Planning Manager at City of Sumner – Sumner, Washington

The Planning Manager recruitment is open until filled with a first review of applicants on March 4, 2026.
The City of Sumner is recruiting an experienced Planning Manager to join the Development Services Team.

We’re looking for a Planning Manager who is equal parts big-picture thinker and roll-up-your-sleeves doer, someone who can discuss the Growth Management Act over coffee, navigate SEPA with confidence, and explain zoning to a neighbor at a community event without relying on acronyms (unless they ask). To you, planning isn’t just about codes and compliance, it’s about shaping places people love. You see parks and trails as community connectors, housing as the foundation of belonging, transportation as access and opportunity, and policy as a tool to help Sumner grow thoughtfully while preserving its small-town character. We need a steady, strategic leader who mentors talented planners, sets clear direction, and builds a team culture where collaboration and curiosity thrive. Someone who is just as comfortable in front of City Council as you are at a public hearing or walking a project site in the rain, because in Sumner, we show up.

If you’re ready to help guide a growing city while preserving what makes it special, we’d love to meet you.

This position is a full-time, Fair Labor Standards Act exempt position. The regular work schedule for the Planning Manager is Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. Alternative or hybrid schedules may be available. Attendance at evening meetings or other off-duty events will be expected. The incumbent in this position is not a Civil Service employee.

General Purpose:
The Planning Manager is a professional-level position responsible for leading and coordinating a wide range of administrative and technical functions related to community development planning and services. This role provides overall direction and strategic guidance for assigned planning functions in alignment with professional standards, municipal ordinances, and established policies. The Planning Manager oversees and facilitates both current and long-range planning efforts, including land use, capital facilities, transportation, parks and open space, and environmental protection, supporting the City’s long-term vision and community goals.

Supervision Received and Exercised:
The Planning Manager works under the general supervision of the Development Services Director and exercises significant independent judgment in managing staff, projects, and priorities. This position routinely works independently in public contact settings, public hearings, meetings, and field situations, and is responsible for coordinating complex planning initiatives and regulatory processes.
The Planning Manager provides leadership and direct supervision to the City’s Planning team, overseeing both current and long-range planning functions.

About Sumner:
The City of Sumner’s vision is to set the standard of excellence for a progressive small city. In working to achieve that vision, Sumner prioritizes and celebrates diverse perspectives, life experiences and differences. The City actively seeks and encourages people with diverse backgrounds and characteristics to apply and all come together with a goal of continuing to learn and improve to better serve the residents, businesses and visitors of our community. Sumner remains a traditional city of just over 11,000 residents with agricultural roots, known for decades as the Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World. At the same time, its compact, walkable layout aligns perfectly with progressive planning trends, as its classic Main Street becomes repurposed for boutiques, independent restaurants and daily services such as legal offices, financial advisors and doctors. While Sumner retains historic neighborhoods of Craftsman houses and an active high school right on Main Street, it also offers over 16,000 manufacturing and distribution jobs for companies such as REI, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Amazon.com, and Dillanos Coffee Roasters. With a downtown Sound Transit station with buses and trains, it is well connected to the Puget Sound region while striving to be a full-service city with the largest YMCA facility in the state of Washington as well as a link trail system that will connect the Foothills and Interurban trails. Like the community, the city government is large enough to be professional but small enough to be creative. The City has won a variety of awards from the Governor's Smart Planning Award to recognition at the International Association of Chiefs of Police for its groundbreaking police work on victims' assistance. With a strong mayor format, the City has just over 130 employees who operate a cemetery, wastewater treatment facility, accredited police department, animal shelter, parks, senior center, full service public works and administration.

The job duties and responsibilities represented in this job description in way imply that these are the only duties to be performed. Employees occupying the position will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by a supervisor. While requirements may be representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and abilities to perform this job successfully, the employee will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty with advanced proficiency.

Below are examples of typical duties:

• Provides strategic leadership and policy recommendations for areas of responsibility including long range planning, economic development, parks and trails planning, community services, affordable housing and other programs.
• Supervises the activities of planning personnel including scheduling, assignment and review of work; mentoring, performance evaluation and making recommendations relating to hiring, discipline, compensation and termination.
• Responsible for ensuring the City’s compliance with the Growth Management Act (GMA), State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), Shoreline Management Act (SMA), and all adopted municipal ordinances, codes, and policies.
• Provides professional, technical and advisory assistance to other departments on issues related to planning functions.
• Advises the Development Services Director, and other staff on all city planning-related matters.
• Serves as the City’s SEPA Responsible Official, overseeing environmental review processes and ensuring compliance with SEPA requirements.
• Responds to inquiries and counsels customers on problems, questions, and complaints regarding the planning, zoning, housing, transportation, annexation, growth management and other land use and community planning issues.
• Initiates development and review of land use, transportation, development and environmental codes and other policies; writes and/or coordinates the review of code and policy language.
• Prepares and submits reports and grants to support department activities.
• Represents the department at City Council, commission, and other meetings to present the department's plans and accomplishments and to discuss the development and implementation of programs, policies, etc.
• Serves as a liaison to civic and special interest groups, local service organizations and other municipal agencies to coordinate activities and to arrange the use of City services and/or resources. Responds to citizen concerns and issues and determines appropriate resolutions to maintain positive community and customer relations for the department and City.
• Develops, updates and implements plans, policies and procedures to ensure smooth and continued business operations of their department in the event of an emergency.
• Performs other duties as required.

