Planner III/Communications Specialist III opening at McCormick Taylor

The Planner III/Communications Specialist III will be an integral member of our team, our clients’ operations, and the wider community. The role entails supporting planning and communications for public-sector clients, including state Departments of Transportation (DOTs), transit agencies, regional planning entities and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and county and local governments. Specific work activities may include: developing and implementing community engagement strategies; supporting multimodal transportation planning projects; working with project teams to create outreach materials, social media campaigns, and reports; working with elected officials, stakeholders, and residents to create transportation plans and programs; and supporting business development initiatives across various markets. In addition, the desired candidate should bring strong communications skills and have interest in leading robust community outreach and public involvement programs designed to meaningfully engage communities.

Learn more and apply: https://mccormicktaylor.hua.hrsmart.com/hr/ats/Posting/view/142

See the original posting on LinkedIn

Job Title: Community Outreach Specialist

Job Timeline (Approximately):

* June-July ‘24 – applications accepted

* Aug-Sept ‘24 – select candidate screener(s) & final interview(s)

* Sept-Oct ‘24 – job offer & start date

Job Details:

* This is an embedded contractor position at the Trans-Pacific Engineering Corporation (TPEC) to the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD)

* This is a full-time position (40 hours/week) and includes all associated TPEC benefits

* The ideal candidate is local to Philadelphia and can reliably travel to community-based meetings/events

* Currently this job is a hybrid mixture of work-from-home (WFH) time, in-office (1101 Market Street) time, and in-the-field (in the community) time, including evenings & weekends

* All applicants must be Covid-19 vaccinated, must be a US citizen or permanent resident, must have a valid driver’s license, must be comfortable driving in the City of Philadelphia

Philadelphia Water Department (PWD):

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) is a public utility committed to providing clean and safe drinking water, treating wastewater, and managing stormwater for residents, customers, and businesses in the greater region. The Department’s core values are to consistently deliver professional quality products and services, responsive customer assistance, and continuous reliability to 1.5+ million customers.

The Public Engagement (PE) Team:

The Public Engagement (PE) Team (within Public Affairs) is a customer‐focused team committed to enhancing the quality of life of PWD customers through communications, outreach, education, and engagement. The PE Team is one of the most public-facing teams at PWD and is tasked with building public trust and support for the PWD’s integrated services and infrastructure investments. The PE Team regularly collaborates within the Public Affairs Unit, across other PWD units, externally with residents and stakeholders, with other city agencies (e.g. Parks & Rec, Office of Sustainability), as well as non-profits, private, and academic institutions, and more.

Overview of Community Outreach Specialist (COS) Role:

The primary responsibilities of this Community Outreach (COS) Specialist position are to guide strategic public engagement efforts that identify and build relationships with residents and stakeholders to create and maintain support and trust for PWD projects, services, and/or investments coming to their communities. This will be done through effective communication, presence in neighborhoods, and a strong desire to cultivate ratepayer & partnership development; will present accurate and timely project information through many forums (electronically, in-person, at meetings, while tabling, etc); will collect and facilitate feedback around PWD projects; will organize data and use it as a driver for improved processes/products; will collaborate internally and externally around engaging residents; and will celebrate project milestones with PWD and the public.

The COS will be able to consider and plan around potential barriers impacting the diverse community we serve, including a wide range of socioeconomic, racial, and/or ethnic challenges in historically under-resourced communities. The COS must be a self-starter in addition to a team player and will be expected to successfully, and immediately, navigate multiple projects and deliverables simultaneously with a great attention to detail(s). The COS will be expected to meet deadlines assigned by the PE Team Manager and/or by PWD.

Community Outreach Specialist (COS) Tasks:

The most important tasks associated with this position can be seen below.

