City of Vancouver

Requisition ID: 14009 

Company

The City of Vancouver is striving to become the greenest city in the world, and a city powered entirely by renewable energy before 2050. We are proud to be one of BC's Top Employers, Canada's Best Diversity Employers, and one of Canada's Greenest Employers. With employees that have helped Vancouver consistently rank as one of the world's most livable cities, the City values a diverse workforce which represents the vibrant community we so proudly serve.

Consider joining our committed team of staff and being part of an innovative, inclusive and rewarding workplace.

 

Main Purpose and Function

The Planner II position in the Housing Policy and Regulation Division will be primarily responsible for complex professional planning work and housing policy development and will report to the Assistant Director, Housing Policy through both the Senior Planner for the City-wide plan team and a senior planner for the Housing Policy team.

 

This position will be focused on advancing and supporting housing policy work on the City-wide plan project while also contributing to delivering on the City’s Housing Vancouver Strategy objectives and targets through related housing policy initiatives. The Vancouver Plan coordinated and managed by Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability (PDS) is a major cross-departmental program to develop, implement, monitor and steward a long-range strategic plan to guide Vancouver to a bright, sustainable future looking out to 2050 and beyond. This transformative initiative advances and integrates policy areas across all disciplines of the City encompassing social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives through an over-arching lens of equity, reconciliation and resiliency. It will guide strategic planning and policy at the City in the future in alignment with Council, corporate and departmental policies, priorities, investments and actions.

 

The successful applicant will be responsible for the design and implementation of housing policy programs involving complex, and sometimes controversial urban issues. The position requires the exercise of independent judgement and initiative in planning and executing technical functions, developing community engagement programs, drafting policy and working with interdisciplinary teams.

 

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Scoping, preparing and managing work programs; being accountable for deliverables and following timelines and work plans.
• Analyzing a wide variety of supporting data and information to assist in the creation of housing and planning policy. Assessing demographic trends, public benefit needs assessments, economic and financial pro forma analysis and public surveys.
• Employ a continuous improvement approach to the delivery of data collection and analysis, using a range of qualitative and quantitative techniques to enable effective implementation of housing policies and projects and robust assessment of outcomes.
• Report writing, including complex Council reports; presenting detailed technical information to staff, senior management, the public and City Council.
• Contributing to drafting zoning schedules and guidelines to implement community plans and housing programs.
• Developing and leading collaborative engagement and communication processes with internal and external partners and the public that includes designing, attending and facilitating public processes in a sometimes contentious environment (including weekday evenings and weekends).
• Exercising strong interpersonal, public engagement and communications skills, as well as considerable judgement, professionalism, diplomacy, tact and discretion.
• Ensuring that complex technical matters are presented in a clear, accessible fashion to a variety of audiences.
• Establishing collaborative working relationships with a wide range of internal departments (e.g. Arts, Culture and Community Services, Real Estate Services, Law, Finance, Engineering) and external stakeholders, such as community organizations, property owners, non-profit and co-operative housing groups, senior government agencies, and the development industry.
• Liaising with, and coordinating and synthesizing inputs from other divisions of the Planning Department and other City Departments.
• Supervising other professional and technical staff and external consultants; working collaboratively with other members of the City-wide plan and Housing Policy teams.
• Performing other related duties as assigned.

 

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• University graduate degree in Planning or related university degree with experience similar to the duties required, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Extensive and progressive municipal experience at a professional level (minimum of 2 years of experience, 5 years preferred); or an equivalent combination of education and experience combined with considerable experience in and commitment to developing affordable housing policy and addressing homelessness.
• Membership or eligibility for membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners.

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of social and affordable housing legislative and policy context.
• Up to date knowledge of social, economic, political, technological, demographic and environmental trends, factors and issues related to the housing needs of different groups in Vancouver and the Metro area.
• An in-depth knowledge of the factors affecting housing supply and demand, including land use planning, land and development economics, social safety net policies, and income distribution.
• Working knowledge of the City’s land use By-Laws, Official Development Plans, Community Plans, and related policies plus a broad knowledge of City services, programs and processes.
• Broad range of experience scoping, developing and managing work programs, as well as experience with structuring, directing and evaluating consultant studies.
• Ability to perform planning research and assess option feasibility through financial and social policy analysis.
• Demonstrated experience preparing policies, land-use directions, built form regulations (including district schedules and design guidelines).
• Strong communication skills (oral and written), including the ability to prepare and present complex planning information to staff, the public, and City Council; ability to write clear, concise Council reports and presentations and make sound recommendations.
• Ability to lead a participatory public consultation process and to negotiate and mediate among various interest groups on potentially contentious issues; familiarity with IAP2 goals and strong facilitation skills.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with other staff, professionals, non-profit organizations, advocacy groups and the public.
• Ability to supervise staff assigned to various projects and direct the work of consultants engaged on planning projects.
• Ability to adjust to a complex organizational structure with shifting priorities on highly politicized issues.

 

Business Unit/Department: Planning, Urban Design & Sustainability (1275) 

Affiliation: CUPE 15 Non Pks 

Employment Type: Regular Full Time 

Position Start Date: January, 2020 

Salary Information: Pay Grade GR-031: $48.78 to $57.7 per hour

 

Application Close: November 17, 2019

Please APPLY here: https://jobs.vancouver.ca/job/Vancouver-Planner-II-City-wide-Plan-Housing-Policy-Brit/606862200/

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, including Indigenous applicants, all genders, nationalities and persons with disabilities. 

We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion.