2524 Senior Planner

POSITION IDENTIFICATION

TITLE Senior Planner

CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 2524

GRADE 44

CLASSIFICATION Exempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Director, Center for Resource Planning and Management

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Senior Planner manages community and regional planning programs and long-range planning for rural/small town communities by providing technical and advisory assistance regarding a variety of disciplines including disaster recovery planning, hazard mitigation planning, comprehensive and land use planning, land development and zoning regulations, site plan review, transportation planning, community development, and/or economic development. The Senior Planner oversees plan preparation and related research for assigned projects and coordinates planning activities with elected officials, citizen advisory committees, and the general public. The Senior Planner must analyze census and other statistical data and prepare reports for local governments and community organizations. The Senior Planner may help formulate grant applications and administer awarded grants. The Senior Planner drafts program budgets and project proposals and may oversee the distribution and monitoring of grant funds to local jurisdictions. The Senior Planner supervises Planning student interns and assists the Director in assigning tasks among other professional planning staff.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A Bachelor’s degree in City or Regional Planning or a related field is required.

Experience: At least four years of professional planning experience or five years of experience working in a unit of local government is required. Supervisory experience is highly preferred. Experience in disaster recovery planning, hazard mitigation planning, comprehensive and land use planning, land development and zoning regulations, site plan review, transportation planning, community development, economic development, rural/small town planning, regional planning , and/or a related field is preferred, however, experience in local or state government, will be considered. Experience with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and/or Economic Development Administration (EDA) funded projects or programs is preferred.

Skill: A thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of community planning is required. Strong verbal and written communication skills are required. A research background is required. Computer skills, including word processing, database management, document design, and presentation software is required. Knowledge of other planning-related software such as AutoCAD, EMSI, ArcGIS/ArcMAP, ESRI products, etc. is preferred. The ability to compile and analyze technical and statistical data is required. The ability to work with minimal supervision, meet deadlines, and work efficiently in non-routine situations is required. The ability to work effectively with the public and elected officials is required.

Certification: American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification is required or must be obtained within the first two years of employment.

Other: Occasional day travel (150-mile radius) is required and may include occasional overnight stays. The position requires attending occasional evening meetings.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provides technical and advisory assistance to local governments and other public entities specializing in disaster recovery planning, hazard mitigation planning, comprehensive and land use planning, land development and zoning regulations, site plan review, transportation planning, community development, economic development, rural/small town planning, and/or regional planning and participates in and directs the preparation of plans, programs, budgets, technical reports, and land development regulations.

2. Develops and makes recommendations to local/regional government entities by directing planning activities with citizen advisory committees, elected or appointed officials, the general public, and professional planning staff.

3. Facilitates the development of potential sources of contracts for the Center for Resource Planning and Management and it’s clients by preparing and presenting project proposals to local, state, and federal governments, and other public entities.

4. Represents the Center for Resource Planning and Management and its clients to other government jurisdictions on relevant matters by attending meetings, workshops, seminars, and other similar activities as may be assigned.

5. Compiles and analyzes census data and other statistical data and prepares projections and reports on data analysis.

6. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses required by the Director, Center for Resource Planning and Management.

7. Contributes to the overall success of the Center for Resource Planning and Management and it’s clients by performing other essential duties and responsibilities as assigned.

SUPERVISION

The Senior Planner is supervised by the Director, Resource Planning and Management, works closely with other Planner positions, and assists with the supervision of student planning interns.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

REVISED JANUARY 2025

JOB FAMILY 4

Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery

Level 3.0 - 1500 Points: Entry-level knowledge of the principles, concepts, practices, and methods of an administrative, managerial, technical, or professional specialty. Knowledge permits employee to carry out basic recurring tasks and routine portions of assignments or to carry out less demanding professional elements of assignments in professional or technical areas including accounting or auditing, financial management, business administration, human resources, law, engineering, science, or medicine, while gaining familiarity with the University's policies and goals, business practices, and/or accounting systems. This level of knowledge permits the employee to schedule and carry out the steps of a limited operation or project, or to complete stages of a multi-phase project. Alternatively, knowledge at this level might also permit the employee to carry out recurring tasks and routine assignments requiring moderate experience in specific areas within higher education. Knowledge at this level is typically acquired through a combination of formal education and/or training and experience that includes a requirement for a college degree in a specific technical or professional specialty. Knowledge requirements may also include a limited amount of related work experience. Alternatively, equivalent knowledge requirements at this level include a non-technical or general Bachelor's degree requirement with a moderate level of additional related work experience or a non-specific Master's degree requirement with some related work experience.

Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility

Level 2.0 - 130 Points: Regular, but limited, supervision, training, or directing the work assignments of (a) small numbers of student, part-time or temporary workers, or (b) one or more permanent, full-time employees. The nature of supervision is largely confined to scheduling work and assigning tasks. Supervision at this level typically does not include a full range of supervisory responsibilities, and supervisory duties typically do not consume a large portion of the work day.

Factor 3: Interactions with Others

Level 5.0 - 850 Points: Interactions are highly unstructured and incumbents are often required to resolve difficult and unstructured problems. Interactions are commonly with administrators, cost-center heads, high level committees, or external constituents in order to defend, negotiate, or resolve controversial and/or long-range issues and problems. Interactions occur in situations subject to divergent views, skepticism, resistance, uncooperative attitudes, and conflicting objectives. Interactions often require high levels of interpersonal skill and require the ability to influence, interrogate, or control others through debate, persuasion, or authoritative recognition and require strong analytical and decision-making skills.

Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines

Level 4.0 - 850 Points: The employee operates under administrative supervision and makes decisions based on broadly-stated University objectives and available resources. Administrative guidelines are expressed in terms of project or program outcomes and deadlines with few comprehensive guidelines. Decisions are based on inadequate guidelines that require considerable interpretation and force the employee to plan all phases of the assignment. Assignments may be unrelated in function and the work requires many different processes and methods and a great deal of analysis to identify the nature and extent of problems. The work may require the employee to develop new methods and to deal with many variables, including some that are unclear or conflicting. Characteristic jobs at this level may involve directing large and/or complex programs, projects, or departments in which the work cuts across functional lines or requires dealing with unprecedented issues.

Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility

Level 3.0 - 850 Points: Work involves providing significant support services to others both within and outside of the department that substantially influences decision-making processes. Work activities are complex and others rely on the accuracy and reliability of the information, analysis, or advice to make decisions. Work activities have a direct, but shared, impact on further processes or services, affect the overall efficiency and image of the department, and may have material impact on costs or service quality within the cost center. Incumbents may be responsible for identifying areas of need and for developing proposals that request funding to fulfill those needs.