Planner III

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Failure to submit the Application or Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.

APPLICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ONLINE.

THE AGENCY

The Alameda County Community Development Agency's mission is to enhance the quality of life of Alameda County residents and plan for the future well-being of the County's diverse communities; to balance the physical, economic and social needs of County residents through land use planning, environmental management, neighborhood improvement, and community development, and to promote and protect agriculture, the environment, economic vitality and human health. 

For more information about the agency, please visit: Alameda County Community Development Agency.

THE POSITION

Under direction, to carry out projects in city, county and regional planning; to conduct research and develop assigned planning and zoning programs involved in the preparation, implementation, and revision of the County general plan; to prepare extensive reports, including statistical data and graphic material; and to do related work as required.

For detailed information about the classification, please visit: Planner III (#2395).

CURRENT VACANCIES

There are two immediate vacancies within the Alameda County Planning Department, one in the Current Planning Division and one in the Policy Planning Division, based in the Hayward area. Incumbents in this position are required to travel to different service locations throughout Alameda County.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate for this position will have strong analytical and writing skills, the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively, be organized and detail oriented, and have sensitivity to working with people of different cultural backgrounds. Specifically, the ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Experience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data pertaining to land use, housing, and transportation planning using appropriate methods and statistical techniques to develop recommendations for development project review, and long-range land use and transportation planning priorities.
• Strong presentation skills, both with individuals and at public hearings, including ability to communicate with skeptical community members.
• The ability to identify issues, problems, and opportunities and to choose an effective course of action for developing solutions.
•  Experience and expertise prioritizing multiple assignments with competing needs and continually revising priorities as conditions change; ability to work with minimal supervision in a team environment and to handle detail-oriented work.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to collaborate and build strong relationships with a wide variety of people, cross-functional teams, and community-based organizations.
•  Strong time management, project management and organizational skills with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience with basic research methods; proficiency with MS Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Either I:

Experience:

The equivalent of one year of full-time experience in the class of Planner II in the Alameda County classified service.  

Or II:

Education:

Possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with a major in planning or a related field such as architecture, landscape architecture, geography, urban/environmental studies, economics, sociology, public management/administration. If the Bachelor's degree is not in a related field, major must show nexus to planning work experience.

And

Experience:

The equivalent of three years’ full-time professional experience in city, county or regional planning.

NOTE: A Master's degree from an accredited college or university in city, regional, urban planning or a related field, may be substituted for the equivalent of one year of the required experience. The Master’s degree in a related field must show nexus to planning work experience.                 

Special Requirements: Candidates may be required to possess and maintain a valid California Driver’s License and may be required to drive in the performance of duties.

On an as needed basis, it may be necessary for Planners to attend night and/or weekend meetings regarding projects that they as assigned.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:                                       

Knowledge of:  

• Principles, methods and procedures of city and regional planning.
• Physical, social, and economic implications involved in city and regional planning, including the development of urban and suburban environments and aesthetic needs.
• Legal basis of planning.
• Research methods including statistics.
• Governmental organizations, transportation, communications, and public utility systems, as related to planning.
• Basic GIS principles.  

Abilities:

• Composing complete reports on complex land use projects, presents findings in written, graphic, and design form.
• Preparing maps, charts, and other graphic material utilizing drafting and design skills.
• Planning and organizing.
• Making decisions, exercising judgment.
• Analyzing and problem solving.
• Leadership.
• Management control.
• Demonstrating interpersonal sensitivity.
• Communicating effectively, orally and in writing.
• Use basic GIS.

The examination will consist of the following steps:

1. A review of the applicants’ application to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.
2. A review of candidates' supplemental questionnaires to select the best qualified applicants to continue in the process. Those candidates considered the best qualified will move on to the final step of the examination process. 
3. An oral examination weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview will be administered virtually and may contain situational exercises.

CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION COMPONENTS. 

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statues. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statues.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees) 
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Group Auto/Home Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org, @jobaps.com, NoReply@jobaps.com, and NoReplyAlamedaCountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email boxes Noreply@acgov.org and NoReplyAlamedaCountyHR@acgov.org are routed to unmonitored mailboxes. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions, please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law.  Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect.  Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.