Senior Lead for Community Planning

THE AGENCY:
The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide and sharing its perspectives on growth and community needs with sister agencies in collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The New York City Department of City Planning is a great place to work – cultivating intellectual inspiration, professional development and creativity. Visit our website at www.nyc.gov/planning to access the full listing of job opportunities and to learn more about our great agency.

THE DIVISION:
The Community Planning and Engagement Team serves as the center for DCP’s coordinated community planning work and, through the newly established Civic Engagement Studio, a think tank for advancing and expanding increasingly inclusive civic engagement practices and policies. The team is charged with ensuring a complete and coordinated internal decision-making process for all major initiatives through inter-divisional discussion and leading the Civic Engagement Studio.

THE ROLE:
The Community Planning and Engagement Team seeks highly motivated, experienced, and entrepreneurial Senior Lead for Community Planning who shares our passion for holistic, participatory community planning in New York City. The Senior Lead will report to the Director of Civic Engagement and oversee a portfolio of community planning projects at the neighborhood and citywide scale.

We seek a candidate with 5+ years experience working on community planning and related fields, including (but not limited to) design and policy advocacy. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong understanding of urban planning in New York City, including technical activities and community engagement, as well as the work of agencies beyond NYC Planning. They will have experience designing strategies to maximize participation in planning processes and translating insights from community and other city agencies into meaningful policy and plans. They will be a skillful communicator who is equally effective with communities, elected officials, and agency partners. Excellent project management, ability to quickly pivot as priorities shift, and strong attention to detail are all required.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Advises DCP divisions on the development of community plans that shape zoning changes, as well as investments in capital, programs, and services in New York City neighborhoods.
• Serves as a liaison to the agency’s Executive team to ensure consistency in the content and quality of Neighborhood Plans.
• Facilitates engagement in citywide policy initiatives by providing training and coordination support to borough planners and other agency staff.
• Supports the Civic Engagement Studio by cultivating opportunities to implement and scale up ideas developed through Studio workstreams through Neighborhood Plans and citywide policy initiatives. These opportunities could include youth engagement, engaging people who speak languages other than English, community storytelling, and trauma-responsive approaches to planning.
• As needed, represents the Community Planning & Civic Engagement division at meetings with DCP’s Executive Leadership, as well as City Hall, other agency stakeholders, and advocates.