Community Program Planner chez City of Rochester

About the Department

This is a professional community engagement and planning position with responsibility for supporting and helping plan neighborhood related program activities and representing the City to neighborhood groups and community organizations to help identify community issues, educate on city and community resources, and assist with processes necessary to implement solutions.  Employees of this class maintain liaison with City Departments, neighborhood groups, and service agencies in order to help facilitate cooperation between community groups and the City Administration.  General supervision is received from management staff.  Related work is performed as required.

Position Duties

• Assists with creation, coordination, and execution of City initiative neighborhood engagement activities;
• Coordinates the neighborhood initiatives engagement process, by insuring ongoing communication with community representatives, and City Departments concerning neighborhood projects and goals as related to City initiatives;
• Assists in developing and implementing training curriculum, resident tool kit, and resource materials to present to community representatives based on identified needs;
• Assists in the development of neighborhood project plans to help ensure feasibility, evaluate progress, recommend changes, identify problem areas, and evaluate success;
• Assists with reviewing neighborhood projects to determine compliance with initiative goals and to identify opportunities  for initiative refinement or improvement by reviewing and analyzing program  information, checking records, observing progress and obtaining information from neighborhood groups and partners;
• Collects and analyzes information on neighborhood and group trends by studying maps, searching records, or  reading special studies or reports and dialogue with neighborhood groups;
• Generates queries and reports from initiative and community data to provide needed information;
• Presents information (formally and informally) to groups and individuals, and refers them to other City Departments or community organizations;
• Meets with neighborhood groups to discuss and assist with neighborhood goal and program initiative activity planning;
• Utilizes information to assist with capacity building and navigating City processes;
• Educates neighborhood groups on what resources are available from City Departments, other jurisdictions, other neighborhood groups, foundations, etc. to meet a particular need;
• Assists in writing community engagement initiative procedures, guidelines, and resource materials;
• Assists with reviewing City initiative grant submission drafts and providing technical assistance for community projects;
• Assists with budgets for proposed initiative activities and/or helps verify appropriateness of proposed work plans and expenditures: recommends refunding or other extension actions of initiative funded projects based on such criteria as: objectives, accomplishments, and compliance with program goals;
• Writes reports, letters, memos, and program descriptions to provide information, recommendations, or documentation.

Minimum Qualifications

A) Bachelor's  in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Communications, Sociology or a closely related field PLUS:
B) One year of experience in planning and the delivery of public or community based programs or services.
OR
Three years of experience as described in B).