SERVE

At the City of Plano, our values make us who we are and guide us as we SERVE our city.  As members of Team Plano, our organizational Values (what is most important to us) make up the acronym, SERVE (Stewardship Engaged Respectful Visionary Excellence). 

Job Details

Why is the Planning Department a great place to work? The comprehensive array of employer-provided benefits and perks—including professional development opportunities via skill-based training and conference participation, paid professional certifications, and telecommuting allowances of up to two days per week—are only part of the story.  The foundation of our great workplace lies in our culture of teamwork, community engagement, and dedication to serving the City of Plano through excellence in city planning (we are, after all, a national award-winning planning team). Our team members are committed to providing outstanding planning, development, heritage preservation, and land records services through cooperative efforts that engage our citizens and contribute to both the long-term and immediate quality of life in our community.  We have fostered a very intentional, people-centric culture where each one of us is invested and engaged in the team, the organization, and the city.  We are the embodiment of Team Plano and stand by our SERVE values. 

As a valued Team Plano member, you will receive numerous benefits:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
• Membership in the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS), in which the City matches contributions 2:1 upon retirement
• Up to three weeks of paid vacation
• Up to three weeks of paid sick leave per year
• Nine paid holidays
• Tuition Assistance
• Free Library Card
• Free recreation center membership 

And so much more! 

Every person matters. Every job has purpose. Together we make a difference. Join Team Plano!

The successful candidate may be offered a position in either the Planner or the Senior Planner classification.  The salary range for the Planner is $62,955 - $91,289 annually; for the Senior Planner position is $72,884 – $105,688 annually.

Planner (The job description for the Senior Planner is listed at the link below.)

Summary of Duties:  Under general supervision, the Planner is responsible for research, analysis, review, and reporting of matters relating to growth, development, redevelopment, revitalization, and the physical organization of the community. Depending on area assignment, the focus of an individual planner may include the review of development and zoning requests, records and ordinance maintenance, demographics, long range planning, neighborhood planning, downtown planning and/or various heritage preservation activities. 

Distinguishing Characteristics: This is the journey-level classification in the Planner series that follows diversified procedures and implements processes to accomplish end results, within guidelines. Immediate supervision is available upon request. This class is distinguished from Planner, Senior in that the latter is a higher-level class in the series that performs more complex technical, investigative, and supervisory duties requiring a higher level of knowledge and skill.

Examples of ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Management reserves the rights to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Provides general customer services; responds to concerns and inquiries.
• Performs technical analysis using adopted ordinances and policies.
• Drafts various reports; maintains department and project files and documents. 
• Assists other team members within the division and department as needed. 
• Attends department, public, boards and commissions, and City Council meetings. 
• Regular and consistent attendance for the assigned work schedule is essential. 
• Analyzes and evaluates zoning and development proposals in accordance with applicable codes and ordinances, policies, and design guidelines and makes recommendations to the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council; coordinates with other affected departments, divisions, and outside organizations such as school districts. 
• Prepares reports, meeting agendas, graphics, and associated studies and documentation for preparation and distribution to the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council.
• Processes zoning and development applications in accordance with established procedures for public notification and coordinates action by the appropriate staff entity or public body. 
• Works directly with applicants and their representatives before, during, and after the review process for zoning and development requests to inform them of the procedural requirements, address issues related to their applications, apprise them of staff recommendations, and provides documentation of actions performed by staff, the Planning & Zoning Commission, and City Council.
• Identifies, as needed, amendments to relevant codes, ordinances, procedures, policies, and guidelines for the purpose of improving the development review process and meeting community objectives.
• Oversees special team projects both within and between departments; manages and participates in the preparation of special reports and studies; provides opportunities for public involvement.
• Makes presentations on zoning and development proposals before the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council.

Marginal Duties:

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Typical Decisions: The incumbent prepares the final draft of reports, studies, plans, and other team assignments. The incumbent makes recommendations to the department or division head on team assignments.

Minimum Qualifications: 

Knowledge of: Principles and practices planning, historic preservation, or neighborhood engagement; federal and state law; municipal government organization and functions; and legal terminology related to development documents.

Skill in: Communicating clearly and effectively, verbally and in writing, in both formal and informal settings; preparing a wide range of written materials that communicate effectively to various audiences; operating a computer, standard software, and some specialized software; establishing and maintaining effective working relationships. Prefer skill in Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator; Microsoft Power BI; Airtable; and ArcGIS.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Geography, Community Development, Historic Preservation, Architecture, or related field. A Master’s degree is preferred. 

Experience: Two (2) years of experience in urban planning, neighborhood engagement, or heritage preservation or a related field.

Any work-related experience resulting in acceptable proficiency levels in the above Minimum Qualifications is an acceptable substitute for the above specified education and experience requirements.

See the full job description, including the job description for Senior Planner, at www.plano.gov/hr or the Resource URL linked below.