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Planner III

Why join the Contra Costa Department of Conservation and Development?.
The Department of Conservation and Development (DCD) is seeking to fill one (1) Planner III vacancy. Under the direction of DCD’s Assistant Deputy Director, this Planner III position will conduct and coordinate complex planning surveys, manage affordable housing projects, and analyze multi-million-dollar housing development projects. 

DCD is headed by a Director, and within DCD there are three (3) divisions under a Deputy Director: 1) Current Planning; 2) Policy Planning and 3) Building Inspection Services. Additionally, there are 2 working sections: 1) the Housing/CDBG/Federal Programs/Economic Development Section under an Assistant Director and 2) the Business Operations Section which provides administrative and support services to the Department under the Land Information Business Operations Manager. DCD's main facility is at 30/40 Muir in Martinez where the County's Application and Permit Center is located. DCD also has a satellite office in Lafayette serving the Lafayette, Orinda, and Moraga communities. DCD has a total staffing of approximately 180 positions serving the entire County of Contra Costa.

We are looking for someone who is:
  • Great at communicating both orally and in writing to present reports and projects
  • Excellent at facilitating relationships with elected/appointed officials or other decision makers, as well as colleagues
  • Able to manage projects effectively and meet firm deadlines
  • Experienced in using State, Federal, and local sources of funding for affordable housing
  • Able to use IDIS, Focus, Accela, and the Microsoft Office suite daily to complete tasks

What you will typically be responsible for:
  • Implementing the affordable housing component of the County’s General Plan
  • Analysis of multi-million-dollar development projects
  • Ensuring ongoing compliance with State and Federal regulations
  • Managing 3 or more affordable housing projects through all aspects of development that relate to Contra Costa County’s funding requirements
  • Writing staff reports and conditions of approval
  • Contributing meaningfully to internal and external task forces and working groups to support affordable housing development in Contra Costa County

A few reasons you might love this job:
  • Your work will have a direct impact on a target population in the community
  • You will work with a group of outstanding and caring professionals
  • You will work in a supportive and collaborative atmosphere
  • You will be working in the field that Governor Newsom has called the most important challenge facing California in this generation
  • You will get to see this subject reflected on both a local/community level as well as the regional county level

A few challenges you might face in this job:
  • You must be mindful of external factors such as State and Federal budget process, state legislative changes, etc.
  • You will work in a large, diverse county with varying needs
  • You will need to meet the needs of distressed communities throughout the county, and occasionally respond to calls or inquiries from people in immediate need of housing
  • You will be working within the confines of the County bureaucracy, State (HCD) bureaucracy, and the Federal government (HUD) bureaucracy
  • While the group has a reasonable amount of funding, it is never enough to meet all the need for affordable housing

Competencies Required:
  • Analyzing & Interpreting Data: Drawing meaning and conclusions from quantitative or qualitative data
  • Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
  • Industry Monitoring: Grasping the external political, economic, competitive, and social factors affecting the industry
  • Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
  • Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
  • Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
  • Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results
  • Thinking & Acting Systematically: Formulating objectives and priorities, and implementing plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization in a global environment
  • Writing: Communicating effectively in writing
  • Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
  • Presentation Skill: Formally delivering information to groups
  • Coaching & Developing Others: Supporting others in stretching and expanding their capabilities

Minimum Qualifications
License Required: Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's License. Out of state valid motor vehicle operator's license will be accepted during the application process.

Education: Possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in city or regional planning, or a closely related field.

Experience: Three (3) years of full time or its equivalent professional experience in city, county or regional planning.

Substitution: One (1) year of graduate study with a major in city or regional planning or a closely related field may be substituted for six (6) months of the required experience. One (1) additional year of qualifying experience may be substituted for the required academic major.


Desirable Qualifications:
  • Experience working for a non-profit housing provider agency, for-profit housing developer, or local government involved in housing finance
  • Experience with tax-exempt bond financing as an issuer
  • Experience working on Housing Element 5th cycle
  • Experience with a HUD audit
  • Experience monitoring deed-restricted ownership units

Selection Process

  1. Application Filing and Evaluation: Applications will be evaluated to determine which candidates will move forward in the next phase of the recruitment process. 
  2. Oral Interview: This will be an online, on-demand interview in which you will record your responses for someone to evaluate at a later date. You will be evaluated on necessary knowledge and skills that may include: Analyzing & Interpreting Data, Professional & Technical Expertise, Legal & Regulatory Navigation, Displaying Ownership & Accountability. Thinking & Acting Systematically, and Oral Communication.
  3. Final Selection Interviews: Tentatively scheduled for the week of November 11, 2020.

TENTATIVE EXAM DATES
Online Oral Interview: Week of October 19, 2020