Senior Planner

The City of Salinas invites seasoned planning professionals to apply for an exciting Senior Planner position that offers the opportunity to shape the future of Salinas and contribute meaningfully, while enjoying a fulfilling career in a vibrant, collaborative environment. This recruitment will be used to fill one full-time, benefited vacancy and one part-time, benefited vacancy (20 hrs./week).

Ideal candidates will possess a robust background in both long-range and current planning, with a working knowledge of CEQA Guidelines, Subdivision Map Act, and other California housing production laws. As one of the lead planners, you will engage in a diverse range of projects that directly impact our community, from land use policies to economic development initiatives. Examples of current projects include, but are not limited to, development of a $3.2 million square foot Amazon warehouse, subdivision maps containing several thousand lots in the Future Growth Area, large scale agricultural cooling and processing facilities, hotel development, and other commercial and semi-public projects. 

In addition to base pay, this position is eligible for an Educational Achievement premium of 2.5% for a Bachelor's degree plus 2.5% for a job-related graduate degree. Please click here for a complete description of benefits. 

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: All applicants must provide proof of the required education at the time of application or submit to the agency contact. Applicants with foreign degrees/transcripts must provide U.S. degree equivalency by submitting a credential evaluation report. Applications are incomplete without the required documents and will be disqualified. Applicants are responsible for ensuring all documents are received. 

Summary of Duties: The Senior Planner performs responsible professional and technical work to organize, develop, and implement planning, housing, and community and economic development activities within a Community Development Department division. 

Distinguishing Characteristics: This is the advanced journey level class in the Planner series. The incumbent provides highly skilled, responsible, and experienced technical staff assistance to direct activities in one of the following areas: current and advanced planning, plan and project implementation, economic development or housing and community development. It is distinguished from the Associate Planner position in the degree of complexity of assignments. 

Supervision Received and Exercised: Receives direction from a Planning Manager, Assistant Community Development Director, or designee. May exercise supervision over professional, technical, and clerical personnel.  

1. Assists with coordinating the City's housing, community development, economic development and planning activities 
2. Performs complex and sensitive planning and community development work and negotiates and mediates sensitive issues within assigned programs 
3. Assists in the implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities 
4. Responsible for the preparation and implementation of long-range city plans including the general plan, area specific plans, community plans and associated policies, projects, and actions 
5. Processes complex planning projects that include Annexation and Sphere of Influence Amendments and Development Agreements
6. Coordinates with local, regional, state, and federal agencies on land use, housing, environmental, and long-range planning initiatives
7. Reviews, evaluates, constructively comments on, and processes administrative and discretionary development proposals and applications, architectural design, and other plans to ensure development projects and proposals conform to the General Plan and Zoning Code
8. Meets with and advises developers regarding development applications and processes; explains purposes, regulations, and directives of development practices
9. Prepares ordinances, City Council reports, and other written reports to outside agencies
10. Analyzes and interprets legislative proposals and activities 
11. Coordinates, reviews, and participates in the work of professional and technical employees in data collection, analyses, plan formulation, and implementation of a variety of planning and redevelopment activities
12. Evaluates environmental and technical studies for all levels of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Quality Act (NEPA) compliance
13. Directs and coordinates special studies; prepares reports and findings related to population growth, annexation, and fiscal matters
14. Conducts and oversees research analysis, and the use of a variety of data including studies of land use, population, social and economic conditions, housing, and community facilities  
15. Negotiates, develops, and administers contractual agreements
16. Represents the Department at public meetings/hearings and presents major matters to the City Council, Planning Commission, and citizen committees, as required
17. Provides support and guidance to the Housing and Land Use Committee, Planning Commission, Historic Resource Board, and similar committees/commissions
18. Assists in budget preparation and administration 
19. May supervise, train, and evaluate technical and clerical staff, as assigned 
20. Promotes and maintains safety in the workplace
21. Performs related duties as assigned

Knowledge of: 

• Principles and practices of municipal urban planning, housing, and community and economic development
• Recent developments, current literature, and informational sources in the field of planning, community development, and economic development
• Research methods and procedures
• Principles and practices of public administration, project, and budget
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations relating to urban and regional planning and community development programs
• Grant and contract administration
• Negotiation techniques
• Applicable laws related to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and environmental regulations
• Real estate financing, construction and development practices and procedures
• Research methods and procedures  
• Mathematics and statistics 
• Written, oral, and graphic presentation techniques
• Planning and land development research and application methods   
• Operation of personal computers with proficiency using word processing and spreadsheet programs
• Principles and practices of supervision, training, and problem-solving techniques

 Ability to: 

• Communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing
• Prepare concise, comprehensive, and accurate written reports and correspondence
• Prepare and analyze planning and demographic studies and communicate findings in an understandable and comprehensive manner
• Select, train, supervise, and evaluate assigned staff
• Promote quality customer service
• Manage technically complex planning activities, including planning, community development and economic development activities
• Organize tasks and manage time to meet deadlines
• Adapt to changing priorities, manage a heavy workload while maintaining quality work and a customer-oriented focus
• Organize and conduct complex and sensitive negotiations with a variety of groups and individuals   
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, public agencies, developers, builders, other City departments and the public
• Correctly interpret, analyze, explain, and apply governmental policy, procedures, and regulations
• Support preparation and oversight of divisional budgets 
• Promote the mission, values, and standards of an effective public organization

Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Urban Planning, Public Administration, or a related field 

Experience: Four (4) years of planning and community development experience, three (3) of which must be at the professional level. A Master’s Degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration or a related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience.

Licenses and Certifications: A valid California Driver’s License. 

Physical Demands and Working Conditions: Physical, mental and emotional stamina to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position; manual dexterity sufficient to write, use telephone, computer, business machines and related equipment; vision sufficient to read printed materials, visual display terminals, detailed fine writing on plans and specifications for development projects, and distinguish colors for design evaluation purposes; hearing sufficient to conduct in person and telephone conversations; speaking ability in an understandable voice with sufficient volume to be heard in a normal conversational distance, on the telephone and in addressing groups; physical agility to push/pull, squat, twist, turn, bend, stoop and reach overhead as needed; physical mobility sufficient to move about the work environment, physical strength to lift up to 20 lbs.; physical stamina sufficient to sit for prolonged periods of time; mental acuity to collect and interpret data, evaluate, reason, define problems, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, make valid judgments and decisions.  

Business office working environment subject to sitting at a desk for long periods of time, bending, crouching, or kneeling at files, pushing/pulling of file drawers and supplies, reaching in all directions and prolonged periods of time working at a computer terminal. Occasionally include driving to job sites, training, and out-of-office meetings.

Employee must complete SB 1343 Sexual Harassment Prevention Training within six months of appointment and every two years thereafter.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills which may be required.

Salary : $8,743 - $11,157