Principal Planner Plan Implementation

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.

With two local historic districts, seven national register districts, and a variety of distinct neighborhoods, we proudly embrace our rich history and seize the endless opportunities that lie ahead. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our

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.

With two local historic districts, seven national register districts, and a variety of distinct neighborhoods, we proudly embrace our rich history and seize the endless opportunities that lie ahead. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our Principal Planner position within the Department of Planning & Zoning.

The Department of Planning & Zoning (P&Z) consists of 59.5 positions within five divisions, including the Leadership and Management Services division, the Land Use Services division, the Neighborhood Planning & Community Development (NPCD) division, the Development Planning division, and the Development Engineering division. The Principal Planner in NPCD supports long range planning and implementation activities with a focus on economic and community development.

This position plays a lead role in advancing and executing the City’s Comprehensive Plan, small area plans, redevelopment strategies, and other adopted City initiatives. The position is focused on plan implementation and project delivery, which entails translating adopted plans and policy direction into actionable projects, coordinated initiatives, and measurable outcomes.

You should be a highly motivated planning professional with extensive experience in conducting long range planning processes and the implementation of long-range plans and shorter-term strategies. You should have expertise in community engagement, land use planning, development economics, and a demonstrated ability to manage and complete complex projects with competing priorities. The role requires supervisory experience, excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, sound knowledge of planning principles and regulatory processes, and the ability to address the needs and challenges of a wide spectrum of stakeholders in an economically constrained market.

Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential, along with experience and ease in public speaking. Experience in coordinating across departments, supporting policy implementation, and contributing to process improvements is important. Proficiency in GIS, Adobe graphics packages, and strong organizational and customer service skills, is also expected.

The Principal Planner performs advanced-level professional planning, project management, and implementation coordination work within the Department of Planning & Zoning. This position plays a lead role in advancing and executing the City’s Comprehensive Plan,…