Placemaking Planner III (12764, Grade 28) presso The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, MD

About the Department

The Montgomery County Planning Department is seeking a creative and community-driven Placemaking Planner III to join our Placemaking Team, part of the Design, Placemaking and Policy Division. This role leads public space activations, events, and design interventions across Montgomery County, collaborating with local organizations, agencies, and residents to bring planning ideas to life. From tactical urbanism and public art to small business support and ecological demonstrations, you'll shape vibrant, inclusive spaces that reflect community identity and advance equity, safety, and sustainability. If you're passionate about placemaking and ready to make a visible impact, we want to hear from you.

This is an opportunity to have a broad impact on the county’s public realm, advocating for unique solutions to maximize value of outdoor spaces, and shaping how residents and businesses interact within their communities throughout Montgomery County.

As a Placemaking Planner III, you will lead placemaking projects and events throughout Montgomery County, from conception to implementation. Projects will vary in scale and focus, including public space activations, street safety initiatives, public art installations, ecological demonstrations, small business attraction and support as well as tactical urbanism efforts.  Most projects will be implemented using a combination of inhouse resources and working with specialized consultants. Such projects are intended to be collaborative efforts that demonstrate the potential of various planning policies and initiatives for residents and business owners. This role is highly collaborative in nature and requires regular interaction with community groups, county agencies, business owners, and various stakeholders. Fieldwork and occasional evening and weekend events may be required. Read more about Montgomery Planning’s Placemaking Strategic Plan here.

Position Duties

• Effectively plan, implement, and manage mid-to-large scale special events and programs, ensuring creative components, technical, and logistical elements are coordinated.
• Foster, develop and nurture internal agency relationships and external community partnerships, including property-owners and community members, to implement public space activations and programs.
• Actively pursue, support, and execute innovative new ideas and best practices for place-based improvements and programming that advance Placemaking priorities in the Placemaking Strategic Plan and Planning Department Strategic Plan.
• Develops concepts and framework for countywide placemaking activities ranging from small temporary installations to large multi-day events and semi-permanent builds in consultation with county agencies and community organizations.
• Research and manage permitting related to installations and events.
• Facilitate consultant calls, request for proposals, requests for qualifications, and other consultant selection processes.
• Serve as a liaison between artists, architects, contractors, developers, county agencies, and community groups. 
• Pursue, manage, and implement Placemaking related grants and awards. 
• Support website maintenance efforts and promote the department’s placemaking initiatives in partnership the Communications Team.

Skills and Qualities

• Proven ability to plan and execute mid to large-scale events
• Ability to develop and maintain positive internal and external relationships
• Strong project management skills and ability to handle multiple priorities and meet deadlines
• Experience in cultural and place-based programming for a diverse community
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Bilingual/multilingual communication skills are not required but considered a strength
• Ability to take initiative, problem solve, and meet independent goals and work as a team
• Knowledge and direct experience with industry standards/principles, trends and practices of event management, marketing, artist/vendor booking, project management, risk management and event safety
• Knowledge of special events equipment including décor, tenting, sound, lights, staging, and general event equipment
• Knowledge of public art grants opportunities and experience researching and writing grants
• Must have flexibility and willingness to work evenings and weekends, when required.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Planning, Geography, Architecture, Parks and Recreation, Transportation, Urban Design, Engineering, Environmental Science, Public Policy, Economics or any related field. 
2. Four (4) years of progressively responsible professional level planning experience related to specific area of assignment such as transportation planning, environmental planning or urban planning.
3. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted, which together total eight (8) years.
4. Valid driver’s license (depending on area of assignment) in accordance with both State and Commission rules and regulations.  Driver’s license must be unencumbered by restrictions, revocations, suspensions, or points that could limit the employee’s ability to drive Commission vehicles or perform driving duties required by the position of assignment.

Other Qualifications

Classification Specification: Planner III

About Us:

Montgomery Planning is part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). For nearly 100 years, M-NCPPC has had a national reputation for excellence in planning and today serves a culturally diverse population of over one million people in Montgomery County. We provide county-wide planning functions including long range planning, as well as reviews of development applications covering a range of natural and built environments from downtown urban districts, suburban communities, and agricultural areas. We have pioneered nationally modeled programs in agricultural preservation, inclusionary housing, and transit-oriented design. To learn more about who we are and what we do, we encourage you to watch this brief video here and visit our website at www.montgomeryplanning.org. 

The M-NCPPC offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, generous leave plans, an employee pension plan, and a deferred compensation plan. Positions may qualify for public service student loan forgiveness. Montgomery Planning is conveniently located minutes from Washington, DC in downtown Wheaton, MD next to the Wheaton Metro Station, several bus lines, and bikeshare. A commuter stipend is available. Telework opportunities (up to two days a week) and tuition assistance are also available. We work in one of the first LEED Platinum-certified government-owned office buildings in Maryland.

May be subject to medical, drug and alcohol testing. 

The salary range listed above represents the earning potential for this position. Salary is commensurate with experience. This position is eligible for a sign-on bonus (external candidates only).

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate a workplace culture of diversity, equity and inclusion without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, gender identity, or any other non-merit factor. 

Applicants with Disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If you require accommodations or special arrangements due to a qualifying disability, please notify the Recruitment & Selections Services Unit at the time of application at 301-454-1411(Maryland Relay 7-1-1). M-NCPPC will make all efforts to reasonably accommodate you.