Senior Planner - (Small Communities Planning Program)

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us is on our website.

The Community Development Division is responsible for the Council's regional long-range planning efforts; planning and technical assistance to local governments; planning for and funding the regional parks and open space system; delivering rent assistance through the Metropolitan Housing and Redevelopment Authority; and delivering the Livable Communities Act grant programs.

The Community Development Division is a leader for racial equity within the Council and the region. Our staff, working environment, relationships, and investments reflect our commitment to racial equity. We have set the following goals to guide our work:

• Grow staff capacity and foster an equitable workplace.
• Center equity in process and priorities.
• Foster trusting relationships and deep collaboration.

Persons in this position will join a collaborative team from various planning, land use, geography, natural systems, public health, climate/sustainability, community development, and related backgrounds with values centered on service, relationships, equity, innovation, and accountability. Persons hired for this position will provide essential planning and technical support to some of the region's smallest and most resource-limited communities as they prepare their 2050 Comprehensive Plans. This work will help expand local capacity to lead a planning process grounded in community priorities, while ensuring plans meet minimum plan content requirements and align with regional policies - supporting coordinated growth throughout the region.

NOTES: After a period of on-site onboarding, this position is eligible for a hybrid telework arrangement (remote and on-site). Occasional travel is expected in the seven-county metropolitan region, as well as visits to local government partners, agencies, and other organizational partners as required by the work. The candidate's permanent residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

This posting will create a six-month eligibility list for current and future openings.

About the Program:

The new Small Communities Planning Program will provide direct planning assistance to support some of the smallest communities in the region to update their 2050 Comprehensive Plans. Participating cities and townships will collaborate with Program staff from the Met Council's Local Planning Assistance team to update their local comprehensive plans. Eligible communities reflect those that might have the most limited staff and financial capacity to fund and manage a comprehensive plan update process. The Met Council has allocated resources to serve 29 eligible communities. All eligible communities are anticipated to participate in the Program.

The Program is staffed with a Program Manager, up to three Senior Planners, and three Planner/Associate Planners. The three Senior Planners will be dedicated solely to this Program. The others will be allocated at least part-time to support the Program. Program staff will focus on collecting information, data, and maps; interacting with community representatives; and producing and writing the plan, with a focus on meeting minimum plan content requirements. These local plans are anticipated to be submitted to the Met Council for formal review and action by May 31, 2028.

Local governments will lead the engagement to develop a community vision, set local priorities, and provide the strategic direction to guide the community through the year 2050. A local working group will guide community conversations and engagement and review content prepared by Met Council Program staff for the Comprehensive Plan update.

• Serve as a direct point of contact to select local governments on behalf of the Met Council and the Small Communities Planning Program, helping eligible communities update their 2050 comprehensive plans while maintaining responsive, consistent communication throughout the project.
• As a Project Manager, lead development of multiple local comprehensive plans in a fashion similar to a consulting planner, including development of a work plan and schedule, coordination of data collection, assistance in preparation for locally-led public meetings, coordination with consultants and local staff, and facilitation of internal cross-divisional review by Met Council technical staff, as needed.
• Address applicable minimum requirements for the 2050 Comprehensive Plan Update as identified in the Local Planning Handbook. Use community-specific Minimum Requirements to address land use, housing, transportation, water resources, parks and trails, climate, and natural systems in the comprehensive plan updates.
• Identify and respond to any issues of consistency with Met Council policy, conformance with regional system plans, and compatibility with plans of affected and adjacent jurisdictions towards a determination of "complete for review" by the Met Council.
• Facilitate review and approval of local drafts and public comment responses as well as final Met Council technical review, Committee reviews, and final Council action.
• As a project manager or mentor, may oversee the work of other technical staff, students, or interns.
• Foster a customer service mentality and ensure a high level of service to all stakeholders.
• Promote an equitable, positive, and respectful professional environment that values lived experiences, culture, and diversity among all stakeholders and colleagues.
• Other related duties, as assigned.

Any of the following combinations of education (degree in geography, urban studies, environmental studies, urban planning, community development, or related field) AND experience in long-range comprehensive planning, land use planning, or plan implementation with a local unit of government, such as a city, county, or township. Must have demonstrated experience in effectively interpreting and communicating complex or technical information to lay audiences.

• Bachelor's degree with four years of experience
• Master's degree with two years of experience

*For all levels of education, at least two (2) years of experience must be in long-range planning with a local unit of government, such as a city, county, or township.

What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

• Six or more years of planning-related professional experience with a strong preference for local government experience working for, or on behalf of, a city as the staff planner or planning consultant.
• Experience working with a range of community types (preference for small town and rural) on issues like but not limited to land use planning, housing, transportation, climate/natural systems, or similar. Strong preference for special expertise or focus on development of local comprehensive plans.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully leading/managing projects, coordinating the work of the project team, and delivering work within identified timeframes.
• Writing, production, and implementation of comprehensive plans, small area plans, neighborhood plans, or other similar initiatives.
• Racial and social equity experience and/or training along with a demonstrated ability, or growth capacity, to participate in conversations about race and equity, as well as identify opportunities to integrate equity initiatives meaningfully into the work.
• *Advanced skills in MS Word and Excel, ability to perform technical analysis using spreadsheet and database programs.
• Experience using Geographic Information System (GIS) to gather and manage data and perform geographic analysis.
• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification or a demonstrated, sustained commitment to learning within the field of policy and planning.[LB1]

What knowledge, skills, and abilities you should have within the first six months on the job:

• Basic knowledge of the governmental environment in which the Metropolitan Council works.
• Knowledge of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and the regional planning role the Metropolitan Council plays in relationship to local governments.
• Clear understanding of the historical context of the Council and the people it serves and how the Council can work to acknowledge, repair, and reduce regional racial disparities.
• Extensive knowledge of Council policies, practices, and operational procedures.
• Extensive knowledge of policy analysis and planning principles, methods, and theory.
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgment and consistently and effectively apply the policy guidelines of the Council.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all relevant stakeholders.
• Ability to analyze, interpret, and apply Council policy effectively in the policy analysis or development process.

What you can expect from us:

• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
• We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training, external professional development opportunities, and tuition reimbursement may be available.
• We encourage and support staff in bringing the full range of experiences and identities that define them to the workplace.
• We encourage and support staff in fostering a dynamic work culture that enhances the Council's ability to serve the region and effectively supports all employees.
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits, and a good work/life balance.
• We offer the flexibility to set a work schedule and to work remotely/telework when workload and scope allow.

More about why you should join us!

Union/Grade: AFSCME/Grade H
FLSA Status: Exempt
Safety Sensitive: No

What your work environment would be: You would perform your work in a standard office setting with hybrid telework options available. Occasional travel between primary Council work sites in the Twin Cities Metro area as well as visits to local government partners, agencies, and other organizational partners as the work requires. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties of the position.

• We review your minimum qualifications.
• We rate your education and experience.
• We conduct a structured panel interview.
• We conduct a selection interview.

If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a background check, which verifies education, employment, and criminal history. If you have a criminal conviction, you do not automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they are job-related and whether the candidate has demonstrated adequate rehabilitation.

IMPORTANT: If you make a false statement or withhold information, you may be barred from job consideration.

The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and veteran-friendly employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the region's diversity and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply.

If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please email HR-OCCHealth@metc.state.mn.us.