Senior Planner – Southwest Missouri Council of Governments (SMCOG)

The Southwest Missouri Council of Governments (SMCOG), staffed by the Center for Resource Planning and Management (CRPM) at Missouri State University, is seeking a dedicated Senior Planner to help advance planning services across Southwest Missouri. SMCOG serves 10 counties and 78 municipalities, offering professional planning and technical assistance that supports communities in shaping growth, improving quality of life, and planning for the future.

We are filling multiple planning positions at different levels, including Associate and Senior Planner roles, and may also consider an entry-level Planner. To review all open opportunities, visit www.smcog.org/jobs.

About the Role

The Senior Planner will play a leading role in re-establishing SMCOG's on-call planning services, which provide day-to-day planning assistance to local governments. Many of our communities lack full-time planning staff and rely on SMCOG for expertise in reviewing rezoning requests, preparing staff reports, updating zoning ordinances, and interpreting development regulations. The successful candidate will bring strong zoning knowledge and the ability to guide local officials through both routine and complex land use decisions.

In addition, the Senior Planner will oversee and lead long-range planning efforts such as comprehensive plans, future land use maps, and small-area or thematic plans. These projects will require not only technical expertise in land use and policy development, but also the ability to engage community members, work with local boards and commissions, and produce plans that are both visionary and implementable.

Leadership and Mentorship

This position carries a leadership component. The Senior Planner will help guide SMCOG's planning team, offering mentorship and project oversight to other planning staff and student interns from Missouri State University. The ability to set priorities, review work products, and foster professional growth among junior planners and students is a key aspect of this role.

Desired Qualifications

We are especially interested in candidates who bring:

• Municipal zoning experience, including ordinance drafting, rezoning case preparation, and code interpretation.
• Comprehensive planning expertise, with demonstrated ability to prepare future land use plans and community policy documents.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills for working with public officials, boards, and community stakeholders.
• The ability to balance long-term project management with day-to-day on-call planning support.

Experience in related areas such as transportation planning, economic development, infrastructure planning, and downtown revitalization is also valued, as our team works across a wide spectrum of regional and local planning disciplines.

Why Join SMCOG?

SMCOG/CRPM has earned national recognition for planning excellence and is considered one of the premier regional planning agencies in Missouri. As an employee of Missouri State University, you will enjoy excellent benefits, including comprehensive health insurance, generous retirement contributions, and tuition waivers for yourself, your spouse, and dependents. You will also be part of a collaborative and mission-driven team that makes a direct, lasting impact on communities throughout Southwest Missouri.

How to Apply

We are recruiting for multiple planning positions at the Associate, Senior, and potentially entry-level Planner classifications. Candidates are encouraged to review the official postings at www.smcog.org/jobs for details on requirements and application instructions.

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