What are the responsibilities and job description for the Principal Planner position at City of Largo, FL?
Please note that applications must be completed and submitted by 11:59 pm ET on the day prior to the close date listed on the job posting.
Mission: Provide Superior Services that Inspire Community Pride
Vision: To be the Community of Choice in Tampa Bay
Values: Integrity, Collaboration, Passion, Creativity
Largo's commitment to a High Performance Organization (HPO) model builds a flexible and resilient organization that intentionally builds leadership capacity at all levels of the organization.
CITY OF LARGO ... Naturally A Great Place to Work!
Closing:
03/22/2025
Salary:
$74,318 - 118,893 USD Annually
Job Summary:
The City of Largo is seeking a Principal Planner to lead advanced planning functions, complex project management, and team oversight within the Planning Division. Reporting to the Planning Manager, this role is responsible for long-range planning, policy development, and strategic initiatives that shape the city's growth and development. The ideal candidate will have a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning or a related field, five (5) years of municipal urban planning experience, and AICP certification (advanced certifications preferred). Strong skills in GIS, data analysis, visualization tools, and business software are essential, along with excellent leadership, communication, and public engagement abilities. This position offers a unique opportunity to drive impactful community projects, influence city policies, and collaborate with a dynamic team dedicated to strategic urban planning and sustainable development. Join Team Largo and help shape the future of our city!
Additional Benefits:
- Additional $3,800 employee benefit dollars; the unused balance of which can be kept as taxable income
- Defined Contribution Plan 401(a) with a generous 6.5% City match
- Benefits also include 12 paid holidays and 24 hour full access to City fitness center. Continuous learning is supported through tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities.
- May receive $2,500 in relocation assistance for candidates outside Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough, or Manatee counties.
- Flexible workplace schedule
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
All employees share components of leadership, management, technical, and team skills to assist in making the City of Largo the community of choice in Tampa Bay.
Leadership
- Demonstrates an understanding and reflection of the City’s mission, vision, and values and a commitment to achieve organizational goals aligned with the City’s strategic plan
- Champions a high performance work culture that encourages and embraces new ideas, develops individuals and welcomes and encourages diverse perspectives
- Articulates strategic and innovative thinking and provides clarity to deliver superior services
- Approaches the job with enthusiasm and curiosity to promote a solutions-oriented work culture
Management
- Effectively manages assignments and priorities to ensure the fulfillment of projects, tasks, and responsibilities
- Follows suggested procedures to assure the highest standards of risk management, employee safety and risk avoidance
Technical
- Performs
- and manages complex and sensitive professional planning projects, research and analysis and assists with the preparation of project budgets and manages the work of consultants
- site plan review and coordinates the site plan review process
- Coordinates the Development Review Committee (DRC) meetings
- Oversees specialized planning functions such as the review of large scale development proposals, including development agreements and projects related to the implementation of the City's strategic plan
- Assigns tasks to and reviews the work of more junior members of the Planning Division
- Serves as member and may serve as chair on County wide committees for planning and related issues (such as transportation, mobility, concurrency)
- Advises
- Supervisor on planning related matters such as amendments to policies and development standards
- Planning Board and Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB) on planning related issues; attends frequent night meetings
- Prepares reports and memos on complex planning issues; presents reports and other findings to staff, boards and committees and City Commission
- May serve as Acting Planning Manager in his/her absence
Team Skills
- Supports honest and transparent decision-making
- Collaborates with all team members in a way that builds upon ideas and takes personal accountability and ownership of projects, roles, and assignments
- Openly exhibits a positive attitude, in words and action, and encourages others to do the same
Performs related work as required.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE STATUS: As a condition of employment, City of Largo employees will be required to work as directed during an undeclared and/or a declared emergency. All employees are subject to recall around the clock for emergency response operations, which may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the normal work location, and may include duties other than those specified in the official job description.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
- Master’s Degree in Urban Planning or directly related field and five (5) years directly related experience to include municipal urban planning, including development review, and project management; or equivalent education and experience
- AICP certification
- Specialty certifications such as American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Advanced Specialty Certification, LEED certification, CNU certification or Certified Economic Developer (CecD) are preferred
- Valid Driver's License
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Working knowledge of:
- principles and practices of urban planning
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for planning and/or visualization software tools such as SketchUp, Adobe Illustrator or similar products
- Facilitates effective working relations with the citizens, developers, outside agencies, public officials, and associates
- Proficiency in the use of business software (word, spreadsheet, database and presentation software)
- Advanced
- interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to make public presentations to boards and City Commission
- analytical skills and ability to make recommendations and independent decisions
- Ability to
- maintain effective working relationships with City employees, government officials, para-professional, and clerical staff
- compose effective memorandums and correspondence and to speak effectively
- meet the public and answer procedural questions relating to departmental operations
- coordinate the work of professionals and technical employees within a team context
- work on several projects or issues simultaneously
- plan, assign, supervise and review the work of team leaders, professionals and technical employees
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Work Environment: 90% inside a climate controlled building; 10% outside which includes driving. May occasionally require working in adverse working conditions.
