Planning Manager (Long-Range)

The St. Louis County Department of Planning is looking for a dedicated Long-Range Planning Manager to join our team of passionate, talented, and creative Planners who want to make a difference and see their work efforts result in tangible outcomes. The Department of Planning serves a wide and varied geography and is the local planning office for the more than 315,000 residents of unincorporated St. Louis County. With the Department office located at the County Administration Building in downtown Clayton, Missouri, you are steps away from the Metrolink Blue Line and various Metrobus options, coffee shops, restaurants, Shaw Park, and the Centennial Greenway. The Department benefits from having multiple Planners on staff, all at various points in their careers, who are ready to support the work of the Long Range Planning Manager.

As the Long-Range Planning Manager, you will have a portfolio of work covering all long-range and comprehensive planning tasks, including neighborhood planning, annexations, and community building work. The Department is undertaking a new comprehensive planning process, information about which can be found at www.stlouiscounty2050.com. Additionally, the Department has been appropriated the funding needed to complete a small area study of the Spanish Lake area, including around the new Wildcare Park. These projects, and their future implementation, require a strong leader with vision and fortitude.

The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent writing and analysis skills, will be comfortable talking to a wide variety of stakeholders, and will be capable of explaining complex ideas to community members. The Long-Range Planning Manager will be expected to manage all work output of their Division, under the supervision of the Deputy Director or Director. The Long-Range Planning Manager will also have multiple direct reports, including a Planning Supervisor for Neighborhood Planning and one Planner. No workday will ever be the exact same and the chosen candidate will have an opportunity to use their passion for the betterment of our communities.

The typical work hours are from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday – Friday. The position regularly requires evening and weekend hours to facilitate and attend engagement, outreach, and public meetings.

The starting salary is between $74,401.60 - $89,273.60 annually, depending on the candidate's qualifications.

As an employer, St. Louis County cares about the health and well-being of our employees. In an effort to provide for the best possible work-life balance, the County offers a generous benefit package which includes affordable health insurance, dental and vision coverage, 4 weeks of Paid Time Off the first year, 11 paid holidays, deferred benefit retirement plan, paid life insurance as well as short- and long-term disability. To learn more County benefits, visit https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-departments/administration/personnel/benefits.

St. Louis County Government is a qualified agency for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program managed by the Federal Government. For more information regarding this program, visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service.

Examples of Duties

• Advise the Director, Deputy Director, and Planning Commission on all long-range planning-related matters
• Serve as the County’s technical expert for long-range and neighborhood planning through oversight of St. Louis County 2050: An Equitable and Sustainable Comprehensive Plan
• Manage neighborhood plan development, outreach, and implementation

• Assist neighborhoods with forming neighborhood associations and with maintenance and enhancement
• Research, compile and analyze data on economic, social, and physical factors affecting land use, and prepare graphic and narrative reports. This includes annexation reports and preparation of reports for long-range planning initiatives
• Confer with civic leaders and other authorities to devise and recommend arrangements of land and physical facilities for residential, commercial, industrial, and community uses
• Educate and assist citizens to increase awareness of existing conditions, solicit their input and address their concerns
• Attend evening meetings for various Boards and Commissions and possible weekend meetings for community engagement related to long-range planning initiatives
• Provide the County’s position on territorial and boundary questions in front of the St. Louis County Boundary Commission
• Direct the development of the long-range planning division’s annual work plan
• Participate in budget preparation and administration; monitor and control expenditures
• Assign work to staff and ensure appropriate training is provided
• Perform other duties as required or assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Planning or closely related field (Public Administration, Landscape Architecture, Geography, etc.) and five years' experience in a professional planning position. A Master’s Degree in Urban Planning or related field may be substituted for two years of experience. Candidate must have at least one year of supervisory experience.

• Proficiency in the use of the Microsoft Office suite of tools and database management is required. Ability to use ESRI ArcGIS is preferred.

• AICP certification is preferred.

Additional Information

SELECTION AND APPOINTMENT: A selection committee will evaluate the qualifications of each applicant which will include recentness and appropriateness of the applicant's education and experience, answers to the supplemental questions, results of employment references investigated and any other appropriate information available. The selection committee will admit to the interview only those persons who possess the most job-related qualifications and may establish admittance criteria beyond the minimum qualifications stated above. The interview will comprise 100% of the applicant's earned grade. A candidate must earn a qualifying grade of 70 or more on the interview to be eligible for appointment. After initial interviews with the selected candidates are conducted, an email will be sent to the address on file with instructions on how to complete and submit a Conviction Questionnaire. Candidates have 3 days to complete the required questionnaire. The five top ranking candidates, based on the final grade, will be certified to the Department Director/Appointing Authority who will make the final decision. All applicants conditionally offered a merit position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Screening will be performed by a reputable clinical laboratory. The cost of screening will be covered by the County.