1. Primary Tasks – Leading Public Project Notification, Outreach & Engagement in South Philadelphia & The Riverwards

* Primarily; pertaining to notification, holistic notification, outreach & engagement around public green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) projects built through PWD’s 25-year stormwater management plan Green City, Clean Waters (GCCW) in PWD GSI District 2 (South Philadelphia & The Riverwards)

* Secondarily; helping the PE Team & PWD develop/pilot an ‘integrated outreach approach’ around projects that contain GSI, water, and/or sewer work likely assisting in adapting our current GSI outreach workflow en route to developing processes/procedures for integrated outreach; other duties related to this task as assigned

* Possible Task-Specific Deliverables: scheduling & promoting GSI meetings, project outreach/notification via email or by letter, tracking all metrics associated with this work, holistic promotion at and/or hosting of community meetings around projects in PWD GSI District 2; piloting integrated notification methods en route to education, outreach & engagement; other duties related to this task as assigned

2. Secondary Tasks – Assistance to PWD & PE Team – Private GSI, Water Bar, Events, Other Duties

* Assistance to PWD with Private GSI Notification, Outreach, Engagement, and/or Promotion

* Possible Task-Specific Deliverables: assisting PWD Developer Services Unit (DSU) in the development of private/commercial outreach strategies; assisting with outreach & engagement to private property owners around PWD’s stormwater billing, grants, incentives, and/or retrofits programs; assistance with and/or coordinating the annual Stormwater Pioneers Awards Ceremony; other duties related to this task as assigned

* Assistance to the PE Team’s Water Bar (WB)

* Possible Task-Specific Deliverables: assisting with and/or vetting Philly Water Bar requests, coordinating event logistics with external partners (scheduling, promo, etc), scheduling and working the Water Bar; other duties related to this task as assigned

* Assistance to the PE Team Around Large Events

* Possible Task-Specific Deliverables: full-scale assistance, and possibly leading, coordination of larger events (examples are the Water Revitalization Plan Family Discovery Day, PWD Open Houses, etc); reviewing everything necessary to host a smooth and successful event, including scheduling, confirming attendees, food ordering, site visits, run-of-show, assistance with talking points, calendar invites, etc; other duties related to this task as assigned

* Assistance to PWD & PE Team Using VAN

* Possible Task-Specific Deliverables: becoming PWD’s VAN liaison; training the PE Team and possibly other units at PWD on VAN use; data analysis using VAN; exploring VAN’s texting capabilities as it pertains to outreach; other duties related to this task as assigned

3. Other Duties as Assigned by the PE Team Manager and/or PWD

Candidate Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will possess both minimum requirements and the general skills, background, and work ethic as outlined below.

* Minimum requirements:

* Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in a relevant field

* Relevant fields include: community planning/engagement, public participation, public affairs, public administration, stormwater management, science education, sustainability, environmental science/studies, communications, city/urban planning, public policy, public administration, and the like

* Relevant degree with 2+ years of relevant professional experience

* Team player with strong organizational skills, excellent speaker and writer, able to perform well in a fast-paced environment, able to successfully juggle multiple projects/deadlines simultaneously all while having an eye for detail and top-quality customer service, proven ability to get major deliverables done well and on-time, possessing and utilize creative thinking and problem-solving, ability to forecast an increasing tasklist

* Proficient computer skills and working knowledge of Windows, Microsoft Office, Zoom, Google Suite, GIS (and/or willingness to learn), Creative Cloud (and/or willingness to learn), VAN (Voter Access Network; and/or willingness to learn), and/or possibly Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, and/or digital marketing or communications software, etc

General skills that will favorably benefit this position are:

* Be familiar with Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, have reliable transportation, be a city driver

* Be a caring people-person who is passionate about urban resilience

* Be comfortable presenting information to diverse audiences in a public setting

* Be comfortable working with both technical and non-technical staff, as well with every level of resident and stakeholder representing Philadelphia communities

* Be a “generalist”, an eager learner, and a creative thinker

* Be an activated resident aware of the complex social, economic, and environmental challenges that many Philadelphians face (and want to help)

