Pay Range:  $85,611 – $111,295 annually

Job Posting Closing on: Friday, November 22, 2024

Workdays & Hours: Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm; Some evening/weekend work required.

Benefits for this position include: 11 Paid Holidays, Medical, Dental, Vision, Paid Time Off, Pension Plan, Professional Development Opportunities, and much more.

The City of Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing large cities in the U.S. Our employees serve the needs of nearly 1,000,000 residents, promoting our values of exceptional customer experience, mutual respect, embracing our diversity, continuous improvement, ethical behavior, and accountability.

We are looking for a dynamic Planning Manager to join the Planning Division of the Fort Worth Lab (FWLab), an initiative launched by City Manager David Cooke in February 2023 to enhance the City’s capacity to make data-driven policy decisions. The FWLab includes Long-Range Planning, Budget, Strategy & Performance and Data Analytics. This newly imagined position will play a critical role in shaping the future of Fort Worth by overseeing diverse city-wide planning efforts and leveraging data to inform policy, capital planning, and community engagement.

As the Planning Manager, you will lead a team of professionals and guide critical planning initiatives such as the 2050 Comprehensive Plan, planning sector plans, bond planning and prioritization, land use planning and capital improvement projects. You will collaborate across departments, engage community stakeholders, and ensure that planning efforts align with Fort Worth’s long-term vision of becoming the most livable and best-managed city in the country.

The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership and planning expertise, with experience in both planning and GIS applications. You should be a strategic thinker, an effective communicator, and someone who thrives in a collaborative environment that values innovation and community engagement.

The Planning Manager job responsibilities include:

• Lead and Manage Planning & GIS Teams: Direct and supervise the Planning Division and its GIS functions, ensuring effective coordination of projects and service delivery to both the public and City staff. Provide mentorship, guidance, and professional development opportunities for staff.

• Strategic Planning & Data Analysis: Oversee the development of long-range plans, including the 2050 Comprehensive Plan and area plans. Lead GIS and spatial analysis efforts to inform land use, transportation, and environmental planning projects, and provide data-driven insights to support policy development.

• Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement: Partner with various City departments, external stakeholders, and community organizations to ensure planning efforts align with the City’s goals. Facilitate public engagement processes, including workshops, meetings, and outreach activities, to gather community input and foster collaboration.

• Project Management: Oversee the successful execution of multiple planning projects, ensuring that work plans are developed, priorities are set, and deadlines are met. Track progress, evaluate outcomes, and provide regular updates to leadership.

• Communication & Reporting: Prepare and present high-quality reports, maps, and presentations that effectively communicate planning strategies, GIS analysis, and project outcomes to City leaders, stakeholders, and the public.

• Capital Improvement & Policy Planning: Support strategic capital project planning, including analysis of fiscal impact and return on public investment. Guide the enhancement of the City’s Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) and contribute to budget planning efforts.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Familiarity with planning software (e.g. ArcGIS, Adobe CreativeSuite) and standard office software (MS Office)
• Two (2) years of supervisory experience
• Valid Texas Driver’s License

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in urban planning or a related field, with experience leading city-wide planning efforts, including comprehensive plans, capital projects, and community engagement.
• Expertise in GIS, spatial analysis, and data visualization/BI-tools (e.g., ArcGIS, Tableau, Power BI, Looker).
• Work with programming tools (e.g. Python, R, Julia, Java, Rust), query language (e.g. SQL).
• Proven experience in public engagement, including facilitating workshops, meetings, and outreach efforts to involve diverse communities in planning processes.
• Strong knowledge of land use, transportation, and environmental planning principles.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience preparing reports, presentations, and planning documents for a variety of audiences.
• Project management experience, with the ability to oversee multiple projects simultaneously while ensuring high-quality outcomes.
• Membership or certification from professional organizations (e.g., APA/AICP, GISP, etc.) is a plus.