Assistant Planner in Valparaiso, Indiana at City of Valparaiso

The City of Valparaiso, located in Northwest Indiana just southeast of Chicago and minutes from the scenic Indiana Dunes National Park, is seeking an Assistant Planner to join the Planning Department. The Assistant Planner is responsible for executing day-to-day Planning Department operations under the supervision of the Director of Planning and Transit. This position plays an important role in supporting the City’s planning, zoning, and community development efforts.

Qualifications Include:
- Bachelor's degree in urban planning, architecture, public policy, or related area of study
- One or more years of professional planning experience. An internship relative to the candidate’s degree may be considered as a substitute for professional planning experience.
- Demonstrated ability to read and understand Indiana Code, municipal and planning ordinances, and related laws and regulations.
- Working knowledge of the principles and practices of planning, and ability to understand and interpret legal descriptions, City maps, topography maps, and detailed blueprints.
- Experience with Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, and ArcGIS.
- Possession of a valid driver’s license and demonstrated safe driving record
- Must pass pre-employment drug test and essential function screening

Position Expectations Include:
- Coordinates the review and issuance of building permits, including reviewing submitted permits, assisting the public in completing permit applications, and entering permit information into the project tracking system.
- Reviews construction and site plans for compliance with state and local ordinances, approving or rejecting plans as appropriate.
- Approves building permits, conducts inspections for building permits, and conducts zoning enforcement activities as necessary. Performs site visits to resolve issues on building requirements and zoning.
- Maintains communication with the public, including researching and answering questions pertaining to planning and zoning issues. Facilitates discussion between neighborhood associations and interest groups.
- Maintains communication with other department staff members and other City departments regarding building permit and zoning issues.
- Supports the Plan Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, Historic Preservation Commission, Creative Council, and other bodies, including reviewing minutes, developing meeting agendas, documenting appeals and authorizations, and preparing staff reports for meetings.
- Administers grants for departmental activities, including preparing reports in a timely fashion.
- Assists with maintenance and development of the Planning Department website and other social media sites.
- Performs related duties as assigned by the Planning and Transit Director, Building Commissioner, City Administrator, and more senior planners.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits Include:
- Robust Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
- Health Savings Account (w/Generous Annual Employer Funding)
- Life Insurance (Employer paid and Supplemental Plans)
- Disability Insurance Plan
- Employer Paid Urgent Care Visits at Designated Immediate Care Clinic
- Paid Time Off and Holidays
- INPRS (PERF) Pension Program
- Employee Assistance and Employee Health Programs
- Tuition Reimbursement Programs
- Career Growth and Training Opportunities

Compensation:
The City of Valparaiso provides a competitive salary structure. Pay for this position will be +/- 65,000/annually dependent on the candidate’s education, experience, and qualifications.

The position is exempt commensurate with FLSA requirements and is scheduled for a minimum of 40 hours per week.

Equal Employment Opportunity:
The City of Valparaiso is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruit, select, develop, and promote employees based on individual ability and job performance. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status.

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function of the position satisfactorily. The requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. The City of Valparaiso provides reasonable accommodations to qualified employees and applicants with known disabilities who require accommodation to complete the application process or perform essential functions of the job unless those accommodations would present an undue hardship.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in applying for this position, you can request assistance by contacting the Valparaiso Human Resources Department at vhr@valpo.us.

This job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.