* Examples of preferred secondary skills: bi-lingual capacity (Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin preferred; please see here or here), advanced proficiency with Creative Cloud and/or GIS, adept at science communication & science visualization, proven ability to break complex topics down for understanding

Trans-Pacific Engineering Corporation (TPEC):

TPEC is an equal opportunity employer and civil/environmental engineering consulting firm currently headquartered in Lower Gwynedd, PA with a wide client base throughout the region. Full-time TPEC employees enjoy a friendly, flexible work environment, and competitive salary with benefits package including paid holidays/flexible time off, health insurance, life and disability insurance, tuition assistance, and retirement savings plan with company match. TPEC reserves the right to background check and drug screen job candidates prior to hiring.

To apply for this TPEC Community Outreach Specialist position please submit both a cover letter and resume to Philip Chiang (pchiang@tpeceng.com) by 5pm on Friday, July 26th. Thank you and best of luck.

The Chester County Planning Commission is seeking a Sustainability Planner (IV) to advance implementation of the county’s Comprehensive Plan and Climate Action Plan. This position presents an exciting opportunity for a motivated and collaborative professional to advance sustainability by helping to translate county policy into community impact.

This senior level position will take a leading role in a hybrid work environment to: develop and manage projects that implement Landscapes3 and the Climate Action Plan; convene cross-sector stakeholders in task forces and other action-oriented committees, support sustainability initiatives within county government; plan and execute public events; prepare grant applications to fund county planning initiatives; work with DVRPC to implement regional initiatives within Chester County; and deliver presentations regarding the Climate Action Plan and other sustainability initiatives to municipalities, stakeholders, interest groups, and the public.  

Candidates must possess strong skills in written and verbal communication, public speaking, community engagement, and project and program management. The ideal candidate should demonstrate: an understanding of land use planning in Pennsylvania, including familiarity with the Municipalities Planning Code; experience in sustainability planning; familiarity with ecological planning and native plants; understanding of green building design concepts; cultural competence and experience meaningfully engaging diverse stakeholders. Required computer skills include Microsoft Office and working knowledge of ESRI ArcGIS products.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Sustainability, Landscape Architecture, Environmental Science, or a related field with six years of applied job experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Master’s degree and AICP certification preferred. LEED or other green building credential or knowledge a plus.

Position Type: Full-Time / Exempt 

Starting Salary: $65,855 

Design and Technology Division Director Position Available

The Chester County Planning Commission seeks a Design and Technology Director responsible for division management and administration with a focus on implementing the County’s comprehensive plan, Landscapes3. The Design and Technology Director oversees and coordinates Development Plan Review, Geographic Information Systems, Urban Design, and Graphics within the Planning Commission.  The position entails defining current projects and priorities, guiding program development, managing staff, providing work review, and supporting advanced technical assistance to the Planning Commission.

Experience and qualifications for this position include:  The ability to work on conceptual designs; understanding of the land development review process in Pennsylvania; GIS program management experience; experience in drafting community planning documents; and working knowledge of the operation of a graphics section, including design fundamentals and the application of design concepts in the community planning field

The successful candidate must have strong supervisory, time management, and leadership skills as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills. The Planning Commission operates in a hybrid work environment.

Minimum Qualifications: Minimum qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in Planning, Urban Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture or related field from an accredited college or university and eight years of progressive experience in planning and project management.  Master’s degree and AICP certification preferred.

Position Type: Full-Time /Exempt

Salary: $76,990

Applications for the Design and Technology Director position must be submitted through the Chester County Employment Opportunities webpage. The webpage and job description can be accessed here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/chesco (webpage);  https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/chesco/jobs/4546222/design-and-technology-director      (job description)

Associate / Senior Associate

We are seeking an experienced professional to join our team as an Associate / Senior Associate.
The position requires a degree in economics, business, real estate, city planning, tourism, museum studies, or other relevant course of study; ideally the candidate holds a master’s degree and/or professional degree with some experience in consulting, cultural attractions or urban planning. While we encourage people of all levels of experience to apply, candidates for Associates typically have between 2 and 5 years of relevant experience and Senior Associates have 5 to 10 years of relevant experience.

