Senior Planner (Travis County Employees Only)

Full Job Description

Senior Planners in the Research & Planning division perform professional research and planning work in the field of health and human services across a variety of County and community projects and initiatives.

Work occurs as part of a small, collaborative team. Senior Planners lead and oversee complex projects involving multiple stakeholders.

While not a supervisory role, this position involves coordinating and/or directing the work of other R&P staff including providing training, guidance, and feedback.The Division's work includes social service investment planning; contract oversight and reporting; community planning group support and process facilitation; and research, data analysis, writing and presentation, towards the goal of building an efficient and effective service delivery system for human services in Travis County.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is the second in a series of three planner-related job classifications within the Planning and Research job family.

This classification is distinguished by incumbents that typically have increased responsibility for planning, developing and implementing highly advanced complex projects and programs, and serving as project manager, and may make final decisions within areas of responsibility, and required additional education and experience.

Requirements

• Data mining, analysis, and/or visualization.
  
• Technical assistance and consultation in research and data with internal and external partners and contractors.
  
• Legislative and policy analysis.
  
• Writing reports and other documents.
  
• Presentation before peers, partners, the public, and/or elected officials.
  
• Participation in collaborative group processes.
  
• Leading or supporting community and task groups including the development of community plans.
  
• Strategic planning support for the HHS department, divisions, and programs.
  
• Facilitation of meetings and groups.
  
• Program planning, design, and development.
  
• Process reviews and program evaluations.
  
• Designing and conducting surveys and focus groups.
  
• Performance measurement design for social service investments.
  
• Programmatic and performance oversight of social service contracts.
  
• Investment planning: community assessment.
  
• Investment planning: scoping, planning, and implementing competitive processes for social service investments.
  
• Investment planning: evaluating proposals and negotiating contracts.
  
• Implement tasks for assigned projects according to project timelines. May serve as project manager.
  
• Ensure work reflects community planning principles and other relevant professional standards.
  
• Interpret and apply policies and procedures and applicable Federal, State and Local laws, codes, rules, and regulations.
  
• Represent the County and Department in a range of settings.
  
• Work in partnership with community representatives or groups, departments, and outside agencies.
  
• Use computer applications and management information systems.
  
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
  

Qualifications

Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Planning, Engineering, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Public Policy/Administration, Government, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Business Administration or a directly related field AND six (6) years increasingly responsible experience with strategic planning, planning, research, project management, policy research and program development;

OR,

Master's degree in Planning, Engineering, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Public Policy/Administration, Government, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Business Administration or a directly related field AND four (4) years increasingly responsible experience strategic planning, planning, research, project management, policy research and program development;

OR,

Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
None required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Supervisory principles, practices and techniques.
• Public Administration and governmental agencies.
• Legislative process.
• Principles and techniques of planning.
• Modern planning research methods, data collection and analysis.
• Issues pertaining to area of assignment.
• Strategic planning techniques.
• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.
• Sources of information, current literature, and recent developments.
• Administrative and related business principles.
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, statistical packages, presentation/ graphics and related software applications.
• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
• May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.

Skill in:

• Developing short-range and long-range comprehensive plans in development of innovative solutions.
• Program planning, developing and implementing.
• Statistical analysis and policy research.
• Analyzing and evaluating data, policies and technical issues.
• Setting up systems for conducting analysis and compiling for reports.
• Coordinating the development and making presentations.
• Coordinating work of others.
• Conducting interviews and group meetings.
• Both verbal and written communication.

Ability to:

• Initiate and develop projects and programs.
• Apply knowledge to data, policy, and process analysis.
• Reach sound conclusions and make recommendations.
• Manage time well and perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities.
• Formulate broad perspectives.
• Interpreting planning and program objectives to groups and public.
• Bring together several viewpoints into a balanced position.
• Compile data and to write clear and comprehensive reports.
• Maintenance of appropriate records.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.

Additional Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 5–20 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, occasional indoor/outdoor activities, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions, including during emergency response efforts.

Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday.

Location: 5235 Airport Blvd. Austin, TX 78751

Department: Health & Human Services

Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.

For updates or questions on this position, contact: Brian.Stacy@traviscountytx.gov


This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.