Borough Certification Manager

DISCLAIMER:
Only candidates who are permanent City Planners, those reachable on the open‑competitive civil service list for City Planner (exam #5045), or New York City Employees serving permanently in comparable civil service titles are invited to apply.

Authorization to work in the United States is required for this position. The NYC Department of City Planning does not offer sponsorship, of any kind, for any type of employment opportunity. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they meet all minimum qualifying requirements for this position at the time of application.

Only applicants under consideration will be contacted. Appointments are subject to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval.

THE AGENCY:
The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the future of New York City, working to create thriving and dynamic neighborhoods with access to housing and jobs, resilient infrastructure, and a vibrant public realm. The Department engages communities to develop inclusive plans, expands housing access and economic opportunity, and plans for long‑term sustainability.

DCP supports the City Planning Commission in its annual review of hundreds of land use applications. The Department also advises on citywide strategic and capital planning, analyzes data, conducts policy analysis, and creates open data and civic engagement tools.

The Department of City Planning offers staff meaningful opportunities to help shape the future of New York City and address some of its most pressing challenges. The Department values public service, collaboration, and creativity, and supports professional development. Learn more about DCP and view current job openings .gov/planning.

THE DIVISION:
Manhattan is home to over 1.6 million residents and serves as the economic engine of the regional economy with well over 2 million workers commuting to and within the borough daily. The landscape of Manhattan is highly varied and ranges from very high‑density office and residential districts to low‑scale rowhouses, stretching the full 13.4 miles of the island. The borough includes the sources of some of the most iconic images of the global imagination – Times Square, Wall Street, Central Park, Harlem, the United Nations – as well as countless hidden gems around every corner.

The Manhattan Borough Office, located in the Department of City Planning’s headquarters building in the heart of Manhattan’s Financial District, is responsible for developing borough‑wide and local area plans, reviewing and processing land use applications pursuant to the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), and providing technical and policy guidance and direction on all land use and zoning related matters to the City Planning Commission, local Community Boards, elected officials and the public  Manhattan Office emphasizes planning and urban design that create a more equitable city, with rich opportunities for and access to housing, employment, recreation, and transit.

The approximately 20‑person Office is comprised of professional planners working in teams arranged by community district as well as urban designers that work borough‑wide across a wide range of projects.

THE ROLE
The Borough Certification Manager (BCM) plays a key role in overseeing the borough’s pipeline of public and private applications. The BCM is tasked with ensuring that projects are accurately reflected in ZAP and are moving through internal processes towards certification and completion in a timely manner. The BCM is the borough’s representative for the Pipeline Team, ensuring that the division’s project priorities are clearly communicated and reflected in central division review schedules.

The BCM will provide support to the division’s office manager in ensuring that new project requests are assigned to the appropriate planner via email and appropriately updated in ZAP. This manager will help refine and reinforce the consistent use of standards and standard operating procedures; improve communications between borough planners, technical divisions and applicant teams; and strengthen the capabilities of planners working with a variety of applicant teams.

This role will…