verbal communication

Data reporting

Scheduling and milestones

Education

Bachelor’s degree in City Planning or related field

Graduate education substitution for experience

Tools

Zoning Applications Portal

Job description

DISCLAIMER: Only candidates with permanent Civil Service status in the City Planner title, those reachable on the City Planner active list (exam #5045), or those serving in a comparable civil service title can be considered for this position. CITY PLANNER - 22122

THE AGENCY

The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the future of New York City, working to create thriving and dynamic neighborhoods with access to housing and jobs, resilient infrastructure, and a vibrant public realm. The Department engages communities to develop inclusive plans, expands housing access and economic opportunity, and plans for long-term sustainability.

DCP supports the City Planning Commission in its annual review of hundreds of land use applications. The Department also advises on citywide strategic and capital planning, analyzes data, conducts policy analysis, and creates open data and civic engagement tools.

The Department of City Planning offers staff meaningful opportunities to help shape the future of New York City and address some of its most pressing challenges. The Department values public service, collaboration, and creativity, and supports professional development. Learn more about DCP at www.nyc.gov/planning.

THE DIVISION

Established to carry out the functions outlined in the SPEED Report, the Sprint Team is a new, dedicated project management team established to advance the Mamdani Administration's mandate to deliver affordable housing faster through streamlining the review of land use applications to reduce DCP pre‑certification timelines for eligible projects from approximately two years to six months. The team will focus specifically on moving applications quickly, predictably, and transparently into public review while preserving the integrity of technical, zoning, and public review requirements. The land use application is the building block upon which the public discussion about the future of our city rests. The Division is responsible for the timely review of applications to ensure that decision‑makers have the information necessary to make informed decisions about their communities.

Working closely with DCP Borough Offices, the Technical Review Division, Environmental Assessment and Review, Pipeline and Commission Operations, Counsel, Capital Planning and Support, Strategic Planning, and the Mayor’s Office, the Sprint Team will identify eligible projects, establish clear review pathways, resolve critical path issues, track milestones, maintain high‑quality data in DCP’s Zoning Applications Portal and related systems, and ensure that applicants and reviewers have clear expectations and guidance.

The Sprint Team's primary responsibility is the direct management and review of complex land use applications progressing through pre‑certification. Staff within the division will serve as lead project managers responsible for driving projects through the establishment of inter‑divisional guidance, identifying and escalating risks to schedule, coordinating guidance and comments to applicants and the City Planning Commission, maintaining accountability to milestone commitments, ensuring that applicants receive timely and actionable direction throughout the process, and providing transparency to the pre‑certification pipeline through accurate reporting in DCP’s Zoning Application Portal.

The Sprint Team will operate in a highly deadline‑driven environment requiring strong judgment, collaboration, technical and planning knowledge, focus on creating and maintaining agency best practices, and a public service dedication. The Director's work will directly support the City's housing production goals by leading a solutions‑focused team to reduce avoidable delays while balancing the need to provide thoughtful and accurate guidance on technical and zoning requirements and public review recommendations and strengthening DCP’s accountability to support the city’s goals for affordable housing production.

THE ROLE

The Team Leader of the Sprint Team will supervise a small group of project managers assigned to one or more boroughs responsible for managing land use applications progressing through pre‑certification. The Team Leader will oversee application assignments, monitor team capacity and review milestones, assist with application review comments, identify schedule risks, maintain accountability to deadlines, and support consistent implementation of Sprint Team priorities.

The Team Leader will serve as an escalation point for application review issues and will coordinate closely with borough offices, other review divisions, private and public applicants, and senior management to help resolve bottlenecks affecting project advancement. The position will also support staff development, quality control, reporting, and day‑to‑day workflow management within the Sprint Team.

Authorization to work in the United States is required for this position. The NYC Department of City Planning does not offer sponsorship, of any kind, for any type of employment opportunity. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they meet all minimum qualifying requirements for this position at the time of application.

Only applicants under consideration will be contacted. Appointments are subject to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

This position may be eligible for remote work up to 2 days per week, pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program agreed to between the City and labor unions.

NOTE: If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation during your visit or have questions regarding the accessibility of our facilities, please reach out to [e-mail] or call 212-720-3508 at least three business days prior to your arrival.

Minimum Qualifications

• 1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of satisfactory full‑time experience in city planning; or
• 2. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience that is equivalent to “1” above. Graduate education in city planning, urban planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, transportation engineering, public administration, economic development or related fields may be substituted for experience on the basis of 30 graduate semester credits from an accredited college for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree.
• Special Qualification Requirements:
• Assignment Level III: To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level III, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, one additional year of professional experience as described in “2” above.
• Assignment Level IV: To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level IV, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, two additional years of professional experience as described in “2” above.

Preferred Skills

• Strong knowledge of New York City land use review, Zoning Resolution, technical review, public review, and interagency review practices
• Minimum 2 years of successful experience supervising complex technical or operational teams
• Ability to manage multiple high‑priority projects simultaneously under significant time constraints
• Strong judgment and decision‑making skills
• Experience coordinating across divisions and executive stakeholders
• Excellent written, verbal, and organizational communication skills
• Proficiency with project tracking systems, data management, and performance reporting tools.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55‑a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55‑a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.