Planning Specialist

Job Title

Planning Specialist

The Office of Planning & Community Development (OPCD) ensures that City departments are aligned and coordinated in planning and advancing equitable development for Seattle's future growth. OPCD contributes to this work through long-range planning, land use policy development, community planning, and community development. The work is guided by Seattle's newly adopted Comprehensive Plan, which envisions a more affordable, inclusive, and resilient city over the next 20 years.

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. The fields of urban planning and community development have often failed to reflect the experiences and identities of people affected by development decisions and outcomes, including Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Immigrants, Refugees, People with Disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people. We strongly encourage people with these identities or from other marginalized communities to apply.

The Seattle Design Commission is an independent body that promotes civic design excellence in capital improvement projects located on City land, in the City right-of-way, or constructed with City funds. The Commission advises the Mayor, City Council, and City departments on the design of capital improvements and policies that shape Seattle's public realm.

We are recruiting a Planning Specialist to join the team that supports the Seattle Design Commission. This job is currently budgeted through 2028, and based on current transit projects, we expect that it will be extended.

We are looking for applicants who combine a planning background with community engagement expertise and strong oral, written, and visual communication skills. Your work will support the evaluation and permitting of Sound Transit plans for new light rail stations, and will include confirming information such as site plans, landscape plans, building elevations, and community engagement planning.

To be successful, you are committed to:

• Public service, and being a part of a team at the forefront of innovation for equitable and sustainable development
• Working to promote civic design excellence
• Collaborating respectfully with internal and external partners
• Listening and communicating complex information clearly using graphic and verbal tools - one-on-one, with groups, and making presentations

To be effective, you have:

• Researched, evaluated, and analyzed site and landscape plans, as well as building elevations for public places and spaces
• Experience in public transit investments and their integration into neighborhoods
• Created and implemented authentic culturally responsive community engagement plans
• Created and shared planning-related summaries, highlighting key project elements with a variety of audiences, and using multiple formats
• Experience with permitting processes
• Expertise with MS Office and Adobe Creative Suite
• Managed a website, including design and content creation

In addition to the qualities mentioned above, you will need to possess the following required qualifications (or a combination of education, training, or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform this job):

Three years of experience in planning and research related to land use, urban economics, human services, environmental issues, conservation, or other work directly related to City planning and development work

OR

Two years of experience in planning and research related to land use, urban economics, human services, environmental issues, conservation, or other work directly related to City planning and development work, and an associate's degree in planning, urban design, environmental studies, public administration, or a related field

OR

One year of experience in planning and research related to land use, urban economics, human services, environmental issues, conservation, or other work directly related to City planning and development work; and a baccalaureate degree in planning, urban design, environmental studies, public administration, or related field

This job is classified as a Planning & Development Specialist 1 and is part of a…