Senior City Planner – Urban Design

The Position

About the positionJob Appointment: Full time
Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm or ability to work alternate schedule
Work Location: Hybrid - In person work performed at 1810 SW 5th Ave #710, Portland, OR. Remote work - Per HRAR 4.045 all remote work is to be performed in Oregon or Washington.
Benefits: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of benefits for this position.
Union Representation: Professional Technical Employees, Local 17 (PROTEC17) . To view this labor agreement, please click here.
Application Materials: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland's online portal. You will need respond to the supplemental questions and attach a resume.

Position SummaryThe Senior City Planner in the Urban Design Studio serves as a Team Leader and is responsible for planning, coordinating, producing, and monitoring activities within the Urban Design Studio. As the City of Portland's long-range planning bureau, BPS coordinates and leads complex multi-agency projects that shape the Portland's built environment and the lives of its residents.

This position provides urban design expertise, direction, and production support to a variety of teams within BPS, across other city bureaus, and to external partners. These activities are accomplished collaboratively with other members of the Studio and are conducted under the general direction of a Principal Planner. Senior City Planners are expected to carry out their responsibilities with initiative, independence, and creativity, while exercising sound professional judgement and problem-solving skills.

As a Senior City Planner, you will:

• Serve as team lead and coordinate the Urban Design Studio work program in consultation with a Principal Planner. Support the work and success of other members of the Urban Design Studio specifically and BPS planning staff generally.
• Serve as the urban design subject matter expert within BPS and share that expertise with BPS staff, staff in other bureaus, volunteer commissions, and elected officials.
• Engage a diverse range of people, geographies, and communities; meaningfully center community members and deploy an equity framework that ensures outcomes are equitable and that underrepresented communities benefit from urban design decisions and investments.
• Prepare studies, analyses, renderings, models, and other written, verbal, and visual materials addressing a variety of land use and urban design issues.
• Serve as project manager and/or BPS representative on complex and politically sensitive planning, urban design, and infrastructure projects.
• Develop policies and recommendations to implement Portland's Comprehensive Plan, including the development, scheduling, monitoring, and overseeing of work programs.
• Design and manage projects by identifying problems, establishing methodologies, setting project goals and objectives, and developing work plans and budgets.
• Lead legislative land use projects, including projects that develop and/or amend area-specific design guidelines and design standards.
• Coordinate with bureau leadership and elected officials; makes recommendations and presents reports to the Planning Commission, Design Commission, City Council, and other commissions.
• Meet with technical and design experts, advisors, and consultants to coordinate work and exchange information regarding architecture, planning, and urban design issues, policies, and alternatives.
• Represent the bureau and participates on committees, subcommittees, advisory groups, workgroups, and other collaborative teams to engage with local and regional urban design issues.

About the Bureau
The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability develops creative and practical solutions enhance Portland's livability, preserve distinctive places and plan for a resilient future. We are committed to advancing equity as a means of achieving prosperous, healthy, resilient communities. In collaboration with community partners, we provide; comprehensive land use, neighborhood, economic, historic and environmental planning, and urban design; policy and technical services to advance green building and a just transition to clean energy, waste prevention, composting and recycling, and a sustainable food system; policy to address climate change; policy, projects and outreach related to the Smart City PDX program and are responsible for administering the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund. https://www.portland.gov/bps

BPS values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization. We encourage candidates with knowledge, ability and experience working with abroad range of individuals and diverse communities to apply. Although not required, BPS encourages candidates that can fluently speak more than one language to include that information in your resume. BPS offers an excellent benefits package, flexible work schedules and support for training and skills development in a positive, engaging, and creative work environment.

Studies have shown that women, non-binary people, and Black, Indigenous, and other people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet all of the qualifications listed. BPS considers lived experience and transferrable skills as qualifying unless an item is labeled as required. We are most interested in finding the best candidates for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We encourage you to apply.

Have a question?
Contact Information:
Tami Larison, Senior Recruiter
Bureau of Human Resources
Tamara.Larison@portlandoregon.gov

To Qualify

The following minimum qualifications are required for this position:

1. Knowledge of and ability to engage with issues related to access, equity, diversity, displacement, inclusion, implicit bias, and institutional racism.
2. Knowledge of theories, principles, standards, practices, and current trends in urban planning.
3. Ability to use urban design, architecture, or landscape architecture principles and practices at a variety of scales to address urban issues.
4. Ability to manage large, complex, and politically sensitive urban design and land use projects and contracts, including setting budgets, managing schedules, and ensuring the quality of work products.
5. Ability to consult with and manage teams, build effective working relationships, resolve conflicts, and build support at all levels of an organization and with diverse stakeholders.
6. Ability to use effective communication skills and produce high-quality visual representations of architectural and spatial information related to land use and urban design.

Although not required, you may have one or more of the following :

• Experience in architectural drafting, drawing, rendering, and/or modeling.
• Expertise developing, implementing, and/or complying with design standards and/or design guidelines.
• Familiarity with one or more of the following computer programs: Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, SketchUp, and/or Conceptboard.
• Experience working for a public agency.

The Recruitment Process

Step 1: Apply online between September 4 , 2023 - October 2, 2023

Required Application Materials:

• Resume
• Answer to the Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

Optional Application Materials:

• If you would like to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your Veteran documents (ex, DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc) by the closing date of the recruitment.

Application Tips

• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
• Your résumé should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.
• Salary Range/Equity Pay Analysis : Please note per the Oregon State Pay Equity Law your salary is determined based on the experience and education listed in your resume/application. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all directly related and equivalent experience.
• Do not attach any additional documents.
• Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment.
• All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.

Step 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: September 11 to October 6, 2023

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and supplemental questions, weighted 100%.
• Your résumé and responses to the supplemental questions will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you would like to review and discuss your evaluation result. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

Step 3: Establishment of Eligible List: Week of October 9, 2023

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.

Step 4: Selection (Interview): Week of October 23, 2023

• Hiring bureau will review and select candidates for an interview.
• Please note, the selection process may take up to 90 days from the notification of being placed on the eligible list.

Step 5: Offer of Employment: Late November 2023

Step 6: Start Date: January 2024

• A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.

*Timeline is approximate and subject to change.

Additional Information

Click here for additional information regarding the following:

• Veteran Preference
• ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations
• Work Status
• Equal Employment Opportunity

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer Closing Date/Time: 10/2/2023 11:59 PM Pacific