Assistant Land Use Professional

About the role

The City of Bellevue is seeking an innovative and collaborative Assistant Planner to join our team. Reporting to the Housing and Special Projects Planning Manager, you will work on a team that handles projects with complexity and expedited timelines, as well as a variety of residential and commercial buildout projects.

Responsibilities

• Project reviews that are predominantly focused on short time-frame, non-discretionary applications.
• Reviews and interprets plans (e.g., site, landscaping, architectural, civil, clearing, and grading).
• Undertakes technical analysis of proposed projects, reviews recommendations with team and supervisor, communicates and negotiates revisions with applicants, conducts site visits/inspections, reviews building and occupancy permits to ensure compliance with city codes and permit conditions.
• Congratulates solutions to project issues in a cooperative manner, coordinates review and application of code requirements with other department reviewers within the city when necessary.
• Conducts policy analysis and process improvements.
• Analyzes technical documents and information, summarizes data, draws conclusions, and makes recommendations.
• Develops professional experience relative to project management.
• Completes specific and routine tasks while gaining exposure to new substantive and procedural areas of expertise.
• Coordinates application approval/permit issuance for projects within the assistant planner project types pursuant to adopted performance timelines.
• Demonstrates informal leadership through participation in meetings and providing input to others on substantive and process issues related to development review.
• Leads efforts to develop process improvement, work manuals, and other tools to improve the quality and timeliness of assistant land use professional project types.
• Produces clear written documents tailored to audience per division templates and professional standards with assistance from expert or senior staff when necessary.
• Works effectively and predominantly with single applicants and city staff.
• Redlines plans and drawings using industry standards for clarity and vocabulary.
• Negotiates with applicants to achieve solutions in a collaborative manner.
• Develops expertise with application of regulations and policies and provides the appropriate interpretation as it relates to planning.
• Provides public information regarding ordinances, codes, plans, and regulations in person, virtually, and in writing to citizens, professionals, homeowners, and others.
• Aids in the development of public information hand-out materials.
• Attends professional development workshops and conferences pertaining to land use, environmental review, and planning.
• Serves as a liaison between the public and the City.
• Supervises other assistant planners who are new to the workload.
• Reviews small- to mid-range predominantly non-discretionary projects involving familiar steps and known procedures and processes.
• Consults with senior staff on new, complex projects for the most effective method of handling the work.
• Pursues continuous development of independent decision-making skills.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in land use planning, urban planning, landscape architecture, environmental studies, or a closely related field; or unrelated field and completion of an accredited professional planning certificate program.
• One or more years of responsible related experience in any of the following is preferred: land use planning, developmental review, the development process, environmental planning, or urban design.
• Any demonstrated combination of education and applicable experience which provides the applicant with the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Supplemental Information

Flexible/Hybrid Working: A hybrid work schedule is available for this position after an orientation period working in the office after hire. Remote work for this position is subject to department's operational needs and will be discussed with candidates during the selection process. Full-time remote work is not an available option. Once hired, employees must reside in the State of Washington and within reasonable commuting distance to Bellevue City Hall.

This is a Union-represented position. "The terms of its wages and working conditions are currently being negotiated between the City and the Union."

Conditions of Employment

• All candidates will be required to establish employment authorization and identity at the time of hire.
• The City is not able to sponsor work visas.
• Positions may require completion of references checks, including at least one prior supervisor.
• Some positions may require completion of a criminal background check prior to start employment.
• Some positions may require obtaining a commercial driver's license (CDL), licensures, or additional certifications.