VENTURA COUNTY, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AGENCY INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR:

Senior Planner
1189RMA-21AA (KM)

SALARY RANGE (approximate)

$3,088.59 – $4,558.22/biweekly $6,691.94 – $9,876.13/monthly $80,303.33 – $118,513.60/annually

This posting is for the Ventura County Resource Management Agency; vacancy location is Ventura and may require travel throughout Ventura County.

POSITION INFORMATION

Under general direction, the Planner IV performs progressively complex professional planning work involving data collection and analysis, report preparation and public contact; assists in zoning and/or planning administration; and performs related duties as required. 
 
The County of Ventura Planning Division provides land use services to the public in the areas of residential, commercial and industrial permitting, engages in long range community planning, and coordinates a variety of regional programs in the unincorporated areas of Ventura County.
 
The ideal candidate will possess a Master's degree in Urban Planning or a related field and five (5) or more years of progressively complex work experience in land-use planning. The ideal candidate will have project management, critical thinking, and independent decision-making skills. Additionally, the ideal candidate must be able to review and process entitlement applications, prepare written staff reports and CEQA environmental documents, and be able to present to boards and commissions effectively. The candidate will possess a strong work ethic, the ability to prioritize tasks, the ability to work on a variety of projects with competing deadlines, and will be adaptable and open to new situations, ideas, and challenges. Additional education or experience in other land use planning disciplines such as architecture, landscape architecture, geology, or biology is also desirable.

EDUCATIONAL/BILINGUAL INCENTIVE
Incumbents may be eligible for an educational incentive of 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% based on completion of an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree that is not required for the classification. Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive depending upon operational need and certification of skill.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Researches, compiles, synthesizes, analyzes and interprets information and data necessary to meet planning objectives.
  • Prepares written reports and makes recommendations for completion of planning projects.
  • Coordinates and/or negotiates with other individuals, developers, applicants, consultants, and other departments and agencies on technical or legal aspects of planning projects, some of which may be controversial or politically sensitive.
  • Coordinates projects, defines problems and alternative solutions, and sets objectives as part of the ongoing planning process.
  • Conducts field investigations of proposed project sites in order to have direct knowledge of the location or project under study.
  • Provides general information to the public in response to questions about projects, planning programs, applicable ordinances, policies and procedures.
  • Reviews and interprets Planning ordinances, regulations, and land use policies.
  • May act as project team leaders and program coordinators.
  • May act as first line supervisor.
  • Makes oral presentations to public groups and governmental bodies to explain and clarify planning reports and recommendations.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.

Resource Management Agency, Planning Division Planner IV is represented by the Services Employees' International Union (SEIU) and is not eligible for overtime compensation.

TYPICAL QUALIFICATIONS

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.
 
EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE

Extensive experience in land use planning which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

The required knowledge, skills, and abilities can be obtained by completion of a Bachelor's degree in urban planning or a related field and four or more years of progressively responsible land-use planning or related experience. Experience as project manager/lead planner is highly desirable.

Substitution:
Additional experience or non-related degrees may be substituted for the required education and experience required on a year for year basis.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid California driver license. 

DESIRED

  • Master's Degree in Urban Planning or a related field.
  • 5+ years progressively complex work experience in land-use planning.
  • 4+ years' experience in Current or Long-Range Planning areas.
  • 2+ years' experience writing land use policies or zoning ordinance updates as the project lead.
  • 3+ years of experience preparing and presenting staff reports and recommendations before decision making bodies (e.g., Planning Commission, City Council, Board of Supervisors, etc.).
  • 3+ years of experience processing land-use projects that required preparation of initial studies and complex California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents.
  • Working experience in the role of project lead or project manager on land-use planning projects.
  • Additional education or experience in other land use planning disciplines such as architecture, landscape architecture, geology, biology, etc.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Work is performed primarily in an indoor environment, but regular on-site inspections are required, sometimes involving hazardous terrain. Also requires occasional climbing, crouching, kneeling, balancing and keyboard entry.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES 
Comprehensive knowledge of:

  • Principles, practices, and techniques of urban and regional planning.
  • Federal, state, and local laws and regulations relating to planning, land use and environmental protection (e.g. CEQA).

 Working knowledge of: 

  • Research and statistical methods.
  • Interagency relationships.
  • Map and plan reading.

Working ability to:

  • Collect, analyze and interpret data to formulate recommendations.
  • Solve problems at complex levels.
  • Speak and write effectively.
  • Prepare technical reports on complex projects.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public and other agencies to provide information and coordinate planning efforts.
  • Function as a project leader and program coordinator.
  • Function as a first line supervisor.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

FINAL FILING DATE: Continuous and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by the County of Ventura Human Resources Agency in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.
 
FIRST REVIEW: A first review of applications is anticipated to occur on or around June 14, 2021 and subsequent reviews may be conducted until sufficient applications are received to meet business needs.

To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/jobs. If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here for additional information.
 
Note to Applicants: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.
 
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination AT THE TIME OF FILING. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in removal of the application from further consideration.
 
APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.
 
TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EVALUATION: A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.

The eligible list established will be created from the scores resulting from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E). In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence. Responses such as "See Resume" or "Refer to Resume" are not acceptable and may disqualify an applicant from further evaluation. Applicants must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, a T&E will not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.

Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for up to a period of one (1) year. The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary, Fixed-Term), Intermittent, and Extra Help this and similar vacancies within the Resource Management Agency. There are currently two (2) regular vacancies within the Planning Division, one in the Long Range Planning Section and one in the Commercial/Industrial Section Oil & Gas Program.
 
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information and driving record is required for this position.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Kim Mariscal by email at kim.mariscal@ventura.org or by telephone at (805) 654-2479.