The ideal candidate is self-motivated with excellent analytical, writing and communication skills. Associates / Senior Associates work directly with senior and junior professionals in teams for varied consulting assignments in our practice areas. Brief travel to project sites is likely. An Associate / Senior Associate must be highly adaptable to a varied consulting practice that is not
formulaic. We customize our skills and experience to provide analyses and counsel for clients in a variety of settings with varying project goals and objectives. Quantitative and qualitative research and analysis skills will be used to conduct market analysis, economic potential analyses, business planning, strategic planning, urban economics, economic and fiscal impact
analysis, and community planning. Other skills including foreign languages, proposal writing and business development, graphic design and Geographic Information Systems are desirable. Typical day-to-day tasks range from project to project, and often include:
• market analysis and projection
• preparation of case studies and benchmarking analyses
• business planning for new and expanding organizations
• financial and economic modeling
• economic and community impacts analyses
• evaluation of location and sites
• organization, community and economic growth strategies
• report section preparation
• proposal preparation

Associates / Senior Associates are encouraged to expand their skills and market knowledge and take on increasing levels of responsibility in consulting assignments and proposal preparation. There is a substantial opportunity to develop a leadership role within the firm. We offer a competitive salary with full benefits. ConsultEcon has offices in the Boston, MA and Philadelphia, PA areas. Remote and/or flex working arrangements are possible.

Please email a letter of interest and resume to info@consultecon.com. No phone calls please.

Community Planner/Urban Designer  

We are seeking a dynamic community planner/urban designer ready to work on a wide variety of projects,  including municipal comprehensive plans, neighborhood plans, corridor studies, active transportation plans  and zoning ordinances. This position would be responsible for plan graphics, report layout, charrette  materials, maps, presentations, etc. The ideal candidate can independently complete design workflows  from conceptualization to actualization and should exhibit a strong aptitude for building client relations  and delivering quality products. 

Meet Us 

Pashek + MTR is an award-winning planning and design firm committed to a holistic, sustainable practice.  Our work spans the public and private sectors, including community planning and design for municipal,  non-for-profit and private clients. We are a highly collaborative group of skilled planners, landscape  architects, and designers located in a walkable and bikeable urban neighborhood. 

Studio Culture and Equity 

The position will entail working collaboratively within our team as well as with clients, project stakeholders,  and other consultants. The ideal candidate should share our values and want to learn and grow in  responsibility within our tight-knit firm. Visit www.pashekmtr.com to learn more about us. We emphasize  and value diversity & inclusion in all we do https://pashekmtr.com/pashekmtr-diversity-inclusion statement/.  

Desired Skill Set 

▪ Strong detail orientation, organization, ability  to move multiple projects forward  

concurrently 

▪ Strong writing and communication skills ▪ Learner mentality, interest in researching best  practices and constantly learning from others ▪ Ability to apply principles of equity and  sustainability in all forms of planning 

▪ Understanding of graphic design principles – typographic, cartographic, conceptual, etc. ▪ Knowledge of urban design concepts ▪ Ability to present complex information clearly  with infographics and graphic design 

What We Offer 

▪ Fluency in Adobe Suite (InDesign, Illustrator,  Photoshop) 

▪ Proficiency with ArcGIS Pro 

▪ Comfort with research involving quantitative  and qualitative data 

▪ Strong analytical skills 

▪ Facilitation skills – small & large groups, non traditional community outreach, remote & in person formats 

▪ Willingness/desire to develop project  management skills 

We offer you the opportunity to work with a creative group of colleagues in a flexible, collaborative, casual  work environment. You will have the opportunity to grow within the firm based on your abilities to advance  your skills and manage projects. Salary commensurate with experience. Benefits include medical, dental &  vision insurance, and matching 401k. 

How to Apply 

Please email your resume, portfolio, references, and writing samples in a combined pdf to Jenni Easton at  jeaston@pashekmtr.com.

