Community Planner / Senior Planner

Description:

The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) is seeking a planner to join our community planning team! If you are looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference in the greater Birmingham region, look no further!  The RPCGB facilitates the development of long-range community plans and regional transportation plans, offers economic development assistance, and provides our communities with data and mapping services.

Ideal candidates are detail-oriented team players who possess the ability to adapt to shifting priorities and deadlines with ease.  Candidates must be proactive and resourceful critical thinkers with strong listening, communication and presentation skills and the ability to work with a team as well as with self-directed work. 

Candidates should have a working knowledge of key principles of community and regional planning, land development regulations, resiliency, and urban design. Experience in land use planning, comprehensive planning, corridor plans, and zoning are desired.

Duties and Responsibilities:

As a Planner for the RPCGB, your duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Coordinating with senior staff on community planning projects from conception to completion. 
• Conducting analyses of demographic, economic, housing, land use, and transportation data to identify community problems, issues and opportunities in study areas and potential planning interventions.
• Developing portions of comprehensive plans that communicate goals, strategies, and other policies that can be implemented as they relate to land use, zoning, housing, transportation, and economic development.
• Interpreting and applying zoning ordinances; proposing modifications to zoning ordinances and writing new ordinances.
• Utilizing GIS to conduct quantitative analyses and mapping of land use, zoning, demographic, housing, environmental and transportation-related data.
• Designing visual aids in the form of report templates, renderings, diagrams, maps, and charts to help communicate complex planning concepts and project ideas.
• Designing public outreach activities to obtain community input (for both online and in-person feedback).
• Preparing for, attending, facilitating, and summarizing public meetings and steering committee meetings with government officials and the public. 
• Answering questions from the public, city officials, and other agencies regarding zoning, land use, and land development.
• Developing and formatting documents (in Word and InDesign).

Skills Required:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
• Proficiency in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and ArcGIS Pro
• Proficiency in or working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop)
• Familiarity with or working knowledge of Trimble SketchUp (preferred but not required)

The ideal candidates for the Community Planner position will have the following credentials and experience:

Education:

This position requires a bachelor’s degree in community or urban planning, landscape architecture, architecture, geography or another closely related field. A master’s degree is preferred.

Experience:

Candidates should have at least one (1) year of professional experience in planning or a related field. A combination of postgraduate coursework and internship experience can be used to satisfy this requirement.

Remote Work and Travel Expectations:

This is a hybrid position that incorporates a mixture of in-office and remote work. This position requires regular travel throughout the Birmingham region for meetings with municipal partners and the public.  These meetings often take place after 5pm. A valid driver’s license and access to personal transportation are required.

Salary Range:

$45,000 to $75,000

The position may be filled at either the Community Planner or Senior Planner level, dependent upon  candidate’s experience and qualifications. Salary and title will be negotiated with the level of hire.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and work samples to [email protected]. Work samples should demonstrate competent writing skills and proficiency in GIS, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and/or SketchUp.