Senior Regional Planner

Rocky View County is committed to providing our employees a respectful and stable work environment, benefits that promote work/life balance, and opportunities for professional learning and personal growth. We seek individuals who thrive on challenge and will contribute their positive energy, innovation, and service mindset to making a difference and contributing meaningfully to the vibrant community of 40,000 people who call Rocky View County home.

Join our dynamic team! With a maturing organization and exciting new initiatives on the horizon, this is your opportunity to be part of our growth story!

Rocky View County is seeking an intermediate to senior-level planner to lead and assist in the development of regionally significant municipal plans and policies, while fostering relationships with inter-municipal partners. As Senior Regional Planner, you will play a key role in shaping the future of Rocky View County and our region.

As a senior member of the new Regional Planning Department, you will take part in shaping a fun, collaborative and purpose-driven team. Furthermore, the role offers the opportunity for professional growth, as well as a competitive salary, hybrid work, paid training opportunities, benefits after 30 days, 27 paid days off in the first year + general holidays, pension plan, paid sick time and more!

What we need:

Rocky View County is looking for you to demonstrate and draw on expertise acquired from extensive, varied and progressively more responsible levels of professional planning experience.

This strategically important position will have you working independently or with the team to advance the County’s position in the Calgary Region. You will require a thorough knowledge of related Acts and Regulations as well as the planning process in Alberta and a high degree of political understanding and sensitivity as pertains to building regional partnerships and undertaking regional projects. You will also be expected to display a high degree of professionalism, collaboration, strategic and creative thinking, and research capabilities. You will need to nurture and maintain working relationships dealing with inter-municipal planning while advancing the interests of Rocky View County.

As one of our Planners, you will be responsible for drafting policy documents, reviewing inter-municipal plans, engaging interested parties, and representing the County and its interests at a regional level. Furthermore, presentations to Council, Boards and Committees will be an integral component of the scope of duties.  

Core Accountabilities

• Project manage strategic projects falling within the department portfolio, including those initiated by Council’s strategic objectives.
• Actively participate in provincial, regional, and sub-regional committees, task forces and advisory groups. Review materials for associated meetings and coordinate County input through collaboration with other departments. 
• Manage assigned projects including the oversight of planning work, technical and clerical support personnel involved in a project. 
• Mentor other planners to support their career growth and inclusion in complex regional planning work. 
• Manage and/or participate in complicated consultation processes, consultant contracts, including the preparation of Terms of Reference, and multi-disciplinary teams/projects.
• Make public presentations to various bodies, including Council, Appeal Boards, Committees and Public groups and organizations.
• Supports the Regional Planning team as required in formulating, reviewing, maintaining, updating, and implementing strategic and policy documents/programs such as Intermunicipal Development Plans, the Municipal Development Plan, and Area Structure Plans.
• Undertake research and policy reviews in relation to regional and sub-regional Planning matters.
• Act as a resource to Planning staff, internal departments, and the public on regional and sub-regional Planning matters.
• Support the County’s role in the preparation of Context Studies related to Joint Planning Areas, as required by the Regional Growth Plan.
• Support the Planning Policy team in Policy project work tasks, as required and directed by the Regional Planning Manager.
• Produce templates and documents to support the County’s participation in the CMRB process including referral documentation under the Regional Evaluation Framework.
• Review and respond to referrals from internal departments, regional partners, and government agencies.
• Monitor and review Municipal and Intermunicipal Planning Legislation, policy, processes, plans, and initiatives.
• Prepare and present reports, materials, and opinions as a representative of Rocky View to other government and non-government agencies and committees as required.
• Prepare reports for, and present to, Council, senior management and other stakeholders on projects falling within responsibility of the Regional Planner. 
• Attend Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB) Land Use Technical Advisory Group meetings and other CMRB project meetings, as required. 
• Attend Intermunicipal Committee Meetings and other external stakeholder meetings, as required.
• Participate in the County’s circulation, review, and engagement process in relation to provincial, regional and sub-regional Planning matters, as required.
• Maintain professional affiliations and demonstrate a comprehensive current knowledge of applicable legislation, new trends and literature.
• Possess strong problem solving and consensus building skills.
• Perform other related duties, as assigned. 

Position Requirements

Completion of bachelor’s degree in planning or related field is required. A minimum of 5 (five) years of demonstrated professional Planning experience is required. A demonstrated track record of working collaboratively in a team environment and a record of successfully completed assignments is also necessary. Scope of the experience should include a demonstrated awareness and knowledge of Planning in a rural municipality, awareness of interrelationships between jurisdictions and their respective interests and a thorough understanding of the provincial planning and legislative framework.

• CIP (Canadian Institute of Planners) and/or APR (Alberta Professional Planners Institute) membership along with RPR (Registered Professional Planner) designation is considered an asset.
• Thorough understanding of rural, urban, and regional planning, their interrelationships, and the environment, related regulatory environment, implementation techniques and consultation processes.
• Ability to relate strategic planning initiatives to policy implementation.
• A successful record of management of increasingly more complex planning projects, meeting deadlines and a demonstrated ability to provide leadership within a team setting.
• A successful track record related to facilitating, mediating and or negotiating in complex or otherwise difficult situations.
• A demonstrated history of successful presentations to small and large groups in both casual and formal settings.
• Understand and apply provincial, regional, and municipal planning policies, legislation, processes, procedures, and statutory Planning documents.
• Interpret and apply relevant municipal/provincial policy to the development and preparation of planning documents with no major oversights. 
• Demonstration of excellent project management skills, particularly within complex, high profile, large-scale, or time-sensitive projects.
• Awareness and sensitivity towards the current economic and political environment and its impact on the planning environment.
• Ability to deal with co-workers and the public in a positive, facilitative, and pleasant manner.
• Demonstration of strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Demonstration of excellent interpersonal communication and judgment skills.
• Demonstration of superior organizational and time management skills.
• Demonstration of excellent presentation and written skills.
• Ability to meet frequent deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Punctuality in attending meetings and the workplace each day.
• Consistently deliver high quality work and professional advice.
• Work independently or as part of a team to seek out and synthesize information resources in a clear and concise fashion in the processing of applications.
• Demonstrate knowledge, interpretation, and application of subdivision design, site planning and environmental planning concepts and their applications in a rural environment in the processing of planning applications.
• Work collaboratively with and communicate effectively and positively with other team members, departments, and external municipal and provincial government personnel.
• Effective time management to prioritize multiple deadlines and tasks and is required to work within irregular and tight time frames.
• Demonstration of sound decision-making by using rational and logical judgment that reflects an understanding of the consequences of decisions.
• Able to work under stressful work conditions and to think and react quickly and effectively to problems that may arise from time to time.
• Flexibility to alternate between technical to philosophical planning responsibilities as required in the task or project.
• Previous related experience particularly in a public sector environment is considered an asset.
• Proficient in MS Office suite.
• Possess a valid class 5 driver’s license.