Haverford Township is seeking an experienced Zoning Officer to join our team. 

This position is responsible for implementing and enforcing the Township Zoning Code,  addressing all incoming communications regarding zoning matters and is a liaison for the  Township’s Zoning Hearing Board. Primary functions include administering the intake, technical  review, administrative processes and approval of zoning permits, Zoning Hearing Board  applications, variance requests, and other zoning matters. 

Starting salary is in the low to mid $70,000’s, depending on experience and qualifications. 

Work Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday (35 hours per week with the  possibility of some flexibility, subject to the approval of the Department Head and Township  Manager), plus mandatory attendance at evening meetings of the Zoning Hearing Board and  occasional attendance at other evening meetings. 

Applications will be accepted until filled. 

Essential functions: 

• Serve as staff liaison to the Haverford Township Zoning Hearing Board and other boards,  commissions and committees, as assigned.  
• Administer the intake, technical review, administrative processes and timely approval or  rejection of Zoning Hearing Board applications and other zoning related permit  applications.  
• Provide technical and administrative support to the Zoning Hearing Board on zoning  appeals, variance requests and other zoning matters. 
• Review and evaluate building and zoning permit applications for compliance with the  Township Zoning Code. 
• Serve as the primary contact for inquiries and complaints relating to zoning related  issues; investigate, research, interpret, explain, and provide guidance; engage other  employees when inquiries extend into their areas of expertise.  
• Perform inspections to ensure compliance with applicable Township ordinances;  routinely tour the Township to detect structures and/or uses that are in violation of  Township regulations. 
• Prepare for court cases; attend court hearings and/or testify on behalf of the Township as  the Zoning Officer, working with the Township Solicitor as appropriate. 
• Collaborate with the Director of Planning and Zoning to draft and implement  amendments to the Township Code. 
• Work with the Permit and Licensing Coordinator to maintain current and accurate  electronic and paper records pertaining to zoning and code matters. 
• Work with the Permit and Licensing Coordinator to prepare routine reports to summarize  zoning and code-related activity. 
• Provide input on the Community Development section of the Township website. • Ensure compliance with all legal requirements for public notice relating to public  hearings and other zoning and development related matters. 
• Perform field inspections and non-criminal investigations into zoning related matters.
• Develop personal goals and objectives for the approval of Director of Community  Development. 
• Remain current on legislative changes and case law that influence zoning and code  administration through publications, training, and personal contact with other industry  professionals. 
• Interpret and administer programs and procedures in accordance with approved policies,  Township ordinances, and applicable laws, rules, and regulations of authorities having  jurisdiction. 
• Provide assistance in the review and approval of vendor, supplier and consultant invoices  for the department. 

Qualifications:  

• A minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible, related experience, in  Pennsylvania municipal government, is required. 
• Working knowledge of zoning administration and enforcement in accordance with the  Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. 
• A thorough understanding of the principles and practices of zoning administration and  enforcement is required. 
• Ability to grasp basic legal principles of Land Use Law. 
• Ability to perform administrative procedures, technical reviews, field inspections and  non-criminal investigations.  
• Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office programs including Excel, Outlook, and Word. • Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
• Able to demonstrate a high level of service delivery; prioritize citizen and community  needs. 
• Ability to research, understand and implement municipal policy. 
• Ability to interpret maps, property surveys, and aerial photography. 
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently with self-directed priorities.  • Considerable ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with  superiors, associates, subordinates, employees and their representatives, professional  groups, officials of other agencies, elected officials, attorneys and the general public. • Ability to properly handle material of a highly confidential nature and exercise discretion. • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 

Licenses, Registrations, or Certificates Required: 

Valid Pennsylvania Driver’s License 

Benefits: 

• Defined contribution retirement plan 
• 457(b)
• Paid life insurance 
• Excellent paid time off and holidays • Low-cost medical, dental, and vision plans • Employee Assistance program 

Apply Online