Planning Manager

Job Summary

Are you planning professional who is passionate about public service and looking for a career opportunity with excellent benefits including paid vacation and sick leave, outstanding health and dental insurance, a free health clinic for you and your dependents, a generous retirement plan, and a flexible/hybrid work environment? Then bring your talents to Travis County!

Travis County is hiring a Planning Manager for Policy and Planning in the Economic Development and Strategic Investments (EDSI) department of the Planning and Budget Office. This position requires a strong background and knowledge of the principles of planning and community development. This position works as part of a team focused on economic development, strategic planning, and facilities planning. This division provides an array of professional services to the County to promote informed decision-making, providing project management, policy development, and support for county community development, real estate portfolio management, site redevelopment, and capital planning and strategic investments. The goals of the division are to promote the efficient use of public resources and create long-term value for Travis County through collaboration and innovation. This position reports to the Managing Director of Economic and Strategic Planning and works on a variety of planning and policy development initiatives. This position supervises a team of planners and program managers who develop and implement policies in the areas of small business assistance, housing, and equitable economic and community development. Strong project management skills and the ability to balance competing priorities are essential.

This position is eligible for telework/hybrid work plan, with in-office work as necessary from a central office location as assigned (700 Lavaca). MUST LIVE IN or NEAR AUSTIN TX AREA.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is the third in a series of three planner-related job classifications within the Planning and Research job family. This classification is distinguished by that the incumbents typically performing broad and diverse planning, management analysis, and research project and program management responsibilities, complex tasks, a role of a project manager and a supervisor, and required additional experience.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Plans, develops, oversees and manages broad and diverse planning, management analysis, research for short-range and/or long-range functions and activities that are of a wide range of facts and conditions for complex advanced and major projects and programs.

• Coordinates the written preparation of proposals for grants/funds and/or grants/funds continuation from outside sponsors. Reviews applications and related documents. Monitors and identifies future grants/funds sponsors and develops strategies for accessing funding. Serves as point of negotiator and/or makes decisions pertaining to approval for grant/funds submissions.

• Monitors contracts for contract compliance. Investigates non-compliance/vendor complaints. Conducts vendor site visits. Develops and implements standardized vendor reporting and monitoring procedures. Supervises production of site visit reports. Monitors vendor action plans to address service delivery deficiencies.

• Develops and manages the planning and programming of work plans, including annual or multi-year, of a unit or department group. Schedules multiple components. Oversees projects or programs for fulfilling the established missions, initiatives, goals and objectives. Develops training curriculums and conducts technical training.

• Plans, researches and prepares annual budget proposals and recommendations. Establishes budget control systems. Performs projections for staffing requirements.

• Organizes information on problems or procedures. Solves complex problems or issues regarding management or administrative issues or systems. Counsels management and other related staff.

• Directs technical quantitative and qualitative analysis studies. Manages the complex project and program research and effectiveness. Performs on-line data searches using Internet. Accesses data from various sources. Drafts the writing of policy documents and presents alternatives analysis for the decision and policy-makers.

• Evaluates projects and programs. Monitors project and program issues, and reviews plans and strategies for future project and program planning requirements.

• Develops and implements multiple internal plans, systems, documents, schedules, operational work flow, new, improved or revised policies and procedures. Integrates new, improved or revised policies and procedures.

• Prepares periodic statistical and other reports, financial and written summary statements, including conclusion and recommendations. Presents the results of complex analysis before the public, outside agencies, Elected Officials and Commissioners Court.

• Interprets and applies planning standards, principles, policies and procedures, practices, codes, Federal, State and Local applicable laws, codes, rules and regulations.

• Interacts and maintains liaison with community representatives or groups, offices, governmental agencies, other departments, and outside agencies and constituencies to facilitate projects and programs issues, goals and objectives, and implementation. Responds to difficult inquires and complaints.

• Performs database management and general trend, forecast and statistical analysis. Maintains databases and tracking and reporting systems.

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Planning, Engineering, Public Policy/Administration, Government, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Business Administration or a directly related field AND six (6) years increasingly responsible experience with strategic planning, planning, coordinating, research, project management, policy research, and program development, including two (2) years of mid- to senior level supervisory or management experience;

OR,

Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:

None required.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in Planning, Public Administration, or a related field

• AICP Certification through the American Planning Association

• Experience/knowledge of the practice of community development

• Two years of project management experience

• Two years of direct supervisory experience

• Experience incorporating equity-based practices into professional work products

• Experience creating maps using ArcMap/ArcGIS Pro

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Principles of project management, including scheduling, estimating, contracts and budgeting.

• Modern advanced planning research methods, data collection and analysis.

• Principles and techniques of planning.

• Supervisory principles, practices and techniques.

• Advanced mathematical and statistical methods as used in planning.

• Strategic planning techniques.

• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.

• Legislative process.

• Community issues.

• Public Administration and governmental agencies.

• Sources of information, current literature, and recent developments.

• Administrative and related business principles.

• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, statistical packages, project scheduling and management, presentation/graphics and related software applications.

• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.

Skill in:

• Advanced planning.

• Economic analysis, including cost/benefit and marginal analysis.

• Developing short-range and long-range comprehensive plans in development of innovative solutions.

• Program planning, developing and implementing.

• Statistical analysis and policy research.

• Problem-solving and technical decision-making for developing effective solutions.

• Analyzing and evaluating data, policies and technical issues.

• Setting up systems for conducting analysis and compiling for reports.

• Coordinating the development and making presentations.

• Coordinating work of others.

• Conducting interviews and group meetings.

• Both verbal and written communication.

Ability to:

• Coordinate, plan, and prioritize programs, projects and activities.

• Plan, assign, supervise, train and review the work of subordinates.

• Initiate and develop projects and programs.

• Apply knowledge to data, policy, and process analysis.

• Perform complex planning, research and analysis.

• Reach sound conclusions and make recommendations.

• Manage time well and perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities.

• Formulate broad perspectives.

• Interpreting planning and program objectives to groups and public.

• Bring together several viewpoints into a balanced position.

• Compile data and to write clear and comprehensive reports.

• Maintenance of appropriate records.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 5-20 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, occasional indoor/outdoor activities, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Department:Planning & Budget Office

Location:700 Lavaca St., Austin, TX 78701.

Work Hours:8:00 AM-5:00 PM

This position is eligible for telework, with in-office work as necessary.

Criminal Background Verifications Required

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.