ASSISTANT PLANNER

The salary for this position is: $5,405 -$7,189 monthly.

The Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) department is seeking a highly motivated Assistant Planner to join our Current Planning Division. Under the guidance of a Senior Planner, the Assistant Planner performs a variety of professional level planning work. The Assistant Planner will use their skills to assist applicants on a variety of land use permit reviews and approvals.

The work of an Assistant Planner in Development Services has a direct impact on the everyday lives of our residents. We want a candidate who will bring their strong analytical skills, sound judgement and excellent customer services skills to serve the citizens of Thurston County. Community Planning and Economic Development values process improvements and ideas to better serve our citizens, and we are looking for new team members who have a desire to make improvements.

Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Land use application review and preparation of staff reports.
• Issuing preliminary and final approval on administratively approved land use permits such as short subdivisions, setback variances, environmental reviews, boundary line adjustments, and more.
• Conduct field inspections to collect pertinent site condition information and check for permit compliance.
• Providing guidance to citizens at the front counter, via email, telephone and in pre-submission conferences.
• Advise citizens regarding county land use policies and codes.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

The view the full job classification, click here: Assistant Planner

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Working Environment – Typically a quiet office setting, sitting or standing at a desk.
• Schedule – Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM or similar. Work demands may require work outside the assigned hours.
• Travel Requirements – Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings or trainings
Customer Interactions – Daily interactions via phone, in-person, and video with Thurston County Staff, and with members of the public.

WHO WE ARE:

The Assistant Planner will be joining an experienced, committed, and fast-paced team working on impactful conservation projects across four watersheds. As a part of our Community Planning & Economic Development team, you will have the opportunity to plan for Thurston County's future and collaboratively solve complex community issues. The Community Planning team works with other county team members, landowners, community groups, the cities in Thurston County, state and federal agencies, and more.

The experts of Community Planning & Economic Development are on the leading edge of major issues affecting the residents of Thurston County including:

• Habitat Conservation
• Comprehensive Planning
• Agriculture, Forestry, and Open Space Planning
• Joint Planning with the Cities in Thurston County
• Shoreline Management

The team members of Community Planning & Economic Development make it a wonderful place to work and effect change. CPED is a department of highly motivated professionals working for the people of Thurston County and planning for its future. CPED works to conserve natural resources, plan for resilient communities, ensure buildings are safe and energy-efficient and plan for future growth.

Thurston County values the diversity of the people it hires and serves. Inclusion to us means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person’s talents and strengths. We are dedicated to recruiting and developing a talented workforce from various cultures, lifestyles, backgrounds, and perspectives who are committed to our vision and core values.

HAT WE OFFER OUR EMPLOYEES:

• Work-Life Balance: We are committed to ensure that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individuals’ lifestyle.
• Plan For Your Future: As a member of our team, you will enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre-tax savings accounts, as well as comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you and your family.
• Paid Leave: Full-time regular employees earn paid vacation in addition to paid holidays .
• Robust Training Program: Employees are encouraged to attend County paid training to help them further their career, learn new skill sets, and stay on top of emerging trends in our industry. We also encourage our staff to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences.
• Flexible Work Schedules: Some of the options that employees may take advantage of include alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
• Deferred Compensation: The County offers 3 voluntary deferred compensation plans for employees who would like to set aside additional deferred tax dollars into a retirement savings plan.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA ) : Employees can take advantage of Section 125 flexible spending accounts for out-of-pocket health care and daycare expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: This is a federal program which allows full-time public service employees who have made qualifying payments for certain loans, to get their student loans repaid. Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
  

Why you’ll love it here: Thurston County is located between Seattle and Portland in Western Washington’s South Puget Sound Region. Perched in between the mountains and the ocean, the area boasts the perfect blend of year-round outdoor activities including boating, hiking, skiing, and more. The region is also home to the state capitol city of Olympia, known for its many restaurants, microbreweries, coffee shops, farmer’s markets, kids’ activities, history, and art events. Discover more about life in Thurston County at Experienceolympia.com .

Message to potential applicants: We understand that some potential applicants are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the functions or skills listed in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we understand that may be someone who will learn some of these skills on the job. If you are interested in this position, and meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to go ahead and apply! Feel free to think about how you will bring your own set of skills to the role and tell us about the potential that you hold.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Planning, Geography, Public Administration, Environmental Science, Earth Science, Biology, Environmental Planning or a closely related field.
• One year of professional level, current, long range and/ or environmental planning work experience, with an emphasis on public contact. Additional experience can substitute for education on a year for year basis.
• Ability to utilize a personal computer and related software packages to perform word processing, information retrieval and tracking.
A current Washington State Driver's License may be required.

DESIRED SKILLS

• Knowledge of Washington State planning laws such as the Growth Management Act and State Environmental Policy Act.
• Ability to use GIS software such as ESRI ArcGIS Desktop.
• Experience in reading and interpreting aerial photos, topographic maps, and other map information to conduct remote sensing for permit review.
• Previous experience conducting environmental, land use permit review, applying regulations, and issuing administrative decisions.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and permit database applications.
Experience in customer service and helping citizens understand codes and ordinances.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECRUITMENT?
The contact person for this recruitment is Alana Bradshaw at (360) 480-8237 or by email at alana.bradshaw@co.thurston.wa.us .

This position is:

• Represented by a Union
• Eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Eligible for benefits

Items required for consideration:

• Application
• Letter of Interest
• Resume
List of three professional references

Please note: Information in this announcement is subject to change without notice at any time during the length of the job advertisement.

THURSTON COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Thurston County is committed to provide equal opportunity to all persons seeking or having access to its employment, services and activities, which is free from restriction based on race, sex, marital status, color, creed or religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, pregnancy, status as an honorably discharged veteran or military status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, unless based upon bona fide occupational qualifications. Applicants with disabilities who need accommodation with the application or selection process should contact Thurston County’s Human Resources, at (360) 786-5498. Those who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or speech impaired may use the statewide relay system to reach Thurston County offices and departments to conduct their business telephonically. Relay users can simply dial 7-1-1 (or 1-800-833-6388) to connect with Washington Relay.