Planner/Senior Planner

CITY EQUITY STATEMENT
The City of Westminster welcomes diverse candidates from the broadest base possible. Our goal is to find the best candidate for the job-someone who belongs, not just fits. We value life and professional experiences, recognizing equivalent combinations of knowledge skills and education.

Aligned with our city SPIRIT values, the successful candidate will have a passion and commitment to serving a diverse population of residents and must respect and uphold the principles of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

We encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for this role, even if you believe you have a less traditional background than described we invite you to apply.

POSITION PURPOSE / IMPORTANT APPLICATION INFORMATION

The Planner position is a professional and technical planning position that is responsible for advanced level work involving primarily current planning activities and some long-range planning. Job duties include coordinating the City's review and analysis of annexation and rezoning requests and development proposals, developing land use regulations, assisting with preparing comprehensive plans and sub-area plans, developing and maintaining a statistical database, coordinating information between various elements of the City Staff, developing plans, policies and programs for review and making presentations to the Planning Commission and City Council. Work is performed with a reasonable degree of latitude for independent, mature judgment, and action is reviewed by the Principal Planner or the Planning Manager through observation, conference, reports, and achievement of desired objectives.

The Senior Planner position is a high level professional and technical planning position that is responsible for advanced level work involving primarily current planning activities and some long-range planning. A high emphasis is placed on design and urban design issues with current planning, including a strong knowledge of architecture, landscape architecture and sound site planning. The position is responsible for coordinating the City's review and analysis of annexation and rezoning requests and development proposals, developing land use regulations, and assisting with preparing comprehensive plans and sub-area plans. The position is also responsible for developing and maintaining a statistical data base, coordinating information between various members of the City Staff, developing plans, policies and programs for review and making presentations to the Planning Commission. Work is performed with a reasonable degree of latitude for independent, mature judgment, and action is reviewed by a Principal Planner and/or the Planning Manager through observation, conference, reports, and achievement of desired objectives.

The full salary range for this position is stated above. The starting range of pay is dependent on qualifications and experience of each individual candidate. The City of Westminster has a Multilingual Stipend Program to encourage and reward benefited employees who are conversationally fluent in languages other than English. Benefited employees have the opportunity to test their language proficiency skills and qualify for a bi-weekly stipend that will vary based on the employee’s level of proficiency and usage.

ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETENCIES AND CULTURAL VALUES/GENERAL COMPETENCIES

The City's work culture encourages passionate, positive and enthusiastic employees who, along with our City Council and City Manager, are strong supporters of our mission: The City of Westminster provides high-quality core services and fosters resilience in order to promote a safe and thriving community. Westminster is a city of beautiful, safe, well-maintained neighborhoods and destinations with a vibrant, diverse economy, rich and resilient environment and a strong sense of community belonging. Our core values are embodied in our SPIRIT (Service - People - Integrity - Respect - Innovation - Teamwork).

This position supports the goals of the Community Services Department, which plans, promotes and sustains an attractive and high-quality living and working environment by facilitating appropriate land use and infrastructure decisions ensuring that the community is developed in a safe, aesthetically pleasing and maintainable manner.

Every employee is accountable to:

• Demonstrate a high level of customer service; encourage others to focus on the customer; foster an environment where customer service is a priority
• Communicate with customers to ensure that, where possible, they are satisfied, and that their needs are being addressed; solicit and evaluate customer feedback
• Act as an ambassador by understanding and fostering the organization's mission and vision
• Exhibit pride in self, the department, the city, and the community; conduct self in a professional manner
• Demonstrate integrity and build trust through credibility, reliability, commitment, loyalty, and ethical behavior
• Address difficult or contentious issues in a constructive manner
• Support/promote change; demonstrate flexibility, and take calculated risks when appropriate
• Participate in personal growth opportunities, and attend trainings designed to enhance capacity to bring new skills and ideas to the job and the organization
• Work to continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service or product being delivered
• Demonstrate support for team efforts by accepting new roles and responsibilities, and helping others achieve objectives
• Value diversity; demonstrate an awareness of differences; demonstrate sensitivity, and adapt behaviors and communication to accommodate these differences

GENERAL COMPETENCIES
Citywide - Every employee in this position is accountable to:

• Establish effective interpersonal relationships through honest, open communication and follow-through on commitments
• Recognize personal strengths and weaknesses, and target areas for personal self-development
• Demonstrate initiative in performing job tasks
• Exhibit problem-solving skills leading to sound judgment and quality decisions
• Achieve goals, and handle assigned workload and new assignments effectively; demonstrate an ability to work independently
• Communicate effectively with individuals and groups using clear and concise verbal and written communications
• Demonstrate accountability for work, and take ownership in job performance
• Demonstrate concern for the accuracy and quality of work; take steps to correct mistakes and improve the overall product

Job Specific - Every employee in this position must be able to:

• Demonstrate detailed understanding and adequate experience involving the principles and practice of planning
• Apply knowledge of engineering, physical design and public administration principles
• Exhibit knowledge of local and Colorado State Laws and Ordinances relating to planning, zoning, and land use
• Demonstrate knowledge of research methods and statistical procedures and comprehension of urban economics
• Formulate plans and prepare reports presenting solutions to planning problems in accordance with accepted planning principles and practices
• Interpret the City's planning program to interested groups and the general public
• Speak and write effectively
• Proficiently use graphic and photographic skills
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees, developers, consultants and the general public
• Plan, organize, direct and evaluate the work of others
• Work with minimum supervision

Leadership - Every employee in this position is accountable to:

• Foster a participatory organizational climate that is open, positive, reinforcing, and supportive
• Encourage employees to be accountable for their work and take ownership in what they do
• Demonstrate leadership and courage by making or supporting decisions that reflect the organizational mission and goals even when the decision may be unpopular to some
• Demonstrate collaboration and conflict resolution skills with other departments and employees

JOB SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS

Essential Job Functions, Duties, Responsibilities, and Tasks
PLANNER:
Coordinates the review and analysis of annexation and rezoning requests and development proposalsCoordinates development proposals with developers and consultantsPrepares analysis, writes reports and makes Staff presentations to Planning Commission and City CouncilAnalyzes and reviews special planning programsAssists with the preparation of long-range plans and policy analysisStudies and reviews public programs; reviews and updates statistical, demographic, and related information and general plan background studiesPrepares reviews and analysis of special planning programs and prepares related maps and graphicsCompiles and maintains data for analysis of development impacts; analysis of land use relationships; attends Planning Commission and other meetings as directedProvides planning information to the general publicMaintains regular and punctual attendance
SENIOR PLANNER:
Coordinates the review and analysis of annexation and rezoning requests and complex development proposalsCoordinates development proposals with developers and consultantsReviews development proposals for compliance with the City's adopted zoning and design guidelines requirementsReviews development proposals with an emphasis on urban design issues, including architecture and landscape architecture improvements to developments within the City's planned unit development parametersPrepares analysis, writes reports and makes Staff presentations to Planning Commission and City CouncilAnalyzes and reviews special planning programsAssist and/or lead the preparation of long-range plans and policy analysisConducts field inspections and site visits for analysis and data gatheringStudies and reviews public programs; reviews and updates statistical, demographic, and related information and general plan background studiesPrepares reviews and analysis of special planning programs and prepares related maps and graphicsCompiles and maintains data for analysis of development impacts; analysis of land use relationships; attends Planning Commission and other meetings as directedProvides planning information to the general publicAdministers special programs as requiredMay act as Planning Manager in the Manager or Principal Planner’s absenceMaintains regular and punctual attendance Other Duties and Responsibilities
Incumbent is accountable for all duties of this job, and other projects and responsibilities may be added at the City’s discretion.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS/PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Education, Experience, Skills, Formal Training, Licenses, and Certifications
PLANNER :
Required :

• Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning or related field from an accredited college or university; OR
• Bachelor’s degree in Urban & Regional Planning or a design discipline combined with a minimum one(1)year of experience
• Validdriver’slicense and safe driving record

Preferred :

• Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and skills, may be considered.

SENIOR PLANNER :
Required :

• Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning or closely related field from an accredited college or university with at least three(3)years of experience in a public planning agency; OR
• Bachelor’sdegree in Planning or a design discipline, such as urban design, architecture, or landscape architecture combined with at least five(5)years of directly related experience
• Validdriver’slicense and safe driving record

Preferred :

• Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and skills, may be considered
• Certification through the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) preferred

Physical Requirements
Work is sedentary in nature and requires sufficient physical stamina and strength for:

• Constant sitting to perform daily tasks; occasional walking through a multilevel facility to retrieve information; frequent standing, sometimes for extended periods
• Frequent squatting, reaching above shoulder, and twisting to file documents and lift supplies and material; occasional bending, kneeling, climbing, balancing, and reaching below shoulder to store documents, material, and supplies
• Constant light grasp, fine manipulation, and handling to perform daily duties; occasional firm grasp to safely use equipment
• Frequent lifting, carrying, and pushing and/or pulling of up to ten (10) pounds to move material and supplies; occasional lifting and pushing and/or pulling of up to 25 pounds with dollies and carts

WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is constantly performed indoors. This is primarily sedentary office work. Must demonstrate the ability to meet the physical demands of the job, including the ability to retrieve information from various locations in the office when needed. Exposure to periods of high activity and stress under demanding conditions. The position requires a great deal of communication with City employees, the public, and outside agencies.
Required Materials and Equipment
Computer terminals, printers, telephone, photocopy machine, digital camera, video camera, blue print machine and other standard office equipment.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Background checks will include employment references and criminal history, and when applicable, credit check, driver license record, and education verification
• Drug screen
• Must be legally entitled to work in the United States
• Valid driver’s license and safe driving record

The City of Westminster, Colorado, is a drug free workplace and an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity and aims to have its workforce reflect the community.

The City of Westminster offers a comprehensive benefit package including:

• Health and Dental
• Flexible Spending
• Pension/Retirement Plans
• Term Life Insurance
• Long-term Disability
• Survivor Benefits
• Wellness Program
• Leave program that provides for vacation, holidays, sick leave, major illness, on the job injury, and administrative reasons
• Career Development Program
• Tuition Reimbursement Program

For a more detailed overview of our Exempt and Administrative Officer benefit package:
Benefit Package

The City of Westminster does not participate in the Social Security system. In lieu of Social Security contributions, the city contributes to a 401(a) defined contribution plan on your behalf.

401(a) Contribution Rates:
Employee Mandatory Contribution: 11.5% of your base pay. Contributions are pre-tax and fully vested.
Employer Contribution: 12% of your base pay.

Employer Contribution Vesting Schedule

• Less than 3 years - 0%
• 3 to 4 years - 60%
• 4 to 5 years - 80%
• Over 5 years - 100%
• For employees age 55 and older, the employer contributions are 100% vested

The City of Westminster provides employees with innovative and practical ways to improve their commute through two key features, EcoPass and Commute Benefits powered by Commutrics. EcoPass provides unlimited trips on RTD's core transit services and Commute Rewards allows you to record your trips and get rewards based on your commute mode.

Closing Date/Time: 3/3/2025 8:30 AM Mountain

• 

• City of Westminster, Colorado

• 303-658-2150

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