Physical Requirements: The essential functions of the job require: sitting approximately six (6) hours per day, standing approximately one (1) hour per day, and walking approximately one (1) hour per day. The job also requires frequent fine manipulations, grasping, repetitive motion, and lifting/carrying objects weighing up to 15 pounds; with occasional bending/stooping, reaching, and lifting/carrying objects weighing up to 44 pounds. On rare occasions the work requires climbing, crawling, kneeling, pulling, and pushing.
Sensory Requirements: Hearing: Ability to understand what others are saying in normal conversation and on the telephone. Speaking: Ability to communicate orally with others and speak effectively on the telephone and while giving formal presentations to groups. Seeing: Ability to see and read computer monitor screens, operate a vehicle, distinguish different colors on a map, and read fine and/or normal print
Driving Requirements: Requires occasional driving and possession of a valid Florida Driver's License.
Technology: The work requires ability to operate telephones, smart phones, tablets, photocopiers, printers, desktop and/or laptop computers, calculators and all associated software. The work also requires proficiency with computer hardware and software programs including development review software, presentation software and graphic, mapping and/or GIS software, word, spreadsheet and/or database applications, internet applications, and database management.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
No - DRUG TESTING (Safety Sensitive)
No - CHILDCARE FINGERPRINTING
No - CREDIT CHECK
No - FDLE AND CJSTC SECURITY CLEARANCE: As mandated by the FDLE, CJSTC and the Largo Police Department, this position may be subject to additional security clearances due to access to the police department facility or police department's electronic data.
About Us
The City of Largo a great place to work, naturally! Largo is the third-largest city in Pinellas County and the fourth largest in the Tampa Bay area. Conveniently located near world-class beaches and attractions in a picturesque natural setting, Largo offers a great quality of life for residents with affordable housing and entertainment, an engaged and active community along with safe and attractive streets. The City Parks system is made up of nearly 500 acres of green space including 20 parks, 11 miles of walking trails and many opportunities to canoe, kayak, and paddleboard.
About the Organization
The organization serves over 80 thousand residents and four thousand businesses by providing superior services that inspire community pride. The organization is made up of 12 departments with a shared strategic focus on sustainability, public health & safety, and community pride.
Largo is committed to building a High-Performance Organization (HPO) model to intentionally support flexibility, resiliency, and leadership capacity at all levels of the organization. HPO empowers individuals to participate in meaningful projects and initiatives to promote employee and community engagement.
As a national Top Workplace winner three years in a row, the City of Largo is proud of our innovative, collaborative, and passionate workforce. Team members enjoy competitive compensation, professional and personal development, generous benefits and leave packages, and work-life balance. A family-friendly atmosphere, tree-lined streets, and award-winning parks just begin to define the community we serve. The City of Largo prides itself on living up to its vision of being the Community of Choice in Tampa Bay, Naturally! To learn more about the organization, please watch the
City of Largo Values
video.
About our Benefits
Team members enjoy competitive compensation, professional and personal development, generous benefits, leave packages, and a flexible work life balance. Largo provides medical, dental, and vision coverage as well as wellness benefits. Additional benefits include flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) along with paid life insurance and AD&D coverage. Supplemental life is offered at additional cost.
Full-time team members are enrolled in a Defined Contribution Plan 401(a) with a generous 6% City match. Public Safety team members covered by IAFF (Fire) and PBA (Police) have plan provisions outlined in each union agreement. All team members are eligible to open an optional Deferred Compensation 457(b) and/or Roth 457(b).
Benefits also include 11 paid leave days and 24 hour full access to fitness centers. Continuous learning is supported through tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities. For more information on the City of Largo Employee Benefits offerings, please review our
Largo Lifeline
.Salary : $74,318 - $118,893
