Employment

Current Employment Opportunities –

Planner II Associate Planner – FT

Planner II Associate Planner: Position open until filled.

The Grays Harbor Council of Governments (GHCOG) is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Associate Planner (Planner II).  We seek a motivated professional with interest in long-range planning within a rural setting to join our team. 

Compensation: Planner II, $67,000-$73,000 annually DOQ and full benefits package including: medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, life insurance coverage, participation in Washington State’s Public Employees’ Retirement System, paid sick leave, vacation and holidays. This is a non-union, exempt position. 32 hour work week possible with corresponding salary.  After orientation a part-time, remote work schedule can be considered.

Background:  Grays Harbor Council of Governments (GHCOG) is a regional planning agency located in Aberdeen, WA serving Grays Harbor County, all nine cities, Grays Harbor Transit Authority, the Port of Grays Harbor, Grays Harbor PUD, Timberland Regional Library, the Chehalis Tribe and the Quinault Indian Nation.  Areas of planning work include transportation, brownfields, park and recreation, community development, mapping and data, and grant assistance.

Qualifications:  The ideal candidate for the Associate Planner position will have a minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in transportation planning, urban planning, regional planning, public administration or a closely related discipline and hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.  Strong communication skills are a must.  Knowledge and use of ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS online is desirable. Ability to satisfactorily pass a background investigation which shows no criminal activity that could directly impact the ability to perform the job.

Nature of Work:  This position’s responsibilities  involve developing, coordinating and organizing planning activities and GIS/data as need to support those activities.

The Associate Planner performs professional short & long range planning work including research and analysis, plan development, grant research and writing, reports and presentations to councils, boards and commissions, works with local agencies to  develop comprehensive plans, capital facilities plans, park and recreation plans and other plans/studies as needed, including but not limited to transportation, land use, and infrastructure.

The ideal candidate will have a positive attitude, be an effective communicator and be willing to be part of a small but collaborative work environment.

Description of Duties:  The following duties are not inclusive of all duties, and the incumbent performs other related duties as required.

General

  1. Must have excellent communication skills, both written and oral. Be organized and detailed oriented with strong interpersonal skills and demonstrate the highest degree of ethical behavior.
  2. Plan/conduct meetings/presentations with individuals and groups to guide the decision making process; occasional evening sessions.
  3. Must be proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook). Experience with Adobe Acrobat and ArcGIS is preferred.

Planning

  1. Research/prepare/present staff reports, planning documents and recommendations on planning and community development issues as requested by Member Agencies and assigned by the Executive Director. 
  2. Research, develop/edit grant applications for Agency and Member Agencies.
  3. Collect a variety of statistical data and prepare reports and maps.

Other Duties: Other duties as assigned.

This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills or working conditions associated with the position. While it is intended to accurately reflect the position’s activities and requirements, Management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary.   

Requires knowledge sufficient to perform the full scope of responsibilities as illustrated by examples in the description of duties.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

  • Knowledge of the theories, practices, principles and techniques of public sector planning.
  • Knowledge of Washington State land use including the State Environmental Policy Act, Shoreline Management Act, Critical Areas Ordinances and other related policies and procedures is preferred.
  • Skills in project management.
  • Skills in public presentations, public hearings, meetings, and other public review processes.
  • Ability to perform individually and in a group setting.
  • Ability to prepare and/or assist in researching and compiling facts and data, organizing and writing project reports and studies, developing presentation graphics, progress reporting and record keeping.  
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with elected and appointed officials, co-workers, Member Agency staff and the general public in a courteous and tactful manner.
  • Ability to organize work efficiently to meet deadlines and budget constraints.

The Grays Harbor Council of Governments is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on disability, race, gender, religion, age or ethnic origin.

Application Requirements 

1.  Letter of interest

2.  Detailed resume’  

3.  Completion of Supplemental Questionnaire

4.  Two writing samples of planning work (see question #4 of Supplemental Questionnaire)

Submission:

Please submit all application materials in PDF format to:

Zana Dennis, Office Coordinator zdennis@ghcog.org

Questions

Please contact Vicki Cummings, Executive Director

vcummings@ghcog.org or 360.537.4386