Assistant Planner

Job Description:

Assistant Planner

Description

Job Characteristics

*** OPEN & PROMOTIONAL JOB ANNOUNCEMENT ***
Assistant Planner

The City of Concord is currently seeking to fill one Assistant Planner vacancy in the Community Development Department.

What you will be doing:
This position will: work as a primary and initial point of contact for the public and with applicants for planning related permits; provide information and assistance to the general public and developers regarding City laws, policies, and regulations; review and analyze development projects of various sizes to process and issue planning permits; organize and help facilitate neighborhood meetings to provide information on development projects and City-initiated programs or policies; make recommendations on development projects and planning policies to appointed and elected city officials; review building permits and conduct field inspections to verify compliance with planning approvals and zoning regulations; and work closely with the Police Department's Code Enforcement Division and the City Attorney's Office to address land use and zoning violations.

The Community Development Department:

The City of Concord’s Community Development Department, or CDD, is home to the Planning, Building, Housing, and Engineering divisions, which work together to maintain and improve the quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors.

We are looking for someone who:

• Possesses a positive, can-do attitude;
• Possesses excellent communication skills (conveys messages clearly, concisely and persuasively);
• Handles multiple tasks simultaneously while prioritizing their work effectively;
• Is easily adaptable to sudden and unexpected changes in work assignments;
• Effectively represents the Community Development Department in responding quickly and accurately to public inquiries, providing assistance and guidance on development issues, and addressing community concerns about planning, land use, and zoning;
• Makes effective oral and written presentations to elected and appointment officials;
• Works well under pressure, meeting multiple and possibly conflicting deadlines;
• Focuses on teamwork and collaboration with colleagues and supervisors; and
• Embodies and personifies the City's Mission, Vision, and Values.

What we offer:

The City of Concord offers the opportunity to take part in a collaborative and exciting work experience, where you can grow in your career while working alongside the community to make Concord a city of the highest quality. The City is an employer that invests in its employees’ professional and personal development, values work-life balance, is dedicated to employee wellness and provides numerous benefit and retirement options, to include the following:

• Participation in CalPERS pension, tiered based on date of hire
• A variety of health care plans or a cash-in-lieu benefit of $200 monthly if waiving coverage
• City-paid dental insurance; employee-paid vision insurance
• Vacation accruals starting at 10 days per year, 12 days sick leave per year, and 11 paid holidays per year
• Generous tuition reimbursement program
• 457 deferred compensation plan
• Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for healthcare, dependent care and commuting costs
• Life and disability insurance
• A wellness program that offers annual health expos, health and nutrition education, as well as a variety of mental health resources

*Salary is negotiable within the advertised range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found at www.cityofconcord.org.

SELECTION PROCESS

1. Submit a completed City of Concord application and the required supplemental question responses online at www.cityofconcord.org by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. Only application materials submitted online during the filing period will be accepted.

2. All qualified applications and supplemental responses will be competitively evaluated, and those candidates demonstrating the strongest qualifications for the position will be invited to participate in a written exam. If you are invited to participate in the written exam and are not able to do so during the designated timeframe, we regret that we will not be able to reschedule you.

3. Candidates that pass the written exam will be placed on the hiring list, based on rank, for further consideration to fill the current regular vacancy, as well as others occurring over the next 12 months.

Conviction History:

If you receive a conditional job offer, you will be fingerprinted, and your fingerprints will be sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The resulting report of your conviction history (if any) will be used to determine whether the nature of your conviction conflicts with the specific duties and responsibilities of the job for which you have received a conditional job offer. If a conflict exists, you will be asked to present any evidence of rehabilitation that may mitigate the conflict, except when federal or state regulations bar employment in specific circumstances. Having a conviction history does not automatically preclude you from a job with the City of Concord.

Helpful tips when applying:

• It is important to carefully read the complete job bulletin before submitting your application so you are aware of all requirements of both the position and the process.
• When preparing your application, consider reviewing the job announcement and classification specification so that you may emphasize work experience relevant to the position for which you are applying.
• Job duties should be an accurate reflection of the work you completed. Copying and pasting from your job description is not recommended as there may be duties listed that you did not perform.
• Answer all required supplemental questions completely and honestly. The information you put in the supplemental questionnaire must also be verified in your work history so if you say you have certain experience in the questionnaire, make sure we can see it listed in your job history as well so we know where you performed those functions and for how long.

