Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs

Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs

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The City of Lynchburg
Lynchburg, VA
Neighborhood Planner II
Full-time

Salary: $51,001.60 Annually

Location: Lynchburg, VA

Job Type: Full-time

Department: Community Development

Job Number: 02853

Closing: 8/14/2022 11:59 PM Eastern


Description

The City of Lynchburg’s Planning Division is seeking a talented planner to join our team! The Neighborhood Planner II performs professional and administrative work coordinating a variety of planning policy changes, neighborhood plans, area studies and Comprehensive Planning while working across city departments, along with neighborhood groups, stakeholders, and appointed/elected officials.


The candidate selected for this position will have the opportunity to lead neighborhood planning and implementation efforts, while supporting Comprehensive Plan updates. Immediate work will include the creation of a neighborhood plan and a Comprehensive Plan update, both beginning in Fall 2022.


The City of Lynchburg is an Equal Opportunity Employer.


Essential Duties


EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:

  • Performs advanced professional work related to variety of planning assignments
  • Manages complex planning studies, both internal and consultant-lead. Reviews consultant proposals and guides direction of plan documents and processes
  • Reviews development applications and processes comprehensive plan amendments and zoning changes with City-wide impacts for agreement with City plans and policy
  • Works with other City departments, stakeholders, and the public to implement small area plan recommendations, including but not limited to: land use and zoning changes, grant applications, funding structures, and construction or installation of physical improvements
  • Develops project budgets, verifies contract expenditures and compliance
  • Conducts research and prepares reports on land use, physical, social & economic issues
  • Provides professional planning assistance to neighborhoods on various planning projects
  • Works in regional program areas relating to natural/water resources planning, community development, transportation, hazard mitigation, and others
  • Schedules and conducts meetings with stakeholders, neighborhood groups, appointed boards and elected officials
  • Presents reports and other findings to staff, planning and zoning boards and commissions, and elected officials and serves as liaison
  • Attends evening meetings as needed


TYPICAL KNOWLEDGE

  • Advanced knowledge of the philosophies, principles, practices & techniques of planning
  • Advanced knowledge of current planning best practices for building a healthy and sustainable City
  • Well-developed knowledge of one or more planning disciplines, such as land use planning/zoning, transportation planning, environmental planning, urban design, housing, historic preservation or economic development
  • Understanding of various public engagement methods to solicit meaningful input during planning processes
  • Knowledge of principles, methodology, practices of research and data collection
  • Knowledge of effective writing techniques for different audiences
  • Knowledge of computer programs and applications, which may include Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Internet applications, transportation modeling, database management, and GIS programs and applications (ArcGIS)

TYPICAL SKILLS

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills for preparing and presenting planning reports and projects
  • Excellent interpersonal skills for facilitating relationships with residents, coworkers, stakeholders, and elected/appointed officials or other decision-makers
  • Creative problem-solving skills to gather relevant information to solve less well-defined planning problems
  • Group facilitation skills for use with community workshops
  • Ability to facilitate in-person and virtual public participation activities
  • Ability to work on several projects or issues simultaneously
  • Project management skills to oversee neighborhood planning efforts, from the request for proposals (RFP) phase to final plan adoption and implementation
  • Ability to manage projects effectively and meet firm deadlined

Minimum Education and Experience Required


QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.


The Neighborhood Planner II requires a Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) from a four-year college or university in planning or architecture. Excellent communication skills and practical use of software applications including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite as well as other project/program specific design and tracking software are necessary requirements of this position. AICP preferred but not required.


Additional Requirements


Language Skills

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.


Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.


Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.


Interpersonal Skills

Solid interpersonal skills for citizens, suppliers, or other employees to coordinate a project or lead a medium-size team. Conflict resolution skills for working with individual citizens and other City employees.


OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

  • Must successfully complete IS100 and IS700 National Incident Management (NIMS) training within 90 days of employment. May also be required to complete higher levels of NIMS training as determined appropriate for the position.
  • Possession of valid driver's license issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia and acceptable driving record according to City criteria required. View Driving Criteria here.
  • As part of this application, please be aware that you will be contacted via email to submit a portfolio showing samples of work (projects, deliverables, presentations, and/or reports etc.)


PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.


WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.


While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.


To learn more about our living in Lynchburg, please visit https://www.opportunitylynchburg.com/lyh-loves-you/