Planner, Senior

Job Posting : Senior Planner

The City of Eugene Land Use Team is looking for a positive and collaborative individual to help us turn our community vision into reality. The successful candidate will enjoy providing service to the community, thrive in a team environment, and demonstrate adaptability to a dynamic and fast-paced work environment. We are looking for an experienced problem solver who will deliver excellent customer service and assist with the implementation of the City's land use code and plans in a manner consistent with the community's vision. In addition to serving as project manager in the review of routine and complex development proposals / land use applications (such as middle housing land divisions, planned unit developments, zone changes and comprehensive plan amendments) and supervising staff, this position includes continually evolving our services (including customer service, written communications, technology, and processes) and serving as lead on efforts to bring the City's land use code into better alignment with the community's vision.

Many aspects of the position will involve working closely with the public, ranging from general inquiries to facilitating meetings with development professionals, neighborhood representatives, committees, and other interest groups. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated, dynamic planner with a track record of excellent communication; a commitment to meaningful public involvement; and the ability to formulate elegant, sensible solutions to complex challenges. A successful candidate for this role will have strong current planning experience and a firm commitment to implementation that supports the community's vision.

Eugene's Planning office is an active and dynamic place where we regularly interact with other work groups, city departments, partner agencies, and all parts of the Eugene community. While things can change quickly, the work group is fun, resilient, and accustomed to adapting to new circumstances in pursuit of the future community we all want to live in.

Application Deadline : Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 5 : 00 p.m. P.T.

Accepting Online Applications Only

Classification : Planner, Senior

Salary : $44.83 - $60.52 hourly / $93,246.00 - $125,881.60 Annually

Department, Division : Planning & Development, Planning

Position Information : Non-Represented, Exempt

Work Location : Atrium, 99 West 10 Avenue, Eugene, OR

Schedule : Monday - Friday, 8 : 00 a.m. - 5 : 00 p.m. with the flexibility per business need.

Benefits : The City of Eugene offers robust and competitive benefits. For more information, select the Benefits Tab, or view benefits summaries as well as see information about all employee benefits.

Bilingual Pay Benefit : This position qualifies for up to an additional 5% of base salary for bilingual pay. Please see "Supplemental Information" at the end of the posting for more information.

Living & Working in Eugene : Information about living in Eugene, how the City of Eugene operates, and more can be found on our website.

Examples of Duties Performed - Duties may include but are not limited to the following

Senior Planner :

• Processes complex land use applications, evaluates data, and make appropriate recommendations; coordinates reviews and negotiations with other City departments and outside agencies. Attends public hearings and follows upon matters requiring an administration decision.
• Provides lead supervision and technical assistance to professional and technical planning staff; functions as a project manager on large and complex planning projects; assigns, supervises, and reviews the work of other planning or technical and / or consultants and contractors staff involved in major program areas.
• Confers with and advises engineers, developers, architects, attorneys and the general public in acquiring information and coordinating planning and zoning matters; provides information regarding City development requirements.
• Develops and processes complex land use code amendments and revisions.
• Reviews complex development proposals and works with developers to reach agreement on acceptable site plans; reviews various development applications for compliance with appropriate regulations and policies; prepares reports of recommendations.
• Responsible for the selection, supervision and evaluation of assigned staff; assigns work and ensures appropriate training is provided; investigates complaints; recommends and administers disciplinary actions; handles sensitive personnel matters and recommends grievance responses; exercises full supervision over employees.
• Ensures implementation of and adherence to the City's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan. Coordinates the implementation of effective processes and models to produce division wide diversity initiatives. Facilitates staff development on such issues as diversity and creating a respectful environment.
• Performs extensive research regarding implementation of policies established by the comprehensive plan, zoning, or other land use and development ordinances.
• Attends and participates in professional groups and committees; attends and serves on a variety of City committees and task teams.
• Prepares and presents staff reports for the City Council, Planning Commission, legislative committees, and other committees and advisory boards.
• Answers questions and provides information to the public regarding zoning, land use and related concerns; monitors the application processing activities of Department staff; participates in public informational meetings as necessary.
• Manages complex special projects or programs; supervises and coordinates project activities including research, community contact, data analysis, and final recommendations and presentations.
• Serves as Acting Principal Planner as required. Serves as Planning Director designee to perform various duties and responsibilities under the Eugene Land Use Code.
• Participates in the evaluation of performance measures for the Planning Division. Participates in evaluating implementation of various measures to increase the efficiency of the Planning Division.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they are able to perform every task in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job , and that candidate may be one who comes with relevant transferable skills from a variety of sources and experiences. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

When screening your application, the City will consider an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to meet minimum qualifications for this position.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience :

Five years of increasingly responsible professional urban planning experience.

Education :

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in urban and regional planning, architecture, or a closely related field. A Master's degree in a related field is desirable.

Background :

Must pass a background check.

License :

Valid Oregon driver's license or, the ability to obtain by date of hire; must pass driving records check and, if hired, maintain a driving record that meets the City's standard. Oregon law requires that an out-of-state license holder must obtain a valid Oregon license (with appropriate endorsements) within 30 days of becoming domiciled in the state (ORS 803.355).

Certifications :

The ideal candidate will have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities :

Knowledge :

Ability :