Sustainability Planner, Division of Planning and Sustainability

Department: Division of Planning and Sustainability

City of Syracuse residency is required for this position. If you are not a resident, you have six (6) months from your date of hire to establish residency.

Job Description

The City of Syracuse Sustainability Planner will focus on economic and environmental sustainability in planning, design and policy projects. They will be responsible for the creation, coordination and implementation of projects that foster environmental sustainability, and advance the City’s sustainability goals.

Typical Work Activities

• Perform professional planning work, focused on the organization and planning of sustainability projects, studies, policies, and plans for the City;
• Lead and collaborate on energy efficiency, greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability initiatives across City departments, with a strong emphasis on project management, coordination, and public outreach;
• Support the development, implementation, monitoring, and measurement of the City’s Sustainability Plan that will incorporate sustainability into all aspects of the City;
• Provide leadership to advance the City through environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable programs;
• A high level of interpersonal skills and coordination is required since the position may advise and facilitate the work of a wide range stakeholders. The position will also help individuals and private, non-profit, and public organizations in answering requests for information within the City;
• The employee will research and integrate data and information from a variety of technical specialties including urban land use and design, environment and natural resource management; engineering; land use regulation (zoning); public finance; or public health;
• Work is performed independently with latitude given for initiative and creativity with supervisory guidance and advice available when needed. Supervision of staff is not a typical function of this position, but the Planner may be responsible for supervising the work of interns as well as the contractual work of consultants hired to perform work under various Planning programs;

• Does related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to provide technical knowledge, guidance, support and advice in the area of environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, climate change policies and initiatives, and public health to City departments and stakeholders;
• Serves as the primary project manager for environmental and sustainability initiatives;
• Develop programs and policies to address environmental sustainability;
• Develop marketing strategies to promote sustainability, including public engagement;
• Attend and participate in meetings, as necessary, with other professionals and the public;
• Serve as a public liaison on Sustainability related initiatives and projects;
• Prepare reports and studies on the benefits and outcomes of sustainability programs;
• Assist with development of budgets for Sustainability related initiatives and projects;
• Makes both formal and informal presentations to advise, recommend and inform citizen advisory boards and municipality public officials on environmental and land use programs and issues;
• Prepares grant applications to private/public/nonprofit funding agencies for environmental programs and administers the implementation of these various grant programs;
• Develop and provide illustrative presentations such as graphs, charts, and maps;
• Critical thinking skills and good professional judgment

Minimum Qualifications

• A) Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with a master’s degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geography, Public Administration, Environmental Studies, Transportation and Transit Planning and Analysis, or City or Regional Planning or a field closely related to City or Regional Planning, and one (1) year of professional level work experience, or its part time equivalent in community planning, development or redevelopment in a public sector agency or its equivalent in the public sector or;
• B) Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with a baccalaureate degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geography, Public Administration, Environmental Studies, Transportation and Transit Planning and Analysis, or Urban Planning or a field closely related to Urban Planning, and two (2) years of professional level work experience, or its part time equivalent, in community planning, development, or redevelopment in a public sector agency or its equivalent in the private sector or;
• C) Six (6) years of paraprofessional or professional level work experience, or its part time equivalent, in planning, architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering, geography, public administration, environmental studies, or transportation and transit planning and analysis, at least two (2) years of which must have been professional level work experience in community planning, development, or redevelopment in a public sector agency or its equivalent in the private sector or;
• D) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A), (B), and (C).

Benefits

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Vision insurance
• Retirement plan

Click here to apply

The Affirmative Action Policy of the City of Syracuse is to provide equal employment opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, sex, religion, creed, age (18 and over), marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status, gender identity or gender expression, sexual or affectional preference or orientation, or any other classified group within the protected class. The City also complies with 31 CFR part 51. If you have a disability for which you wish special accommodation to be made, contact the Office of Human Resources at 315-448-8780 or personnel@syr.gov.

The City of Syracuse may conduct a criminal background check with regard to the employment sought.