The City of Burlington is seeking a dynamic, innovative, and collaborative planning director to help guide growth and change in Vermont's largest city. Working alongside a new Mayoral Administration, the ideal candidate is creative and eager to lead intersectional planning and policy analysis efforts with a focus on equity, climate, and economic diversity. As part of the Mayor's leadership team, the planning director will work with all City departments to support the vision for an inclusive, sustainable, and vibrant Burlington.

The Planning office has the unique opportunity to be involved in wide range of citywide plans, policies and projects but also in collaborations with all city departments to provide data and policy support in city decision-making. This highly responsible position leads a small team of professionals responsible for researching, analyzing, developing, and proposing City land use planning and development policies, plans, and ordinances for consideration by the Planning Commission, Mayor, and City Council. The office also includes the City's Data Analytics Team responsible for, among other things, leading a city-wide performance measurement program and the City's Open Data initiatives.

This work requires considerable independence, initiative, and seasoned judgment, and involves extensive public contact including representing the City to Regional, State, and Federal entities and agencies. The position will also be part of a leadership team made up of the Mayor and City Department Heads supporting a city committed to economic diversity, equity, and meaningful community engagement. Core job functions include:

• Leads and supervises the planning team in the development of citywide comprehensive land use planning and development policy, plans, regulations, and programs in collaboration with other City departments including but not limited to: preparation and update to the City's municipal development plan (planBTV) and related area-specific and resource/issue-specific plans; preparation of amendments to the City's comprehensive development ordinance; the collection and analysis of data regarding development trends; and, formulating inclusive community outreach and engagement activities.
• Supports the Planning Commission, Mayor, and City Council in the adoption and implementation of comprehensive land use and development policies, plans, regulations, and programs.
• Collaborates with other City departments in preparing intermediate and long range plans and policies for transportation, parks, housing, community and economic development and other matters related to the use and development of land as a basis for mayoral and City Council decisions on priorities, implementation strategies, and funding alternatives.
• Collaborates closely with the Dept. of Permitting and Inspections regarding ongoing development trends and challenges in the community as they may relate to necessary modifications to City regulations, as well as to ensure that proposed regulatory modifications are well coordinated and integrated into the City's development review and permitting processes.
• Advises and provides professional and technical assistance to the Mayor, City Council, and other City departments on planning and development issues as well as proposed State and Federal legislation impacting City developments and/or ordinances, and grant opportunities.
• Leads and supervises a team of policy and data analysts to provide a range of complex and technical research and data analysis projects for the Mayor, City Council, other City departments, and public boards.
• Oversees the city-wide performance measurement and continuous improvement program (BTVstat), focused on improving the operational performance of City departments and providing better services to the community using data.
• Oversees the City's Open Data initiative including ensuring compliance with the Open Data Policy, and maintaining an active Open Data Portal to provide key city data publicly
• Prepares and administers department's annual work plan; monitors all department initiatives and work tasks; redefines department goals and related allocation of staff resources as necessary and/or preparing requests for additional support and expenditures outside the annual department budget; and, oversees consultant contracts as required.
• Plans and evaluates the performance of assigned personnel within the department; establishes performance improvement and development objectives
• Prepares and administers department's annual budget; monitor all department expenditures; redefines department goals and related allocations as necessary and/or preparing requests for expenditures outside the annual department budget; and, oversees other contracts as required.
• Solicits and administers state and federal grants for planning and related activates.
• Represents the Department in litigation related to planning and development.
• Prepares and submits testimony on behalf of the City before State legislative committees, State Boards, Commissions, and Federal agencies.
• Reviews State, City and adjoining community's development plans for coordination with and impact on the City.
• Maintains positive and professional public relations in communicating with elected and appointed officials and the public, when providing information on behalf of the Department or the City, and in handling concerns from the public.

Visit the link below to find a complete job description, minimum qualifications, and mandatory essay questions to be submitted with applications.