Director, Maryland; Principal Planner

The Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) is seeking a talented, knowledgeable, and motivated professional to join its Planning Best Practices Division and expand its Regional Planning Program in the Central Maryland region. As a cabinet level state agency, MDP collaborates closely with Maryland’s cities, towns, and counties to build a more sustainable and thriving future.

MDP’s Regional Planning work program presents an unparalleled variety of projects for the proper candidate, including municipal and county community and economic development, best practices and curriculum development, regional coordination, statewide policy review, and comprehensive sustainable growth implementation. This position serves as one of the division’s leaders, alongside the Directors of Eastern and Western Maryland.

Two upcoming statewide planning efforts, overhauling Maryland’s comprehensive planning framework and drafting the next state development plan, offer exciting opportunities to advance revitalization, housing supply, sustainable transportation, and regionally tailored development. In addition to managing the Southern Maryland Baltimore Metro Regional Planners, this position has its own regional planning duties for Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s counties and the municipalities therein.

This position will be located at the Department of Planning’s new office in the City of Baltimore at 120

E. Baltimore St.

This Position is eligible for Telework.

STD
0021

120

E. Baltimore St. Baltimore, MD 21202

As Director of the Central Maryland Planning Region (Director), this position manages the Southern Maryland and Baltimore Metro Regional Planners, including the assignment of work and coordination of the Maryland Department of Planning’s (MDP’s) local engagement. In this role, this position also serves as the lead for MDP’s Central Maryland Planning Best Practices Program. The main purpose of this position is managerial oversight of best practices development and planning liaison activities provided to appointed and elected officials, and staff of municipal and county planning departments, or other government agencies in Maryland’s Central Region (Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and St.

Mary’s Counties). This position also participates in these activities as needed to meet regional demands, at the direction of the Director of Planning Best Practices, or as Central Region staffing needs require it. The technical assistance services provided must be consistent with, and in furtherance of, the programs and policies of MDP. The Director is also responsible for allocating Central Maryland Region staff resources, as well as coordinating with other MDP division staff to secure their resources, to meet fluctuating project and programmatic demands by both content area and jurisdiction.

The Director is expected to visit the Central Maryland region as required by the Director of Planning Best Practices to advance department programs and projects.

Staff in the Central Maryland office are responsible for reviewing and commenting on planning and growth-related plans and ordinances including local comprehensive plans, master water and sewer plans and amendments, and other local planning efforts and initiatives to ensure local plans and ordinances are consistent with state planning goals and laws. These programs and policies support sustainable growth in accordance with the 8 Planning Principles through comprehensive planning and various implementation tools, including zoning ordinances, placemaking, subdivision regulations, priority funding areas, and infrastructure…