Current Employment Opportunities with the City of Meridian:

Job Title: Long Range Associate Coordination Planner
Department: Community Development
Reports To: Long Range Planning Supervisor
Open Date: October 23, 2023
Close Date: Open Until Filled, First Review Date November 13, 2023
Salary: $6,981.64 Per Month

Job Summary:
This position involves completing both routine and complex land use planning tasks and duties with a focus on transportation and education related issues in coordination with agency partners. This individual facilitates and attends stakeholder and outside agency meetings for student loading, corridor studies, roadway widening projects, safe routes to schools, intersection improvements, school site planning and similar projects. Represents the City at various meetings with community partners, primarily the West Ada School District (WASD), the Ada County Highway District (ACHD), the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD), Valley Regional Transit (VRT) and the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS). Organizes and facilitates regular meetings of the Meridian Transportation Commission. Work includes coordinating with WASD and ACHD to understand, plan and mitigate impacts of proposed development on schools and the transportation network. The position responsibilities include advocating and advancing solutions for the transportation, education, and long-range planning needs of the City of Meridian.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
Works independently and under the direction of the Long Range Planning Supervisor and/or the Community Development Director;

Serves as a member of various external and internal committees and teams as assigned to represent the City of Meridian’s vision, policies, and standards;

Coordinates with WASD to make sure school planning and City planning goals align;

Ensures development project impacts are reviewed and commented on by WASD considering school loading and transportation impacts;

Ensures the City’s highest priority projects are considered by the various transportation agencies in their budget and programming processes;

Assists in developing and maintaining the Comprehensive Plan, transportation plans and City policies to ensure long-term goals are meaningful, measurable, and consistent with other adopted plans;

Makes recommendations and writes technical reports and memos based on research, data analysis and policies;

Presents project updates, alternatives and recommendations to Mayor, City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, Transportation Commission, WASD, private development and/or builder groups, and other public agencies and groups;

Participates in the preparation of transportation plans and programs and communicates this information to the public, staff and elected officials;

Serves as the liaison between the City and ACHD, ITD, COMPASS, VRT and WASD;

Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with WASD Board and staff, the ACHD Commission and staff, Planning and Zoning Commission, Mayor, City Council members, other civic leaders, clients, state and federal authorities, other City departments, and local planning agencies;

Conducts research and collects and analyzes data to create maps, graphics and reports using ArcGIS and other software;

Regularly attends development pre-application meetings and assists Associate Planners in preparing analysis included in staff reports;

Attends special meetings or facilitates public meetings held in the evening;

Deals with complex and sensitive issues related to complex transportation, traffic, education and planning projects and answers technical questions;

Reads, interprets, and reviews site designs, traffic impact studies, construction drawings and comments on needed changes and adjustments;

Manages consultant budgets, gains public support for studies, and provides regular progress reports;

Identifies and corrects potential conflicts before they become a problem;

Demonstrates positive solution focused attitude through optimism, decisiveness, and team decision making;

Maintains a positive attitude of cooperation in performance of work assignments, including adaptability, flexibility, proactive engagement with customers, clients and co-workers, problem solving, decision making, resiliency, organization and time management;

Facilitates team discussions;

Provides outstanding customer service by communicating respect, being open-minded, having a spirit of collaboration, and calmly resolving conflict with individuals that may be upset or angry;

Develops and uses empathetic listening skills;

Demonstrates good judgment and initiative to interpret and apply City policies and procedures;

Provides excellent oral, written, and graphic communication with co-workers, clients and supervisor;
Collaborates with co-workers and other City staff to accomplish assigned tasks as a team;

Demonstrates integrity in the performance of assigned tasks;

Works with Planning Division Manager on a training program for employee’s professional development;

Attends continued education conferences, workshops, and other training opportunities to remain current with planning and/or development trends;

Performs other duties as assigned or needed.

Job Specifications:
A Bachelor’s degree in community or regional planning, transportation planning, engineering or a related field plus a minimum of two years of experience in community development, transportation, education planning, land use planning or a related field; or equivalent combination of experience, education and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the job;

American Institute of Certified Planners certification desired;

Must have excellent writing and research skills; have a strong attention to detail; be a persuasive speaker; be even-tempered, fair; and be committed to the American Institute of Certified Planning Code of Ethics.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Working knowledge of principles and terms related to general and applied regional land use and transportation planning, multi-modal transportation planning and implementation, comprehensive planning and trends;

Working knowledge of research techniques;

Working knowledge of demographics, population forecasting, housing, land use, corridor and traffic studies;

Working knowledge of math skills including statistical analysis;

Working knowledge of the techniques required in the preparation of files, maps, charts, sketches and complex graphics by using ArcGIS (ArcView, ArcMap, ArcCatalog), Microsoft Suite, and other computer software;

Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, and PowerPoint;

Working knowledge of advanced federal, state and local laws related to land use and transportation;

Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary;

Ability to prioritize, organize and perform work with minimal direction;

Ability to type at least 20 words per minute;
Ability to compose clear and concise correspondence and technical written documents;

Ability to collect, prepare, and analyze statistical information;

Ability to operate a computer terminal;

Ability to read and interpret site plans and construction documents;

Ability to work with frequent interruptions;

Ability to perform mathematical operations quickly and accurately;

Ability to operate office equipment, e.g., photocopier, facsimile machine, digital camera, etc.

Licensing/Requirements:
Possession of a valid Idaho driver’s license and a safe driving record is required. If selected for employment, out-of-state candidates must obtain a valid Idaho driver’s license within the introductory period.

Work Environment and Physical Demands:
Work is performed primarily in an office environment with moderate noise level. The employee in this class is frequently subject to inside environmental conditions which provide protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes;

Employee is occasionally subject to outside environmental conditions and is required to negotiate rough terrain in order to conduct site visits which may also involve extreme heat and/or cold;

Frequently requires sitting at a desk for long periods of time, up to 8 hours;

Requires ability to lift up to 40 pounds;

Constantly requires repetitive movement of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers;

Constantly requires clarity of speech and hearing, which permits the employee to communicate effectively;

Constantly requires clear vision to read printed materials and computer screen to accomplish work;

Requires sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes, which permits the employee to function in a general office environment to accomplish the tasks noted above.

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