Urban Planner III

The City of Alexandria is located in Northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 160,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest City in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work. About one-quarter square miles in the City have been designated as a national or local historic district. We value equity, innovation, and a passion for places that spark joy and social connection. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for this Urban Planner III within the Department of Planning & Zoning (P&Z).

An OverviewAn Urban Planner III within the Neighborhood Planning and Community Development Division (NPCD) of the Department of Planning & Zoning (P&Z) plays a key role on planning teams responsible for developing Small Area Plans and executing other major planning and implementation initiatives. The ideal candidate embraces innovative thinking, demonstrates passion and enthusiasm for the planning field, and thrives in a diverse, collaborative, and dynamic environment.

What You Should Bring
The ideal candidate should be an experienced and innovative planning professional with community planning experience in comparable urban settings. The incumbent should bring the following skills, experience, and attributes to the position:

• Highly motivated team player with strong planning skills, project management experience, excellent judgement, and an innovative approach to complex planning challenges;
• Experience applying urban planning concepts including design of people-oriented urban spaces, housing affordability, open space, connectivity and mobility, climate resiliency, development economics and the ability to read and analyze site plans;
• Demonstrated ability to quickly assimilate complex information, discern challenges, and devise effective innovative solutions;
• Experience designing and implementing equitable and innovative community engagement strategies and building relationships among historically marginalized populations in order to ensure an inclusive vision for the future; Bilingual skills in Spanish, Amharic or Arabic are highly encouraged as a preferred qualification.
• Understanding of how racialized origins of land use and planning policy in the U.S. contribute to current disparities and inequitable outcomes by race, ethnicity, income, and geography;
• Demonstrated skill and ease in presenting to a range of small and large audiences, and the ability to explain complex concepts in a clear and engaging manner; and
• Experience in local government and communicating with policymakers, senior level managers, interdepartmental staff and intergovernmental entities.

The Opportunity

• Serve on planning teams in the development of Small Area Plans, SAP implementation initiatives, and other special planning policy or analysis initiatives;
• Design and implement community engagement strategies for planning processes, striving for equitable, meaningful, and transparent community engagement;
• Collaborate with professional planners in P&Z, in other City Departments, and with other agencies to engage the community in creating Small Area Plans that reflect their desires and the City’s strategic goals;
• Write comprehensive and concise narrative for Small Area Plans, staff reports, and memoranda addressing policies and practices, and other documents as needed;
• Create graphics and maps that convey complex concepts and analysis in simple understandable ways for presentations and printed materials; and
• Deliver dynamic presentations to community groups, Commissions, and City Council;
  

About the Department
The Department of Planning and Zoning works closely with communities to carry out the City's Strategic Plan, fostering amenity-rich, service-oriented and equity-balanced neighborhoods; protecting historic and cultural resources; and supporting diverse and creative businesses. In developing neighborhood plans, reviewing development proposals, and promoting economic vitality, we continue our commitment to collaborate with all stakeholder groups to honor the character of each neighborhood and to strengthen and sustain them, and Alexandria as a whole, for now and in the future.

In support of these objectives, the Department maintains and analyzes demographic and economic data, providing urban design assistance for City and private development projects and expertise to the public related to zoning and development requirements, future trends, and development and market activity. Planning and Zoning is also responsible for developing and administering the City's Master Plan, the Zoning Ordinance and coordinates with other City agencies to develop the Long Range Planning Interdepartmental Work Program.

Minimum & Additional Requirements

Four-Year College Degree from an accredited college or university in regional, or urban Planning, or a closely related field such as Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Urban Studies, Public Administration, Physical Sciences, Historic Preservation, or Environmental Studies and five years of relevant planning experience or two years and a Master's Degree; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have a Master's Degree in urban planning or a closely related field and at least five years of demonstrated professional experience and expertise in urban planning (or a closely related field) applying the following skills: urban design, affordable housing, real estate economics, environmental planning and climate resiliency, neighborhood planning, community development, transportation, and equitable community engagement/facilitation. The successful incumbent should have experience reviewing development site plans, excellent written and presentation communication skills, including experience presenting to community groups, Boards, Commissions and elected bodies, and at least three years of experience working with Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD (or equivalent) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to produce creative, engaging and informative material for a variety of audiences. The ideal candidate is fluent in Spanish, Amharic, or Arabic, and has demonstrated success in reaching historically marginalized communities, with knowledge and experience in equity related principles.

Notes

This position requires the successful completion of a pre-employment background check