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Sr. Urban Planner IV (PM III) - Texas Community Watershed Partners (TCWP)

Houston (Clear Lake), TX • Full-time • Planning Team
Position will be open until filled. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis.
7 years of progressively responsible planning experience. This is a non-academic, professional
practitioner position.
Key words: long-range planning, hazards, flood mitigation, GIS, engagement, facilitation,
participatory planning, resilience, program design, program management
Job Location: Houston-Clear Lake, TX. Optional two-day remote.
Salary range: $92k-$113k.

TO APPLY
Please send a resume or CV, a cover letter, and a three-page writing sample to

Essential responsibilities, Knowledge/Skills/Abilities, and application process are available on
our website, CommunityCHARM.org

Texas A&M AgriLife is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.
This Sr. Urban Planner (PM III) position will be a key member of TCWP’s community planning
team, and will work to sustain and further develop TCWP’s resiliency program.
PROGRAM BACKGROUND
We provide planning support for communities around the state, focusing on approaches that
foster collaboration and holistic solutions to reduce risks from floods and other hazards. We
accomplish this through planning, consulting, and education, while working with community
staff, elected officials, and decision-makers to engage in data driven, what-if analysis. Our
program is now home to CommunityViz software, an award-winning GIS-based scenario
planning application, and we operate within the largest university-based extension program in
the nation. We have the advantage of strong partnerships with our sister state agencies and
federal partners to ensure that our services reach communities ready to plan for a more
sustainable future. Our staff coordinate tightly to make it all happen, and your effort and
planning expertise will be felt by the communities we serve.

YOUR ROLE
Collaborative planning and stakeholder participation are core to our work, and candidates who
are passionate about this side of the planning profession will find this a unique and rewarding
position. New team members will enhance our program’s impact and work directly with
communities to plan for innovative resilience and mitigation projects. You will use your
planning knowledge, inquisitive nature, and experience to develop and lead projects, scenario-
driven plans, and technical assistance activities. As a senior planner, you will work with a team
of dedicated planning and GIS staff to undertake and successfully deliver these projects. You
and the team will continue to build programmatic partnerships with state and federal partners,
communities, and professional associations.

YOUR SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Collaborative planning and stakeholder participation are core to our work, candidates who are
passionate about this side of the planning profession will find this a unique and rewarding
position. New team members will enhance our program’s impact and work directly with
communities to identify and plan for innovative resiliency and risk reduction projects. You will
use your planning knowledge and experience to develop and lead projects, scenario-driven
plans, and technical assistance activities. As a senior planner, you will work with a team of
dedicated planning and GIS staff to undertake and successfully deliver these projects. You and
the team will continue to build programmatic partnerships with state and federal partners,
communities, and professional associations. Prior flood mitigation planning experience in
collaboration with FEMA and other federal and state agencies will be helpful in this position.

BENEFITS
Optional two days work from home. Employees are eligible for a generous health insurance
plan, including dental and vision. PTO starts at 12 personal days a year, 11 paid holidays, and 10
sick leave days. Employees join the Texas Teachers Retirement System (TRS), with employer
contribution. Additional retirement savings available. Office culture is casual but earnest about
doing good work and helping communities improve their safety and well-being through
planning. As university employees, staff will have no-cost access to LinkedIn learning trainings
and professional credits.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Lead and prepare studies, plans, ordinances, GIS analyses, and other planning products for client communities.
  • Organize and facilitate collaborative and participatory planning processes, meetings, and workshops with local officials, staff, and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
  • Advise clients, boards, councils, and partner agencies about subject matter and plan implementation for a variety of planning functional areas, including long-term and comprehensive planning, development practices, hazard mitigation, and grant funding.
  • Coordinate project work with team members; provide oversight for plan and document quality.
  • Proactively engage partner communities and stakeholders to support locally-led planning efforts.
  • Develop project scopes, grant proposals and project management plans; prepare project reports and update project tracking measures.
  • Represent our programs in relationship-building efforts with communities, agencies, and professional associations.
  • Contribute towards the strategic development of TCWP programs; provides input on project resourcing and budgeting.
  • Collaborate with external partners to create and expand programs.
  • Frame and communicate our program and projects to a variety of stakeholders.
  • Assists in identifying funding opportunities, including drafting of grant proposals.
  • Attend project-related evening meetings. Occasional overnight travel.
This document represents the major duties, responsibilities, and authorities of this job, and is not
intended to be a complete list of all tasks and functions. Other duties may be assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

You will have:
  • Well-developed knowledge of one or more community resilience-related functional areas, such as development regulations, comprehensive planning, floodplain management, community economic development, or environmental planning;
  • Knowledge of state and federal policies, resources for disaster recovery, flood mitigation best practices, culturally informed and equitable disaster recovery, and community development strategies.
  • Knowledge of participatory community engagement methods and participatory GIS;
  • Knowledge of planning research and technical analysis methods;
  • Knowledge of community engagement process design principles;
  • Experience with program development and management;
  • Ability to draft development ordinances and plans;
  • Excellent facilitation and interpersonal skills for community workshops, public meetings and project committees and working with a variety of stakeholder backgrounds;
  • Strong oral, written, and visual communication skills for preparing reports and conveying complex subject matter material to a variety of technical and non-technical audiences.
Minimum Qualifications
You will have:
  • 7 years of relevant and progressively responsible professional experience;
  • A bachelor’s or master’s degree in urban planning or environmental planning, geography, sustainable development, public policy, public administration, civil engineering, emergency management, or allied discipline;
  • A demonstrated history of effective collaboration with internal and external stakeholders;
  • Experience managing project deliverables and schedules.
Preferred Qualifications
You will have:
  • A master’s degree in urban planning or environmental planning, public administration/policy or allied discipline;
  • Experience developing and managing project scopes of work and budgets;
  • American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification or Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) certification.
Salary
Anticipated hiring range is $92,000-$113,000. Salary is commensurate with experience,
education, skills, and responsibilities.

Other Requirements
Hire must be able to occasionally travel overnight for project work and meetings.
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