Planner III

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY: 

 This is a mid-level Planner position that will perform project management, technical, administrative and professional work in the Planning and Zoning Division, such as: 

• Managing the development and revision of regulation amendments, comprehensive plans and educational guides, materials and checklists.  
• Providing guidance on economic development initiatives.  
• Reviewing development cases for compliance with comprehensive plan policies.  
• Making presentations at public hearings related to proposed regulation or plan amendments. 
• Providing land use and zoning information to the general public.  
• Representing the County at external meetings.  
• Providing customer service to public and private sector officials, applicants, consulting professionals, and County residents 

SCHEDULE: 

This position operates on our four-day work week (Monday-Thursday). This position is hybrid, with in- office work as needed. 

COMPENSATION:  

Hiring Range: $75,800-$87,000 USD Annually 

Compensation will be determined based on education, experience and skills. 

BENEFITS: 

Jefferson County offers a generous benefits package that supports your personal and professional life. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off and holidays, including a starting bank of 40 hours of PTO for new hires; retirement matching; wellness programs; tuition reimbursement; flexible schedules; remote work options; and more. For more information, click here for our Total Rewards summary.   

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: 

 The Planner will be able to: 

• Manage planning projects with supervision, including regulation revisions and updates to  land use plans. This includes project management of regulation and plan update processes, research of other regulations and policies, facilitation of meetings with community groups, and presentation of recommendations and revised documents at public meetings and hearings.  
• Prepare staff reports and present staff recommendations to appropriate boards and commissions based on background research compiled/analyzed. Decide what information to present to referral agencies, boards and commissions. 
• Evaluate land use and development proposals. Understand the characteristics of the development proposal and decide what regulations/policies are appropriate to apply to a case/property. 
• Analyze economic trends and implement revitalization strategies. Evaluate fiscal impact analyses and market studies to give recommendations on the economic viability of development proposals. Provide economic analysis and associated technical support to County Revitalization Authorities, including the identification of blighted areas, the creation of urban renewal plans, and the administration of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) or other financial incentives. Collaborate with the business community and economic  development partners.  
• Receive and respond to inquiries from the public, other agencies, and County personnel. Provide information concerning land use proposals, historical preservation, demographics, zoning and subdivisions based on considerable knowledge and interpretation of County plans and State regulations. Provide technical planning and zoning expertise and assistance to County residents, businesses, Divisions and other jurisdictions. 
• Establish relationships. Confer with various parties in public and private meetings on various land use, demographic and development matters pertaining to proposals. Attend, coordinate and/or conduct public meetings pertaining to planning cases or issues. Negotiate and mediate between differing objectives and opinions of affected parties. Decide when to consult experts in areas such as land use, historic preservation and demographics. 
• Work with supervisor to establish priorities. Define necessary resources. Design work processes. Serve as liaison to affected residents, businesses and/or government agencies. Determine which projects need immediate attention and which can wait. Decide what information to share that will help answer inquiries and address concerns.  Set priorities and identify quality sources of research. 
• Utilize various mapping, word processing, spreadsheet and/or database programs to enter, store and/or retrieve information. Develop case files. Decide which data base programs would yield the best results during research. Efficiently organize case materials. 
• Perform other related work as . Prioritize management requests and balance with current workload. 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Research shows that women and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups tend to apply only when they check every box in the posting. If you are reading this and hesitating to click “apply” for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! A true passion and excitement for making an impact is just as important as work experience. 

Minimum Qualifications:  

Experience: Three or more years of experience in planning, zoning, or a similar field 

Education: Bachelor's degree in Land Use, Planning, Urban & Regional Planning, Geography, Environmental Science, Micro and/or Macro Economics. 

*Note: An equivalent combination of education and experience is acceptable. 

Preferred knowledge, skills and abilities: 

• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Certification  

• Long Range Planning experience 

• Project Management experience  

• Economic development experience 

• Urban Renewal Authority experience 

• Development review/Permitting experience  

• Strong presentation skills  

• Strong writing skills 

Additional Job Information: 

• Criminal History and MVR Background Checks are  for every position. 

• A valid Colorado driver’s license is required for positions that drive on County Business in either a county or personal vehicle shall have a Colorado Driver’s license within 30-days of hire or beginning to serve as an intern or volunteer. 

• Offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of criminal history, motor vehicle report, education verification, and/or references. 

• In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.  

• All Jefferson County Employees must apply through their internal profile. 

Accommodations Statement: We encourage people with disabilities to apply and are committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout our hiring process. For assistance with applications, interviews, or other hiring-related accommodations, contact [email protected]. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot provide application status updates. 

APPLICATION: 

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must submit an online employment application by 11:59PM on the posted cut-off date. Follow this link to apply now: Jefferson County Colorado Career Opportunities 

A resume and cover letter submitted with your application are encouraged but will not substitute for the information requested on the application. Applications are reviewed for minimum qualifications listed in the qualifications section of the job bulletin, and applicants are contacted directly by the hiring team if selected. To view the status of your application, please log into your candidate portal.    

For more details on the recruitment process, please visit: https://www.jeffco.us/1860/FAQs 

Questions? Contact the Jefferson County Recruitment Team at 303-271-8420 or [email protected]