Principal Planner bei City of Sugar Land, TX

About the Department

The City of Sugar Land is seeking a full-time Principal Planner in the Planning & Development Services Department. 

 
Why Should You Join Our Team? 
Our trailblazing culture focuses on our employees, our citizens and the services we provide to our community. We are a data-driven and innovative full-service municipality located approximately 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston that invests in our team and offers real opportunities for career growth. We pay our Principal Planner's a starting salary of $71,926– $82,714 depending on your qualifications and experience. We also offer great benefits and perks available on your first day of employment, including: City-subsidized health benefits; life and disability insurance; a variety of voluntary benefits;  a robust pension plan with TMRS to set you up for a fulfilling retirement; a down-to-earth casual environment and dress code; and a positive team-oriented culture stemming from a long-term commitment to innovation and inclusion. 

Benefits At-A-Glance:

• City-subsidized Medical and Dental Insurance with a variety of plan options;
• City-paid Basic Life Insurance @ 1x your annual salary and Long-term Disability;
• Voluntary Vision, Supplemental Life Coverage (for you and your family), Aflac indemnity plans such as Accident, Cancer, Hospitalization and Critical Illness, Short Term Disability and pre-paid legal benefits through Legal Shield; 
• 9 paid holidays and up to 3 floating holidays to use at your discretion; 
• A generous vacation package with accruals starting on day 1;  
• Paid sick leave; 
• Paid Parental Leave;
• A robust pension plan with TMRS includes your 7% contribution with 2:1 match by the City; 
• You won’t contribute to Social Security, but you can further your retirement income by contributing to a Deferred Compensation (457b) plan; 
• Longevity pay for each month of service after your first 13 months of employment;
• On-site Wellness facilities and programming (mind, body spirit & financial preparedness); and
• Access to multiple mental health benefits and resources, including a robust EAP…

 If we have your attention… Please. Continue. Reading!

Our City Mission: WE ARE TRAILBLAZERS! Relentless in Our Pursuit of Good so that Our Employees, Residents, and Businesses Can Enjoy a Life Better than They Can Even Imagine.

Our Employee Values: Our values ignite passion, drive, and a sense of purpose, fostering a thriving and successful organizational culture!

Bold: We encourage each other to be bold in our ideas, decisions, and actions. We embrace innovation and take risks to drive progress.

Loyal: We are loyal to each other, the City and our Mission and Vision. We support each other to foster a cohesive and collaborative work environment. We celebrate our successes and address the challenges facing us, together.

Adaptable: We are resilient because we adapt to changing landscapes and market dynamics. We are flexible and understand the need for work-life balance. We embrace new technologies and evolving trends.

Zealous: We are committed to excellence in all endeavors. We encourage each other to strive for the highest standards of public service, quality, and performance. We hold ourselves, and each other, accountable for our words and actions.

Empowered: We are empowered with the necessary resources, opportunities, and responsibilities to excel in our roles. We seek out opportunities for development and growth, and help others do the same. We are inclusive, we embrace our differences and recognize the strength that comes from different perspectives and experiences. 

We are TrailBLAZErs!

About the City of Sugar Land
The City of Sugar Land, a municipality with a population of 111,026, provides the highest quality of affordable services to meet the needs of its residents. And our citizens agree—the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey told us that 95% of our residents love calling Sugar Land home and 10% say that nothing would make their lives better than it already is, but we look to the future and work hard to make our community and the world better than we can even imagine. 

We have an informal work environment but are serious about what we do. We believe that happy, diverse and talented employees add value to the City. We do our best to hire friendly, professional people who work hard and play well with others. We also promote a healthy work-life balance and personal development.

Position Duties

Are we the right fit for YOU? 

Ask yourself: Do you enjoy working with people? Are you organized and detail-oriented? Can you manage your time well and prioritize multiple tasks effectively? Do you embrace change? Do you enjoy working in a professional AND casual environment? Are you an advocate of team-work? If so, please consider applying for the Principal Planner position today!  

 As the Principal Planner, you will:

• Perform daily work activities within the Development Planning Division as part of the overall department with moderate to minor supervision. 
• Supervise the day-to-day operations of the Division and the Planner II and Planner I. 
• Create performance plans and conduct annual evaluations for supervised employees. 
• Prepare special reports and studies related to Development Planning initiatives as needed and participate in strategic initiatives as assigned. 
• Manage and lead the Development Review Committee process. Work with developers and property owners to advise them on City development requirements and processes.
• Manage the development application process, including analysis for processing site plans, plats, zoning requests, variances and other special zoning cases. 
• Act as a principal liaison with external applicants for processing development projects and other applications for the Planning and Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, and City Council. 
• Interact with other internal departments involved in the development review process to ensure development is consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, codes, regulations, and other master plans in addition to being a key point of contact with our external development community. 
• Work on strategic projects, focusing on City master plans and other policy-driven projects as assigned; helping to develop policy guidance and development related input; may participate in several projects simultaneously. 
• Provide information to citizens, developers, and others on zoning and development applications and review procedures, regulations and policies. 
• Prepare reports and make public presentations of matters before the Planning and Zoning Commission, City Council, Zoning Board of Adjustment, and community engagement efforts.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by Assistant Director/Director and/or their designee(s).
  

Minimum Qualifications

Formal Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Planning or related field from an accredited school or university. A Master’s Degree in Urban Planning or related field is preferred.

Relatable Work Experience:

• Minimum of four years work experience in Urban Planning at the local level, either in the public or the private sector. (Examples- Planner, Planner II, Senior Planner)
• Additional relevant work experience resulting in acceptable proficiency levels in the above knowledge; skills and education requirements may be substituted in lieu of specific education requirements.

Training (License and/or Certification):

• Class C Texas Driver’s License
• Membership in American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) or the ability to obtain membership within one year is required.
  

Other Qualifications

The citizens of Sugar Land depend on City employees before, during and after an emergency or disaster to provide or restore essential public services for the health, safety and quality of life for our community. In the event of a wide scale emergency that could impact our community, all employees must be ready to assist in managing the crisis and will be considered essential for the continuity of governmental operations.