Senior Planner – Sea Level Rise

and the job listing Expires on March 9, 2026

The Office of the County Executive is responsible for implementing the policy direction of the Marin County Board of Supervisors and supporting the effective delivery of public services across 22 departments. The office provides leadership on countywide initiatives, coordinates interdepartmental and cross-jurisdictional programs.

Our work includes advancing the Board’s strategic priorities, overseeing the County’s $865 million budget, and leading cross-cutting efforts in housing, climate, equity, emergency preparedness, homelessness, and more.

The County of Marin’s Climate Program is a new function within the Office of the County Executive – and part of the broader reorganization approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2025.

With more than 70 miles of coast and 40 miles of bay shore, Marin County is one of the communities most affected by sea level rise in the Bay Area. Much of our land is low lying and can easily flood. Rising sea levels will affect many parts of life here, including the safety of and access to our schools, businesses, roads, and wastewater treatment plants.

The Senior Planner will play a key role in the countywide effort to accelerate climate action and adaptation planning across all County operations in partnership with local municipalities, the community, and with local and regional agencies.

The Senior Planner will be part of a dynamic team responsible for developing, updating and implementing planning programs including but not limited to the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP), the Local Coastal Program, the Countywide Plan, Development Code, and the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. This individual will apply specialized and advanced knowledge of climate change and sea level rise to analyze and interpret land use, environmental, economic and social data, and associated legislation, policies and regulations.

They may serve as a technical expert, representing the County in meetings and presentations to community groups, governmental agencies, and the general public. Additionally, the Senior Planner will develop new and innovative methods to engage the County’s citizens to best understand their concerns, and prepare and recommend policies, regulations, and programs which address them. The Senior Planner may provide lead direction to more junior staff and/or to contractors and consultants.

This position works full time on-site in the historic Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Civic Center, with flexibility for remote work one day per week.

• Has a minimum of three years of professional planning experience related to the management and implementation of sea level rise, coastal watershed, and/or flood adaptation activities.
• Has project management and time management skills to ensure the successful delivery of projects on schedule and management of project resources including providing direction to staff.
• Has experience making recommendations before boards, commissions, and community groups involved with planning functions.
• Is a critical thinker who possesses excellent collaboration, organizational, public involvement, writing and presentation skills.
• Has experience in finding, preparing and securing grants, partnerships, budget commitments and other means of supporting planning work.
• Can identify and integrate the best available science and the expertise of technical partners in a variety of disciplines into planning projects
• Has the knowledge to engage the entire diversity of the community and effectively incorporate their input in the planning process.
• Can reach across departmental and institutional boundaries to build productive relationships and teams.

• 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.
• Legislative developments affecting regional and advanced planning including federal,…