Planner

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

This is professional planning work involving responsibility for research, preparation of reports and studies, and the recommendation of solutions to planning problems. This position is distinguished from that of Junior Planner in that incumbents are expected to be able to work independently on a wide range of planning problems (e.g. transportation, land use, environmental, regional) without specific instructions. In addition, this position generally works on more complex and politically sensitive planning problems. Work is usually performed under general supervision (in our Town, by the Director of Municipal Development and Senior Planner) and may at times involve the direction of lower-level planning personnel (i.e. Senior Clerk) assisting in the preparation of a particular report.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES

Specific responsibilities for this position in the Town of Poughkeepsie include: 1. Conducting planning-related reviews and providing recommendations to the Town's Planning Board. The Planning Board meets one night per month, where staff attendance is required. Although rare, there are instances where Special Meetings are scheduled for Planning Board review purposes and staff attendance is also required. The number of project reviews required per month varies. Agendas may consist of a handful of projects, but agendas have reached upwards of a dozen or more projects each month; 2. Facilitating plan review related meetings including pre-application meetings and pre-construction meetings. Staff work with applicants from the beginning of their projects through to construction completion; 3. Coordinating the review of planning applications by other Town Departments and by Town consultants (Traffic, Environmental, Legal); 4. Facilitating meetings related to plan review with Town staff from other departments and/or County, State, or other agency staff as appropriate; 5. Assisting the Director of Municipal Development and the Senior Planner with long-range planning projects and the provision of technical assistance to other Town Boards and Committees such as the Climate Smart Task Force, the Conservation Advisory Commission, the Citizens Committee on Housing Affordability, etc.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Good knowledge of the purposes, principles, and terminology employed in municipal, regional and community planning; good knowledge of zoning and subdivision principles; good knowledge of current problems and literature in the field; good knowledge of research methods and techniques; good knowledge of federal and state programs related to the planning process; ability to develop skills and techniques in preparing specialized planning projects such as land development, community development, economic development, transportation, housing, water supplies and others; ability to learn various software packages for transportation data analysis and GIS; ability to understand complex oral and written directions; ability to get along well with others; personal characteristics necessary to perform the duties of the position; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position. The Town of Poughkeepsie seeks applicants with: 1. Knowledge and experience conducting municipal plan reviews. This includes knowledge of site plan review, special use permit review, subdivision review, and more; 2. Ability to provide realistic project timelines and communicate clearly with applicants as well as set review expectations is a must. This requires strong written and verbal communication skills; 3. Ability to manage time, meet review deadlines, keep project records organized, and to work both independently with limited oversight or as part of a team is a must; 4. AICP not required, but preferred (or interest in pursuing certification); 5. Working knowledge of full Microsoft Office suite including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel and working knowledge of Adobe software is required, working knowledge of geographic information systems (GIS) is a plus; 6. Ability to learn and utilize municipal software programs for project and permit management; 7. Ability to conduct site inspections. A valid driver's license is required; 8. Ability to provide information to the public via email, the web, telephone or in person.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EITHER:

(A) Master's degree in Planning or a related field (urban studies, environmental sciences, civil engineering, geography, economics or transportation planning);

OR:

(B)Bachelor's degree in Planning or a related field (urban studies, environmental sciences, civil engineering, geography; economics, or transportation planning) and one (1) year of technical work experience in planning;

OR:

(C)An equivalent combination of education, training and experience between the limits of (A) and (B) above.

NOTE :

Your degree or college credit must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education;

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Possession of a valid Driver License to operate a motor vehicle in New York State at time of application and to maintain the position. The Town prefers applicants with a Master's degree in Planning or a closely related field, and someone with 3 to 5 years of professional planning experience. This is a noncompetitive civil service HELP title, not subject to civil service examination. The full civil service job description, inclusive of all typical work activities, can be found at: https://apps.dutchessny.gov/OB-Public-Access-API/api/Document/ATMAkvp098bx1mYMxWK%C3%812q9wikKYTyzoktwSolY4A35nRg0uodTBESQFj840Upq0TxOm3iygbCojwMZy0zDwr4U=.

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

$65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Employee assistance program Flexible spending account Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Retirement plan Vision insurance People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply Application Question(s): Please tell us which qualification you meet: A, B or C? If you do not meet any of these options, please do not continue with your application.

Work Location:

In person