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Climbing the Urban Planner Career Ladder (pt. 2)

2/24/2018

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planning career ladder

Planning Manager

urban planner meme
The Planning Manager class (Planner IV/Principal Planner/City Planner) is middle management of the Planning organization. Typically the Planning Manager is responsible for a division of the department such as Development Review or Comprehensive Planning. The Planning Manager leads a team of planners including supervisors. From an organizational perspective, the Planning Manager works closely with counterparts in other departments to achieve organizational goals. The Planning Manager's success will be measured by their division's output and quality planning. They recommend interpretations and decisions for the Assistant Planning Director or Planning Director.

Skills Needed:
- same as Senior Planner
PLUS
- negotiation skills
- media training
- knowledge of human resources
- organizational perspective


Experience Needed:
- Bachelors degree in a related field with 6-8 years experience or a Masters with 4-6 years experience
- AICP or other specialized accreditation

Ready for next level when:
- 5 years planning experience, 2 years supervisory
- Experience achieving organizational results
- Experience of managing a code rewrite and/or comprehensive plan

Assistant Planning Director

urban planner meme
The Assistant Planning Director class (Deputy Planning Director) is typical of larger organizations that have complex hierarchies. The Assistant Planning Director will serve as the leadership for multiple planning divisions that the Planning Director may be responsible for in addition to overseeing other departments/divisions such as GIS, Code Enforcement and/or Building Inspections. The Assistant Planning Director functions as the Planning Director in their absence and administers the functions of the department. They may oversee one or more Planning Managers, or they may serve in lieu of a Planning Manager. The Assistant Planning Director's success is measured by the success of the divisions that they are responsible for. They make interpretations and decisions that are in line with the organization and jurisdiction's culture.

​Skills Needed:
- same as Planning Manager
PLUS
- knowledge of multiple functions of development review
​- astute political awareness


Experience Needed:
- Bachelors degree in a related field with 8-10 years experience or a Masters with 6-8 years experience
- AICP or other specialized accreditation
- Experience in facilitating the development process in conjunction with related departments


Ready for next level when:
- Quality planning experience including many years of leading a team of planners with high results

Planning Director

urban planner meme
The Planning Director (Executive Director/Planning Administrator/Chief Planner/Development Director) is the leader and face of the Planning Department. When they oversee other departments and development review processes, they are the face of the jurisdiction's development process. The Planning Director typically manages multiple divisions in a smaller organization, and may be responsible for the entire development process in larger ones. The Planning Director has little room for error in the performance of their team(s) and therefore must be keenly aware of changing political climates and organizational directives. 

Skills Needed:
- same as Assistant Planning Director
PLUS
- flexibility

Experience Needed:
- Bachelors degree in a related field with 10-15 years experience or a Masters with 8-10 years experience
- AICP or other specialized accreditation
- Experience in overseeing multiple functions in planning and development


Ready for next level when:
- Proven ability to achieve high results

Assistant City Manager and Beyond...

urban planner meme
The Assistant City Manager and Beyond class (Deputy CM, Executive Director of Planning and Development/City Manager) is where planning professionals enter into the realm of organizational leadership. The ACM will depend on multiple department leaders within their realm to achieve results, though they may still have a soft spot for the planning and development functions and continue to exert their influence in those departments. The ACM will be expected to lead the organization at times and will give planning a voice in budgetary and strategic planning conversations.

Skills Needed:

- same as Planning Director
PLUS
- innovative approaches to achieving organizational results

Experience Needed:
- Masters with many years of organizational experiences
- MPA

- AICP or other specialized accreditation

Ready for next level when:
- Proven ability to achieve high results
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