State of Maryland

A Planner III is the full performance level of work in the field of land use, environmental, community development or transportation planning.  Employees in this classification conduct research and prepare analyses, studies or background reports on issues regarding growth and demographic trends and projections and best practices on state, regional and local plans.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a higher-level Planner.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work Sections of the class specification.

The Planner I, Planner II and Planner III are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Planner I learns to perform duties under close supervision.  The Planner II performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.  The Planner III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.  The Planner III is differentiated from the Planner Lead/Advanced in that the Planner Advanced performs the advanced level of work and serves as the sole Planner on a multi-discipline team while the Planner Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Planners.

Prepares and researches various phases of planning projects related to the development and use of land, water, transportation, community or natural resources by obtaining and analyzing information concerning demographic, socio-economic, political, cultural, geographic and land-use trends;

Advises local, regional and State agencies concerned with community development on various aspects of planning and the requirements for qualifying for federal planning assistance programs;

Assists communities in the preparation and submission of technical documents for planning assistance programs under federal, urban, regional, or State development and planning programs;

Conducts studies on land use, demographics, water, urban renewal, or transportation and assists in preparing comprehensive plans based on such studies;

Conducts meetings with public officials, local, regional and State planning commissions, civic groups, community agencies, associations and the general public to assist in providing advice and technical assistance in the development, review and administration of growth plans and urban renewal;

Consults and corresponds with various community agencies in order to stimulate the initiation or promotion of planning and development programs;

Plans and prepares books, manuals, charts, maps or pamphlets for publication and distribution to interested individuals and persons concerned with planning and the utilization of community resources;

Collects, creates, edits, maintains, analyses, distributes and plot GIS data and performs mapping and data analysis tasks including producing graphic and tabular data;

Performs other related duties.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.