Principal Planner

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Job description

THE POSITION
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.

This position is responsible for the oversight of the Environmental Planning Services Section of the Planning Division.

Major functions include:

• Overseeing initial review of proposed projects and providing preliminary environmental determinations for development projects.
• Providing advice relating to environmental assessment for internal City departments and projects.
• Overseeing Native American consultations and compliance with requirements of AB52.
• The supervision and review of the work of professional planning personnel and consultants in the preparation, revision and enforcement of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental documents.
• Customer service to both internal and external clients.

The Principal Planner is also responsible for:

• Compiling and evaluating data and making recommendations for more complex planning projects and participating in special studies as required.
• Assisting the coordination of regular and special meetings of the Planning and Design Commission.
• Representing the City in public and official meetings with other City departments, organizations, and professional groups on planning matters.
• Participating in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for the Planning Division.

IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

The ideal candidate will be a highly experienced California Environmental Quality Act practitioner who can provide high-level environmental compliance advice to decision-makers, adept at streamlining environmental review while ensuring compliance with legal requirements and protection of the City's interests, and an effective leader and manager of lower-level staff.

Under general direction, the Principal Planner plans, organizes, supervises, and reviews the work of professional planning personnel and provides technical advice; performs responsible administrative and professional planning work in carrying out the current, long range and environmental functional areas of the Planning Division; represents the City and the Department in public and official meetings; and makes recommendations.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This management classification is populated with multiple incumbents who are responsible for carrying out, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with existing regulations, policy and methods. The Principal Planner is distinguished from the next lower level classification of Senior Planner in that the latter is a first line supervisor over a project team while the former has responsibility for overseeing several teams of staff engaged in implementing a comprehensive planning program and participating in the development of the goals, objectives, and policies of the division. The classification is distinguished from that of Planning Manager in that the latter has a broader responsibility in the administration of the Planning Division and assists in the administrative duties of the Director of Planning.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

General direction is provided by the Director of Planning or Planning Manager. Responsibilities include the direct and indirect supervision of professional and technical personnel.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
TYPICAL DUTIES

- Plans, organizes, supervises, and reviews the work of professional planning personnel and others in the preparation, revision, and administration of master plans, zoning ordinances, and development regulations for a large region within the City.
- Coordinates preparation and maintenance of the general plan and long range planning work program; provides technical advice to subordinate personnel engaged in performing difficult assignments.
- Compiles and evaluates data and makes recommendations for the more complex planning projects and participates in special studies as required.
- Makes administrative decisions in the absence of the Director of Planning and Planning Manager.
- Coordinates regular and special meetings of the Planning Commission; represents the City in public and official meetings with other City departments, organizations, and professional groups on planning matters.
- Participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities.
- Supervises, trains, and evaluates assigned personnel.
- Performs other or related duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:

- Principles and practices of effective supervision.
- Principles and practices of governmental planning.
- Current literature and recent developments in the field of public planning.
- Planning law, theory, and practice.
- 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, transportation, public administration, economic development.
- Statistical concepts and methods.
- Project management.
- Applicable Federal, State, and local laws and ordinances including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Skill In:

- Use of modern office equipment including computers, computer applications, and software.

Ability to:

- Plan, assign, and supervise the work of professional and paraprofessional planning personnel.
- Participate in technical research on planning, environmental, economic, transportation, and related problems.
- Provide technical advice to subordinate personnel engaged in performing difficult assignments.
- Participate in technical research on planning, environmental, economic, and transportation problems.
- Perform research, analyze data, prepare reports, and present recommendations on complex planning projects.
- Establish effective working relationships with employees, public officials, and the general public.
- Develop alternatives and resolve conflicts 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, orally and in writing; make presentations before large and small groups.
- Organize and manage complex planning teams.
- Develop planning policies and implementation strategies.

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:

Six years of progressively responsible professional experience in urban planning, including two years in a supervisory capacity.

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. A Master's Degree in one of these fields is desirable.

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 credentials evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due at time of appointment.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Driver License:

Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License at the time of appointment. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to physical disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
THE SELECTION PROCEDURE
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 applicant inbox.

1. Application: (Pass/Fail) - All applicants must complete and submit online a City of Sacramento employment application by the final filing deadline ;

• Employment applications must be submitted online; paper applications will not be accepted.
• Employment applications will be considered incomplete and will be disqualified:

• If applicants do not list current and past job-related experience in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section. Note: Qualifying experience is based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Qualifying experience is calculated to the full-time equivalent (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week ).
• If "see resume" is noted in the "Work Experience" section; a resume will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section.

• Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position.
• Proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted online with your application. Proof of education will be required at time of appointment.

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