Examples of duties include, but are not limited to

Functions as the initial contact at the Permit Center counter with the public and applicants, both in person and on the telephone for Planning-related permits; provides information and assistance to developers, property owners, and the general public regarding laws, policies, regulations, standards, and procedures in respect to the submission of plans and the processing of applications.Reviews plans and supporting documents and determines application acceptability for minor permits; determines permit process type and enters required information into electronic and manual permit tracking systems.Reviews routine, less complicated building and engineering permits to determine compliance with all appropriate zoning regulations; reviews and issues planning permits; and calculates planning fees according to the City's Fees Resolution. Building permits may include but are not limited to: spas, swimming pools, HVAC equipment, tenant improvements, and building remodels and additions. Planning permits may include: accessory structures, fencing and retaining walls, home occupations, lot line adjustments, tenant occupancies, secondary living units, and signs. Engineering related-permits may include: grading plans, public utility easements, and encroachments.Reviews, investigates, and processes various plans and applications for residential, office and commercial developments; processes subdivision, variance and use permit applications; determines conformity with laws, policies, regulations, and procedures, including field trips as necessary; recommends actions, identifies problems and alternatives. Prepares, and may present, staff recommendations for the Planning Commission, Design Review Board, and Zoning Administrator.Plans and conducts research studies and prepares reports and recommendations regarding land use, zoning, urban design, population trends, transportation, and community service needs.Maintains, updates, and analyzes demographic and other data basic to the Planning function and assists with the review, development, and revision of the General Plan, zoning ordinance(s), subdivision ordinance and other policies and procedures.Prepares initial environmental analyses for development projects and draft mitigation measures and monitoring programs.Prepares a variety of written communications, including analytical reports, commentaries, correspondence, and drafts of proposed revisions to ordinances, policies, and procedures.Confers with and makes presentations to community groups, other government organizations, advisory boards, and other formal and informal groups.Prepares graphic illustrations, such as maps, charts, graphs and renderings.Promotes the City's Mission to make Concord a city of the highest quality by providing responsive, cost-effective, and innovative government services; understands and subscribes to the vision and values adopted by the City in its Mission Statement.Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications

Knowledge and Abilities
Working knowledge of the objectives, principles, procedures, standards, practices, and trends in the field of city planning; of the implementation of zoning and other municipal ordinances; of the methods used in developing information essential to modification of General Plan elements; of the application of relevant land use, physical design, economic, environmental, and/or social concepts; of basic information resources; of relevant mathematical concepts, including basic statistics and statistical analysis; of the terminology, symbols, methods, techniques, and instruments used in Planning; of local government organization; of project management techniques; and of the functions and practices of City work units with which coordination is required.

Ability to perform increasingly responsible and varied assignments under decreasing degrees of supervision; to learn and apply those aspects of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and standards pertinent to assigned areas of responsibility; to accurately interpret laws, regulations, maps, site and building plans, and specifications, graphs, and statistical data; to effectively collect, analyze, and summarize information; to prepare clear visual displays, such as maps, graphs, and illustrations; to effectively use word processing and spread sheet software; to communicate effectively orally and in writing; to understand and carry out oral and written instructions; and to establish and maintain cooperative and effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education/Experience

Education: Completion of four or more years in City Planning or related college curriculum.

Experience: Two years professional planning experience providing general plan, zoning, or development services.

Other

A California Driver License and a satisfactory driving record are conditions of initial and continued employment. Must successfully complete a background investigation as a condition of employment.

EEO/ADA: The City of Concord is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant employer, committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants.

If you have a disability and require accommodations in the testing process, please contact Human Resources at 925-671-3308 or hrdept@cityofconcord.org prior to the final filing date.

The City of Concord takes pride in offering a generous benefits program that provides flexibility for the diverse and changing needs of our qualifying employees.

For a complete overview, click here .
Below is a brief listing of what the City offers:

• Dental & Vision Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Health Insurance
• Holidays
• Life Insurance
• Pre-tax Savings Benefits
• Retiree Medical (3 levels based on date of hire)
• Retirement Program
• Short-term Disability*and Long-term Disability
• Social Security/Medicare
• Vacation & Sick Leave

*Not available for sworn personnel.

Closing Date/Time: 7/30/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$91,624.00 - $116,937.60 Annually