The Village of Brookfield is seeking qualified applicants for the full-time position of Planning Division Manager. The salary range for the position is $75,303 - $97,894. The Village provides a full complement of benefits including paid vacation, paid holidays, personal days, and sick days. Additional benefits include health and life insurance, participation in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), and deferred compensation plans. This position is an exempt, non-union position who reports to the Director of Community Development.
ABOUT BROOKFIELD
The Village of Brookfield, population 19,476, is a vibrant, diverse community located 13 miles west of downtown Chicago that offers convenient transportation with numerous community amenities including respected schools, an excellent library, three Metra train stations, and a parks and recreation system. This non-home rule municipality is home to the Brookfield Zoo, owned by the Cook County Forest Preserve District and operated by the Chicago Zoological Society. Village departments include Village Manager's Office, Finance, Community Development, Fire, Police, Public Works, and Parks and Recreation.
POSITION SUMMARY
The objective of the Planning Division Manager is to implement, organize and lead the Village's land use regulations and planning functions. The Planning Division Manager is tasked with reviewing development and redevelopment plans for conformance with general planning principals and specific requirements as outlined in the Village's Zoning Code (Section 62 of the Village's Code of Ordinances) and other code provisions affecting land use. Said reviews will be conducted for plans that may be approved by right pursuant to the Zoning Code as well as other plans that may require review by the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC).
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
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PZC STAFF LIAISON - Act as a staff liaison to the Planning and Zoning Commission. As staff liaison, the Planning Division Manager will prepare staff reports on development proposals requiring review by the Commision, including a staff analysis of proposed variances and text amendments sought by an applicant and a staff recommendation. The Planning Division Manager will also bring other relevant matters before the Commision such as the Comprehensive Plan, updates to the Comprehensive Plan, special purpose plans (e.g. Open Space plans or active transportation plans), best practices, studies or presentations based upon attendance at planning conferences, etc. Lastly, the Planning Division Manager will prepare agendas and minutes for Commission action. The Planning Division Manager presents Planning and Zoning Commission matters to the Village Board and Committee-of-the-Whole as needed.
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PLAN REVIEWER - Review development and redevelopment plans for conformance with the Zoning Code and other land use regulations such as the Stormwater Ordinance and Sign Code. From time to time the Planning Division Manager may inspect development sites to ensure conformance with approved plans.
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PROJECT MANAGER - Develop and coordinate planning projects, including implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, Implementation of the Active Transportation Plan, updates and revisions to the Zoning Code, and development of special purpose plans. This would entail the collection and interpretation of data needed for said plans and vendor management when consultants are utilized to advance planning projects.
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PUBLIC RESOURCE - Provide consultations delivering technical and professional planning advice to various stakeholders. These may include Village Board of Trustees, real estate professionals and property owners (e.g. architects) considering undertaking development projects within the Village. The consultations may be delivered via informal meetings with stakeholders or by teleconference or via formal presentation to Village stakeholders (e.g. at a Village Board of Trustees meeting or Chamber of Commerce meeting). The Planning Division Manager serves as a resource to residents, property owners, contractors, business owners, and others.
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GRANT WRITER - The Planning Division Manager will monitor and apply for grants typically related to capital projects. All or nearly all grant applications will relate to planning or economic development or capital projects that implement departmental goals.
PERIPHERAL DUTIES
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Monitor planning activities of neighboring municipalities and state and federal legislation affecting the planning profession.
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Manage additional staff, as needed, within the planning division, including but not limited to interns.
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Attend professional seminars to keep abreast of trends and developments in the field of planning.
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Advise the Director of emerging trends in planning that affect economic development strategies and tactical approaches.
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Participates in key events that advance planning and land use objectives such as community bike events, community outreach events, to broaden citizen participation in the land use policy and process and other events.
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Perform other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
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Bachelor's degree in urban planning or a closely related field; Master's Degree in urban planning or a closely related field is preferred. Prefer 2-5 years of experience in municipal planning department handling current development projects in a community with infill-type development and redevelopment, or an equivalent combination of training and/or experience.
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Possession of a valid driver's license at time of hire and ability to maintain a valid driver's license.
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AICP certification within 2 years of employment; certification at time of hire is a plus.
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Writing - Ability to write effectively to a variety of audiences including the Village Board of Trustees and Planning and Zoning Commission and policy makers, external groups including grant funding agencies and citizens groups and Village website readers. The written work products may vary in formality, ranging from formal memoranda to trustees and PZC commissioners, informal website news postings and grant applications.
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Public Speaking - Ability to communicate orally effectively in various forums including the Village Board of Trustees and PZC, grant funding agencies, professional associations, and other venues.
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Teamwork - Ability to establish effective working relationships including intra-and inter-departmental projects.
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Ethics - Adherence to the American Planning Association or AICP code of ethics.
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Vendor Management - Ability to manage vendors including those utilized to conduct planning studies and to implement projects based upon said studies.
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Zoning Review - Ability to read and understand complex building plans and blueprints.
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Customer Service - Exemplary customer service skills required. Additionally, a commitment to ensure impartial and consistent code enforcement in a challenging environment is required, in recognition of the fact that Village staff enforcement affects residents' and business owners' private property. A high degree of patience for listening to citizen complaints with a focus on problem resolution is imperative.
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Software - Ability to use Microsoft Office products and GIS software is a plus.
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Language - Bi-lingual skills are a plus.
