SENIOR/PRINCIPAL PLANNER (DOQ)

About the Role

The City of San Marcos is recruiting for a Senior or Principal Planner to join the Planning Division of the Development Services Department. This recruitment may be filled at either the Senior Planner or Principal Planner level, depending on the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. Both levels perform complex professional planning and project management work involving current and long-range planning, development review, environmental analysis, and coordination with City departments, outside agencies, and the community.

The Senior Planner is the advanced journey-level classification and may provide technical and functional supervision to planning staff. The Principal Planner works at a higher level of responsibility, managing the most complex and sensitive projects and providing direct supervision and leadership to professional planning staff.

Public service is paramount to all that we do at the City of San Marcos. The successful candidate must be responsive, tactful, collaborative, and accountable to our community and customers, working with residents and stakeholder groups to deliver impactful projects.

Representative Duties

• Perform complex professional planning and project management work.
• Conduct current and long-range planning, development review, and environmental analysis.
• Coordinate with City departments, outside agencies, and the community.
• Provide technical and functional supervision to planning staff (Senior Planner).
• Manage the most complex and sensitive projects (Principal Planner).
• Provide direct supervision and leadership to professional planning staff (Principal Planner).

Qualifications

Education and Training

• Senior Planner: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in urban planning, community development, geography, public administration, or a related field is preferred. A master’s degree is highly desirable. Equivalent experience, certification, licensure, and/or education may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Principal Planner: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in urban planning, regional planning, environmental studies, architecture, or a related field. A master’s degree is desirable.

Experience

• Senior Planner: Four years of increasingly responsible professional land development or planning experience at a level comparable to an Associate Planner within a local government, including project management experience.
• Principal Planner: Six years of increasingly responsible, professional urban planning experience in local government, including project management, administrative, and/or supervisory responsibility.

License or Certificate

Professional certification or membership in the American Planning Association (APA) and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) will receive favorable consideration.

Pay

• Senior Planner: $103,826.25 - $143,676.39 annually
• Principal Planner: $124,487.70 - $172,268.03 annually

Benefits

• 9/80 work week with every other Friday off.
• Flexible work arrangements may be accommodated after onboarding.
• Generous health benefits (90% employer-paid premiums, including family plans).
• Benefits effective the first of the month after hire date.
• 14 paid holidays, 96 hours of sick leave, and 80+ hours of vacation leave annually.
• Family-focused benefits: 4 weeks of city-paid maternity/paternity leave and 1 week of city-paid grandparent leave.
• CalPERS retirement system (Classic members 2% @ 55, New members 2% @ 62) and Social Security.
• Tuition Reimbursement Program: up to $1,500 per fiscal year (can be used for student loan repayment).