Any combination of education, training and experience that indicates the individual can successfully perform the job may be considered.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Urban or Regional Planning, Public Administration, Urban Design or related field.
• Eight (8) years of progressively responsible planning experience, including at least four (4) years serving as a professional-level planner with a city, county, or other municipal agency. Experience must include application of current planning, policy development, effective site planning practices, architectural design review, or a closely related field.
• At least three (3) years' management and supervisory experience.
• Master's degree or graduate level course work or training in Public Administration, Planning, Community Affairs or a related field may substitute for up to two (2) years of required experience.

Special Requirements:

• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Certification from the American Planning Association preferred.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge of:

• Principles, procedures, and practices related to the field.
• Federal, state, and local laws relating to comprehensive and current planning, growth management, building standards, and related issues; including Growth Management Act (GMA), State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), Shoreline Management Act (SMA), and all adopted municipal ordinances, codes, and policies.
• Environmental impact statements.
• Municipal organization and department operations.
• Fiscal and budget management principles, practices and procedures.
• Personnel supervision, training and performance evaluation processes, and related city policies and procedures.

Skills:

• Exercise sound judgment in evaluating situations and making decisions.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with City personnel, outside agencies, and the general public.
• Guide, direct, and motivate employees.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Effectively delegate duties and responsibilities.

Ability to:

• Develop and implement policies and procedures for the effective management of the department and plan, assign and direct the work of the department.
• Effectively train, supervise and evaluate department personnel directly or indirectly.
• Effectively present plans, programs and recommendations to the City Administrator, the City Council and the public.
• Establish cooperation and effective communication within the Development Services Department and between other City departments, outside agencies, private organizations and the public.
• Establish and maintain sound management practices within the department and exercise initiative and judgment in all aspects of department management.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, other government officials and agencies, elected officials, administrators and the general public.
• Solve problems through innovation, collaboration and solicitation of ideas/input from others.
• Maintain reliable, dependable attendance.
• Contribute to achieving the City's Mission, Vision and Values.

Selection Guidelines:
Selection is based on a formal application, evaluation of education and experience, oral interviews, and reference checks. Job-related testing and assessments may also be required.
This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and does not constitute an employment contract between the employer and employee. The employer reserves the right to modify or amend the job description at any time, as organizational needs and position requirements evolve.

Background checks may include:

• Prior Employment Verification: confirms applicant's employment with the listed companies, including dates of employment, position held and additional information available pertaining to performance rating, reason for departure and eligibility for rehire. This verification will be run on the past three employers or the previous five years, whichever comes first.
• Personal and Professional References: calls will be placed to individuals listed as references by the applicant.
• Employment Eligibility Verification: Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States.
• Educational Verification: confirms the applicant's claimed educational institution, including the years attended and the degree/diploma received.
• Criminal History: includes review of criminal convictions and probation. The following factors will be considered for applicants with a criminal history:
  • The nature of the crime and its relationship to the position.
  • The time since the conviction.
  • The number (if more than one) of convictions.
  • Whether hiring, transferring or promoting the applicant would pose an unreasonable risk to the business, its employees or its customers and vendors.

The following additional background searches will be required if applicable to the position:

• Motor Vehicle Records: provides a report on an individual's driving history in the state requested. This search will be run when driving is an essential requirement of the position.
• Credit History: confirms candidate's credit history. This search will be run for positions that involve management of City of Sumner funds and/or handling of cash or credit cards.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Equal Opportunity Employer
The City is an equal employment opportunity employer. The City employs, retains, promotes, terminates and otherwise treats all employees and job applicants on the basis of job-related qualifications and competence. These policies shall be applied without regard to any individual's sex, race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, age, marital status, sensory, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation including gender expression and identity, genetic information, domestic violence victim or other basis prohibited by law.
Persons needing assistance in the application process may call the Human Resources Office, at 253-299-5595 or email hr@sumnerwa.gov. If you are invited to participate in the selection process and need ADA accommodations, please notify HR before you are scheduled for an interview or testing.

Drug Free Workplace
The City of Sumner is a drug free workplace. The City is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy work environment, free from employees whose job performance may be impaired by the use of prescription, nonprescription, over-the-counter drugs, illegal controlled substances, marijuana and alcohol.

General Hiring Process Information

• Candidates must submit required documents as outlined in the job announcement in order to be considered.
• Submitting a cover letter and resume is not required but is recommended.
• Applicants must provide professional references with accurate phone numbers and email addresses. References will only be contacted for applicants who progress past the interview process.
• If multiple applications are received for the same candidate, only the most recently submitted, complete application will be considered.
• Applications received by the review date will be screened for minimum qualifications and then submitted to a Subject Matter Expert to select which candidates will be invited to interview. Personally identifiable information is removed from the applications during the screening process.
• Applicants who are invited to interview will receive notification by email and are typically provided at least one weeks' notice prior to the scheduled interview date.
• Applicants who are not invited to interview will be notified by email.
• Remote interviews may be available for candidates unable to participate in person, remote interviews are held through an online meeting platform such as Microsoft Teams.
• Applicants who pass the interview process may be invited back for a second interview with the department leads or for a walking interview through the department.
• Applicants who did not pass the interview process will be notified by email.