JOB DESCRIPTION

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.

Examples of Important 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.

BENEFITS

The following benefit summary is provided for informational purposes only and is not, nor should be construed as an employment agreement with the M-NCPPC, implied or actual. It is not all-inclusive and is subject to change. Benefits listed are extended to all Merit System employees of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). All plans are optional except the Defined Benefit and Long-Term Disability plans.

BENEFITS

The following benefit summary is provided for informational purposes only and is not, nor should be construed as an employment agreement with the M-NCPPC, implied or actual. It is not all-inclusive and is subject to change. Benefits listed are extended to all Merit System employees of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). All plans are optional except the Defined Benefit and Long-Term Disability plans.