Chief Planner

The Position

Recruitments posted as "Continuous" are subject to close at any time (sometimes without warning) after an initial two-week posting period.  Upon closing, the applications received will be screened (generally within 48 hours) and notices will be sent to the applicants regarding the status of their application.  Once a continuous recruitment closes it will often be posted again immediately.  You will not be notified by HR regarding the status of your application until the recruitment you applied under closes.

The current vacancies are in Ukiah and Fort Bragg, CA. The list developed from this recruitment will be used for a limited period to fill open and promotional, regular full-time, and part-time positions, should they occur. Pursuant to current bargaining unit agreements, employees regularly assigned to the coastal region or in Covelo are eligible to receive a 5% assignment premium.

Under administrative direction, organizes and supervises the operations, functions, and staff of the Planning Division; coordinates planning matters and serves as the lead individual for presentations to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.  The work includes working well with the public and providing technical expertise in Planning within the department.

Bilingual English/Spanish encouraged to apply. Se buscan personas bilingües en inglés y español. Para recibir una solicitud en español, llame a Recursos Humanos al 234-6600.

Job Requirements and Minimum Qualifications

• Carries out supervisory responsibility in accordance with policies, procedures and applicable laws including: interviewing, hiring and training, planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
• Assigns and tracks processing of planning applications, including scheduling for Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors agendas.
• Develops, communicates, and monitors policies, procedures, and standards for the department; recommends improvement when necessary.
• Prepares operating budget for the division annually; monitors and administers approved budget.
• Makes technical presentations to the Commission and Board of Supervisors.
• Reviews and edits staff reports and major correspondence.
• Plans and implements short-term or annual goals, objectives, and strategies for the division to ensure efficient organization and completion of work.
• Makes final decision in interpreting and applying various local, state, and federal regulations.
• May act as Director or Assistant Director, in his/her absence, for temporary period of time.
• Prepares grants, ordinances, resolutions and other reports.
• Conducts regular staff meetings to review progress, accomplishments, strategies, and plans for the division.
• Responds to applicants and the general public in person and over the telephone.
• Represents the department on numerous committees as required.
• Works with other agencies to develop and implement land use policies and regulations and to resolve planning and environmental issues.
• Serves as a witness in litigation as required.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

To qualify for this classification, an individual must possess any combination of experience, training, and education that would likely produce the required knowledge, skills, and abilities as listed.  A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities would be:

Experience:  4-years related experience including 2 years in a supervisory role; or 1-year as Senior Planner

Education:  Normally, education equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Rural/Community Planning, or a related field. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Advanced principles, methods, and techniques utilized in land use and environmental planning, including ordinances and regulations pertaining to zoning, subdivisions and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
• Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting and implementation.
• Administration of staff and activities either directly or through subordinate supervision.
• All applicable state, federal and local ordinances, laws, rules and regulations.
• Socio-economic and environmental principles and their application to urban and rural development and conservation.
• Research methodology and standard statistical methods and procedures as they apply to planning.
• Principles and practices of public administration.
• Departmental policies and procedures.
• Principles and practices of urban, regional, and environmental planning.
• Methods and techniques of research, statistical analysis and report presentation.
• Correct English usage including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.
• All computer applications and hardware related to performance of the essential functions of the job.
• Recordkeeping, report preparation, filing methods and records management techniques.
• Standard business arithmetic, including percentages and decimals.
• Basic budgetary principles and practices.

• Using tact, discretion, initiative and independent judgment within established guidelines.
• Researching, compiling, and summarizing a variety of informational and statistical data and materials.
• Organizing work, setting priorities, meeting critical deadlines, and following up on assignments with a minimum of direction.
• Applying logical thinking to solve problems or accomplish tasks; to understand, interpret and communicate complicated policies, procedures and protocols.
• Using mathematics.
• Communicating clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Planning, organizing, assigning, directing, reviewing and evaluating the work of staff.
• Selecting and motivating staff and providing for their training and professional development.
• Preparing clear and concise reports, correspondence and other written materials.

• Ability to determine work priorities and effectively coordinate and schedule personnel and other resources.
• Ability to think and speak clearly, analyze, and resolve issues in a high-pressure public hearing forum.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret professional periodicals and journals, technical procedures and government regulations.
• Ability to prepare and present complex technical reports.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.
• Ability to determine appropriate research methodology for project studies and insure that analysis is complete and accurate.
• Ability to supervise the preparation of, or perform, complex, difficult, or specialized planning studies and projects.
• Ability to speak effectively before public groups and respond to questions.
• Ability to write reports, correspondence, procedure manuals.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to identify and analyze problem situations, establish priorities of action based on analysis, and take appropriate action to resolve problems.
• While performing the essential functions of this job the incumbent is regularly required to walk, sit, use hands and fingers, handle or feel objects, reach with hands and arms, speak and hear, push and pull, move, or lift above and below the neck objects weighing up to 20 pounds.