Job Category: Assistant/Associate Planner (AST62016)
Experience Required: 0 to 2 years (Assistant); 3 to 5 years (Associate)
Salary Range: Assistant: $45,000 – $55,803/ Associate: $54,000 – $66,933
The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is seeking to hire a full-time employee to contribute to the agency’s long-range planning efforts and, secondarily, to help advance the Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program. The position will be filled at the Associate or Assistant level. Compensation will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
CMAP was created in 2005 to integrate planning for land use and transportation in the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will. CMAP is our region’s official comprehensive planning organization. The agency and its partners are developing ON TO 2050, a new comprehensive regional plan to help the seven counties and 284 communities of northeastern Illinois implement strategies that address transportation, housing, economic development, open space, the environment, and other quality-of-life issues. See www.cmap.illinois.gov for more information. For detailed information about our benefits, please go to http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/about/careers#benefits.
Position Description
This position is expected to contribute primarily to the development of the ON TO 2050 plan.
Due in October 2018, ON TO 2050 will substantially build on GO TO 2040’s recommendations, address new issues, and provide more specific and actionable guidance for implementation.
Major plan development activities currently underway include policy development on a variety of topics, existing conditions analysis, public engagement and scenario planning, creation of the socioeconomic forecast, and development of fiscally constrained capital projects and the financial plan for transportation. This position will participate in a variety of activities across these ongoing tasks, but will likely focus primarily on the first three. Following completion of the plan in October 2018, the position will contribute to implementation of ON TO 2050; specific responsibilities will depend on plan recommendations and the candidate’s skills and interests.
This position may also contribute to the LTA program depending on the selected candidate’s interests and skill sets. The LTA program was initiated in spring 2011 to create innovative local projects in the Chicago region that support livability principles, implement GO TO 2040, and build capacity in local communities. Over 130 projects have been completed to date, with 50 more underway, including comprehensive plans, corridor or subarea plans, zoning revisions, studies of special topics such as housing, stormwater management, or economic development, and similar planning activities. To obtain more information on the LTA program, please visit www.cmap.illinois.gov/lta.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
? Familiarity with the purpose, scope, and practice of regional planning.
? Knowledge of or familiarity with local planning practice in northeastern Illinois, including plan and ordinance preparation, and the role of appointed and elected officials.
? Understanding of the links between transportation, land use, housing, economic development, community development, environment and natural resources, and governance.
? Ability to manage and contribute to complex projects and to work as part of a multi-
disciplinary team.
? Ability to conduct research, perform quantitative and qualitative analysis, and develop coherent and implementable recommendations for action.
? Interest in and ability to conduct trainings and workshops and develop methods to elicit ideas and concerns from stakeholders.
? Experience or interest in working with elected officials, government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and other partners in designing and implementing policies and strategies.
? Interest and ability to interact with partner agencies, local governments, and the general public.
? Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Beyond these general qualifications, the position is expected to help advance ON TO 2050 in specific ways. It is not expected that any single candidate will have experience in all of these areas, so candidates should specify which of these best match their experience and skills.
Specific areas of interest include:
? Environment and natural resources. CMAP is exploring a variety of topic areas as part of developing the ON TO 2050 plan. This position is expected to contribute primarily to existing conditions analysis and policy development for environmental topics, including local food, water resources, stormwater, energy, and climate resilience. Contributions to other topical explorations may be possible as well depending on the candidate’s interests and skill sets and how those align with available opportunities.
? Data analysis and mapping. ON TO 2050 will use data layers and mapping, along with sub-regional recommendations, to provide greater geographic specificity for local partners in the plan. This position is expected to contribute to development of the approach, which will span many ON TO 2050 topic areas. Contribution to this element of plan development will require strong GIS analysis skills and understanding of the relationship between regional and local plans and policies.
? Scenario planning. Scenario planning is a common tool used in long-range planning, and will be part of the ON TO 2050 process. Knowledge of and experience with scenario planning concepts would be useful for candidates for this position to have, though it is not a requirement.
Education and/or Experience
A Bachelor’s degree in Planning or a related discipline is required, and a Master’s degree is preferred for both the Associate and Assistant level. At least 3 years of work experience in planning is required for the Associate level; candidates with less than 2 years of experience qualify for the Assistant level.
How to Apply
Please submit cover letter and resume via the web at:
http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/about/careers. Please refer to Job Code (AST62016).
Posting End Date
This posting will close on July 9, 2016. All applications must be completed and submitted within that timeframe.
The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning is an Equal Opportunity Employer.