Principal Planner

General Description

The City of Madison seeks a qualified Principal Planner with excellent communication skills to be part of the leadership team for the Planning Division. This position is primarily responsible for the leadership of the Neighborhood Planning, Preservation, and Design (NPPD) Section within the Planning Division, while contributing to the overall leadership and success of the Division. The NPPD Section engages with the community in long‑range planning and special projects that ensure Madison is a vibrant and inclusive city as it changes over time, with a particular focus on physical design, placemaking and activation of public spaces.

The Principal Planner supervises a team of experienced professional staff in the creation and maintenance of a wide variety of forward‑looking citywide, area, and topic‑specific plans and special projects, often with a focus on downtown and established city neighborhoods. This work includes collaboration across the Planning Division to develop long‑range plans, leading the City’s historic preservation and arts and culture programs, and engaging in interagency efforts to implement plans through public space design and city‑initiated redevelopment.

Successful administration of this Section depends heavily on clear communication and collaboration with various city agencies, elected officials, community partners, and racially and culturally diverse residents. Working closely with others, this position will work to ensure that the City’s vision, goals related to land use, physical development, urban design, historic preservation, and public art are clear and measurable, and that the actions required to meet those goals are well communicated in adopted plans and related implementation strategies.

THERE ARE 2 SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAY QUESTIONS ON THE JOB POSTING. YOU MUST ATTACH YOUR ANSWERS IN THE ATTACHMENTS SECTION OF YOUR APPLICATION.

(To view the questions, click on the supplemental question tab OR view the bottom section of the job bulletin)

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED WITHOUT ATTACHED ESSAY RESPONSES WILL IMMEDIATELY BE ELIMINATED FROM CONSIDERATION.

Four (4) years applying the following:

• Theories, principles and practices of land use, community planning, urban design, and public engagement.
• Related local ordinances and laws.
• Public sector project management and administration.
• Design considerations and their application in government processes and programs.

Two (2) years applying the following:

• Full range of supervisory principles and practices, labor relations and personnel management.
• Computer software applicable to the position, including tools and software for spatial analysis; 2D and 3D design renderings; development of graphically‑rich presentations, reports, and project materials;
  SharePoint and M365 suite of applications, OR,
• Five (5) years of professional planning experience including responsibilities for: long‑range planning; plan implementation involving urban design and placemaking, historic preservation or public art; project management; public engagement; and work as a team leader.
• Bachelor's degree in Urban and Regional Planning, Urban Studies, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Real Estate, Geography, Economics, Engineering or other closely related field, OR,
• Four (4) years of professional planning experience including responsibilities for: long‑range planning; plan implementation involving urban design and placemaking, historic preservation or public art; project management; public engagement; and work as a team leader.
• Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning, Urban Studies, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Real Estate, Geography, Economics, and Engineering or other closely related field.