GENERAL SUMMARY:

The Deputy Planning Manager position reports directly to the Planning Manager for specified and specialized section areas of the Planning Department. This position acts on behalf of Planning Manager in their absence and performs other duties as assigned including but not limited to being crossed-trained in and performing the duties or one or more of the other Deputy Planning Managers in their respective absence. Incumbents of this position manage assigned staff and projects and attend and speak at public meetings that are televised and recorded. Incumbents must demonstrate both experience and knowledge of land development, zoning, land use permits, historic preservation, environment, comprehensive and area planning, urban design, and real estate laws in their respective area(s) and in writing and reviewing legal contracts, documents, and easements. This position reviews and corrects, as necessary, work products of other professionals, such as, for example, engineers, surveyors, and attorneys. Incumbents provide expert testimony on behalf of the City of Nashua in applicable court cases. Incumbents of this position provide critical and timely professional support or backup support services to respective boards and/or commissions. Position supervises and coordinates the assigned process with other relevant City Departments and outside review agencies/utilities. Incumbents of this position are responsible for providing quality customer service, responding to inquiries from the public related to land use regulations, and solving complex problems in a fast-paced environment with tight time schedules. This position supervises one or more employees.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Planning Board & Development Review

• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Planning Board and facilitate the Planning Board process.
• Schedule meetings with applicants, suggest plan improvements, and coordinate with other reviewing Departments.
• Manage and review planning applications for compliance with city ordinances and regulations.
• Facilitate and organize Technical Review Committee meetings with other City Departments.
• Review technical work from engineers, surveyors, architects, and attorneys as it relates to private development site and subdivision plan to ensure compliance with City regulations.
• Write staff reports, conduct field research, develop the Planning Board agenda, make public presentations, write legal notices and ensure notification requirements are met.
• Organize project files, site walks, and represent the Planning Manager as needed.
• Inspect sites for compliance, maintain communication with stakeholders, monitor construction progress, and inspect completed projects.

Supervisory/Administrative Duties and Personnel Management

• Direct staff activities, set performance goals, review work products, and assist with the development of departmental policies and procedures.
• Supervise and support staff, enforce work policies, assign tasks, and recommend new hires.
• Other Planning Functions
• Develop long-range and area/neighborhood planning programs, prepare scopes of work, manage contracts, and review/comment on public improvement designs.
• Attend meetings of special City committees and civic organizations as requested or required; provide information and develop presentations to support public engagement efforts.
• Assist the Planning Manager with the preparation of amendments to the land use code including the zoning ordinance, and subdivision, site plan, and conditional use permit regulations.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

The Deputy Planning Manager is the primary point of contact for all Planning Board-related issues. Serving as project manager and delegating project review responsibilities as appropriate, the Deputy Planning Manager must coordinate with all City departments which have a role in reviewing and inspecting private development. These Departments include the Division of Public Works, the Building Safety Department, Environmental Health, Code Enforcement, Sustainability, the Fire Marshal’s Office, Assessing, and others as appropriate.

The Deputy Planning Manager serves as the Planning Manager’s primary support and substitute and works directly with the Planning Manager on long-range and focused area planning efforts, legal matters, Right-to-Know requests, and any other short and long-term projects the Planning Department is responsible for overseeing.

SKILLS/EXPERIENCE/TRAINING REQUIRED:

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree (Master’s degree preferred) or equivalent from a college or university in planning, community development, landscape architecture, architecture, public administration, geography, or related field.
• A minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible related experience, supervisory experience desirable.
• Any combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge skills and abilities required for the job.

Knowledge of: 

• Principles and practices of municipal planning zoning, development regulations, and land use law.
• Working understanding of principles and practices of civil engineering, transportation engineering, architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, sociology, economic development, historic preservation, ecology and natural resources.
• Principles and practices of statistics and economics.
• Understanding of land-use planning and its relationship to transportation and zoning issues.
• Concepts of smart growth, new urbanism, sustainability, complete streets, and multimodal corridor design.
• Geographic Information Systems.
• Computer usage and applications.
• Applicable state, federal, and local laws, rules, and regulations relating to zoning, land use, and environmental issues.
• Methods and techniques of research, statistical analysis, and report presentation.

Ability to:

• Take initiative and apply tact, discretion, and independent judgement within established guidelines.
• Prioritize and manage competing demands on time to meet critical deadlines, and follow up on assignments with limited direction.
• Problem solve creatively when standard procedures may not be clear or available
• Speak and present before public Boards and Committees and respond to questions
• Communicate clearly and effectively orally and in writing.
• Interpret maps, topography, aerial imagery, government regulations, and technical procedures with a high degree of accuracy and understanding.

Licenses; Certificates; Special Requirements:

• Valid State Driver’s license
• AICP (preferred)
• CNU-A (preferred)
• APA/NHPA/NNECAPA membership (preferred)