POSITION AVAILABLE 

Community Planner II 

ABOUT US: At New Jersey Future (NJF), we believe that great places help build great lives. To help create and preserve our great places, we promote sensible and equitable planning, redevelopment, and infrastructure investments that foster vibrant cities and towns; protect natural lands and waterways; enhance transportation choices; support a strong economy; and provide access to safe, affordable, and aging-friendly neighborhoods for everyone. We do this through original research, innovative policy development, coalition-building, advocacy, and hands-on strategic assistance. Embracing differences and advancing fairness is central to our mission and operations, and we are firmly committed to pursuing greater justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work and culture. NJF offers a fast-paced and supportive work environment. NJF is located in downtown Trenton, NJ. For more information, visit www.njfuture.org. 

POSITION SUMMARY: New Jersey Future is seeking an experienced planner to help grow our community planning program. Applicants for the position must have experience managing projects to meet deadlines and produce deliverables. Partner collaboration and stakeholder engagement will be integral to the position. The successful candidate will be comfortable leading and participating in efforts to engage with state, municipal, county, nonprofit, and practitioner partners to advance the livability and smart growth goals of New Jersey Future’s planning program in communities across the state. Strong management, communication, analytics, organizational, and teamwork skills are essenal. A commitment to social and environmental justice is required. This is a full-me position; however, seasoned and experienced applicants seeking a 20–30 hour per week position are also encouraged to apply. 

The Community Planner II position is responsible for generating products including municipal guidance instruments and documents, state planning and program recommendations, and community assessment and strategy templates, plans, and reports. The successful candidate will have strong knowledge of the municipal land use law and best pracces in many of the following areas: social and racial equity, economic revitalizaon, climate adaptaon, municipal and state resilience planning, and stakeholder engagement. The posion will be responsible for structuring, organizing, and implemenng planning processes, with responsibility for producing planning reports and documents, ensuring deadlines and deliverables are met, and that equitable smart growth is embedded in all their work and work products. The posion reports to the Community Planning Manager. There is considerable room for personal and professional growth within our dynamic, mission-driven organizaon. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Produce comprehensive planning documents, including assessments, action plans, and best practices.
• Organize and lead convenings of partners and stakeholders to advance local and state policies and practices that promote sustainable and healthy communities. This may include community engagement sessions, focus groups, partner interviews, working meetings, and other types of convenings. 
• Research and develop written and graphic communications of best pracctie models for various planning tools and frameworks, such as for a local climate vulnerability assessment and resilience planning process, equitable community engagement, livability community design standards, and others. 
• Produce written technical guidance to support best practice models. 
• Identify recommendations to inform state guidance and technical or financial assistance programming for New Jersey municipalities. 
• Participate in project acquisition, scoping, and management.
• Produce quality deliverables in accordance with project deadlines and to support New Jersey Future’s planning program. 

REQUIREMENTS 

• Movated by the organizaon’s mission and dedicated to creang equitable and sustainable communies. 
• Minimum of two years of experience managing projects to meet deadlines and produce deliverables.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, using me effectively and efficiently.
• Ability to compile, interpret ,and synthesize various data to create planning documents and outcomes that advance implementation of equitable smart growth and NJF’s mission. 
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. 
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 
• Demonstrated initiative and adaptability to design and implement all aspects of a planning project.
• Experience developing, reviewing, or working directly with municipal master plans, zoning, and other land use policies and practices. 
• Solid comprehension and knowledge of the New Jersey municipal land use law. 
• Knowledge of state policy intersections with local land use law and practice. 
• Excellent wring and communication skills. 
• Attention to detail in producing accurate and meaningful results and products. 
• Experience developing technical guidance instruments and standards. 
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and be sensitive to diverse perspectives and positions.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. 
• Ability to engage in creative thinking and problem-solving to advance program goals.
• Master’s degree in planning or related field or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Minimum five years of planning experience. 

COMPENSATION: The salary for this full-me posion is in the range of $65,000 to $80,000 and depends on the candidate’s experience and skills. Highly qualified candidates seeking a part-me posion are eligible to apply. Salary is negoable. 

BENEFITS: New Jersey Future values hard work and a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible, family-friendly employment policies. Our compeve benefits package for full-me employees includes 100% employer-sponsored medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance coverage for staff and paral sponsorship of dependents. In addion, we offer a generous health reimbursement account and opons for pre-tax flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care costs. New Jersey Future employees enjoy a defined contribuon 401(k) rerement plan with a variable employer match, flexible work schedules including the opportunity to work parally remotely, generous paid me off policies, and paid holidays. To encourage use of public and acve transportaon, we offer commuter transit subsidies and access to a company car for work meengs. New Jersey Future is commied to the growth and development of staff and fostering a creave, inclusive workplace culture. 

New Jersey Future employees are working on a hybrid work-from-home and in-office schedule. 

APPLICATION: Interested and qualified candidates should submit a cover leer and a resume to HR@njfuture.org. If selected to advance, a brief wring sample that is original content (not edited or contributed to by someone other than the applicant) will be required and a brief assignment may be given. Relevant references will also be required.