Natural Resources Project Planner (Senior Planner)

At the County of Marin, our employees overwhelmingly report feeling their work is meaningful, they like the work they do, and they are proud to tell people “I work for the County of Marin.” Discover more about us, our values and our organizational culture on the Department of Human Resources website. Read on to find out more about this opportunity.

The mission of the Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW) is To provide quality services and maintain and improve public infrastructure and facilities, while protecting Marin’s natural resources. Read more about the Department of Public Works at https://publicworks.marincounty.gov/. 

There is currently one (1) full-time, regular hire Natural Resources Project Planner (Senior Planner) vacancy in the Department of Public Works.

Marin County's unique natural resources are a source of pride for the public. The Natural Resources Project Planner (Senior Planner) will support Department of Public Works teams working on projects in sensitive habitats. The Natural Resources Project Planner (Senior Planner) will oversee, prepare and secure permits from the regulatory agencies and work with staff and consultants to gather required information. Diverse habitat conditions require careful planning when designing and constructing projects which can range from flood risk reduction, facility repair and rehabilitation, habitat restoration, and maintenance activities in and near creeks and waterbodies.
 

The Natural Resources Project Planner (Senior Planner) will be largely responsible for supporting project managers with natural resources analysis, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance, and permit acquisition from environmental resource agencies. The Natural Resources Project Planner (Senior Planner) will provide input on design considerations to protect and enhance habitat features, negotiate permit conditions, and track mitigation and monitoring requirements. A proven record with project management is essential as this position will coordinate consultants and staff, negotiate and track multiple projects and their conditions over the entire project cycle.
 

The work is dynamic, requiring strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills to accomplish the following tasks that range among:

• coordinating with the project managers and directors to develop permitting strategies. 
• analyzing project impacts on species and the environment. 
• preparing permit applications and negotiating with agencies. 
• hiring and managing consultants. 
• working with project managers to identify and implement best management practices and develop mitigation strategies to off-set impacts. 
• conducting pre-project biological surveys. 
• report writing. 
• post-construction monitoring. 

The Natural Resources Project Planner (Senior Planner) may assist with or take the lead on other DPW projects that complement their skill sets, including field work, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), developing environmentally friendly construction practices, or other natural resource-related topics. 

Hybrid schedule: The Department of Public Works has embraced a hybrid work schedule that considers some duties of this position may be performed remotely. However, the successful candidate must be able to report to County facilities for meetings, work assignments, and/or disaster service work upon short notice, as needed and deemed appropriate. During the initial probationary period, the successful candidate will be required to work primarily onsite before establishing a hybrid work schedule.  

Our Highly Qualified Candidate will be an exceptional project manager with experience in environmental/natural resource projects including permitting of public works and/or habitat restoration projects in and adjacent to creeks, wetlands, bays and other waterbodies. The highly qualified candidate would have knowledge of local species, habitats and the experience with best management practices for permits from state and national Fish and Wildlife, Regional Water Board, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and others. The candidate will be dedicated to achieving maximum benefits to people, wildlife and habitat while maintaining flexibility and a good perspective on the constraints of permitting and construction schedules.

Factors that contribute to the success of our projects are strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to find creative solutions to problems. Our Natural Resources Project Planner’s (Senior Planner) are self-directed but value being part of a diverse team to support public works projects.

Skill in:

• Preparation of CEQA documents, including Initial Studies and Mitigated Negative Declarations
• Filing CEQA documents consistent with current legal requirements
• Preparation of permit applications for regulatory agencies
• Writing reports, conducting monitoring and mitigation activities
• Managing projects and programs.
• Public engagement and effective communication with others
• GIS and/or other technical software

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of: 

• Principles and practices and trends in one or more fields of planning, such as current, advance, affordable housing, environmental, transportation, regional and/or sustainable development planning.
• Intensive practices and trends in planning policy development and analysis.
• Environmental, land use, and water resource analysis.
• Sustainable development practices.
• Legislative developments affecting regional and advanced planning including federal, state and local laws and ordinances.
• Difficult research, analytical and statistical methods and comprehensive cost analysis techniques.
• The physical, social and economic factors involved in land use and regional planning.
• Research and statistical methods as applied to the collection, tabulation and analysis of data essential to planning studies.
• Independent programs related to sustainability.

Ability to:

• Lead and direct staff in delivery of planning activities and projects.
• Actively manage projects and programs.
• Prepare and present studies, reports, and graphics within applicable time limits before boards and commissions.
• Implement current principles, practices and trends in land use planning.
• Interpret trends and statistics affecting public planning.
• Interpret and apply laws and ordinances to planning projects.
• Work collaboratively with community development agency and public work divisions to assure the provision of comprehensive and coordinated budgeting and fiscal services.
• Speak effectively at public hearings and forums before public officials, the Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors, and community groups.
• Think critically and conduct strategic planning.
• Work effectively as a member of a County management team.
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Act as a liaison to advise or resolve differences with individuals, groups and management.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, clients, customers, and representatives of other agencies or departments.
  
  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 
Any combination of education and experience that would provide the knowledge and skills listed. Typically, equivalent to graduation from college with a major in planning, geography, architecture, landscape architecture, biological sciences or closely related field and three years of professional land use related planning experience.
 
 Note: Additional graduate level courses in planning environmental quality planning or closely related field may substitute for up to one year of the experience requirement at the rate of three semester units for one month of experience.

For any questions concerning this position announcement, please contact Stephen Schoengarth, Human Resources Analyst, at 415-473-6946.

All applicants will receive email notifications regarding their status in the recruitment process. Please be sure to check your spam settings to allow our emails to reach you. You may also log into your GovernmentJobs.com account to view these emails.

Testing and Eligible List: Depending on the number of qualified applications received, the examination may consist of a highly qualified review, application screening, online assessment, written examination, oral examination, performance examination, or any combination to determine which candidates' names will be placed on the eligible list.  The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill the current vacancy, and any future vacancies for open, fixed-term, full-time or part-time positions which may occur while the list remains active.

Disaster Service Workers: All County of Marin employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.
 
Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: If you have questions regarding equal employment opportunities, please contact Roger Crawford, Equal Employment Opportunity Director, at 415-473-2095.