Associate Parks Planner

The City of Renton is seeking an Associate Parks Planner to join the Parks and Recreation Department's Parks and Trails Division. The Division is responsible for citywide planning, acquisition, development, and major maintenance of Renton's parks, trails, and natural areas, overseeing the city's urban forestry program and operating the Renton History Museum.

The Associate Parks Planner plays a vital, multi-disciplinary role in advancing the Department's mission to provide exceptional parks and recreational opportunities that enrich the health, wellness, and quality of life for all Renton residents while ensuring equitable access, preserving natural resources, and honoring the city's history. As part of a collaborative and passionate team, the Associate Parks Planner will:

• Support both short- and long-term planning efforts.
• Assist in the planning, design and development of public parks and trails including community and partner engagement.
• Contribute to land acquisition, conservation initiatives, grant development, and system-wide needs analyses.
• Foster interdepartmental collaboration and community engagement to ensure that projects align with city goals and reflect public priorities.

The incumbent will need to have strong project management skills, excellent written and oral communication and coordination abilities, and a solid understanding of public open space planning, design, and regulations. This is an exciting time to join the department, as Renton is currently updating its 2020 Parks, Recreation, and Natural Areas Plan, the current version of which is available on the Parks and Recreation website.

Working for the City of Renton comes with an excellent benefits package, including:

• Deferred compensation with the City contributing 3% of the employee's salary.
• VEBA Plan with the City contributing 1% of the employee's salary.
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance at affordable rates
• Paid leave for vacation, sick, eleven holidays and two "personal" holidays a year
• State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems Public Employee Retirement Systems (PERS) plan enrollment

To view a complete job description, click here.

Telework Program

The City of Renton supports workers performing in a hybrid capacity (partial telework/in-office) where job responsibilities can be performed remotely. This position may be eligible for a telework arrangement, working certain days/times remotely based on the operational needs of the City and specific Department. Regardless of the job title or telework arrangement, the City of Renton employees must reside in Washington State and within a reasonable distance to their worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Research, prepare, and present staff reports and presentations to the City Council, Planning or Parks Commission, other boards and commissions, other elected officials, regional committees, shareholders, civic groups, and the general public.

• Compose, edit, and prepare a variety of written materials including reports, discussion papers, amendments to the municipal code graphics, and other materials.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret social, economic, demographic, housing, and land use data and summarize in report form.
• Remain current on relevant legislation, regulations, codes and policies.

• Coordinate and assure the quality production of major planning documents and maps and administer related contracts.

• Assist with all aspects of parks planning, land acquisition, and land conservation within the Parks and Recreation Department.
• Support the development and implementation of planning and policy documents related to park and trail development, city-wide and park and trail master plans, land acquisition, and natural area conservation; Assist in identifying and prioritizing broad park, trail, facility, and natural area projects based on documented emerging needs.
• Actively participate in citywide long-range planning initiatives conducted by other departments, contributing professional expertise on parks, trails, natural areas, and recreation.
• Provide and interpret information orally and in writing to the public, local, state, and federal entities concerning Department policies, rules, and regulations.
• Provide community engagement and outreach efforts through participation at public meetings, managing online platforms, and other related methods as necessary. Analyze and summarize community input resulting from engagement and outreach.
• Support the development of scopes of work, requests for proposals, selection of consultants and professional service providers, and vendor procurement in alignment with city procedures and policies
• Support grant development, budget proposals, or other fundraising efforts for property acquisition, park planning, and development projects.
• Assist capital improvement and maintenance projects as necessary.
• Support inter-jurisdictional programs and projects that affect City parks, trails, facilities, natural areas, and recreation opportunities.
• Contribute to an environment of teamwork and respect.
• Foster a culture of equity and inclusion by recognizing the diverse needs and perspectives of groups and individuals.
• Remain current with relevant technological advancements as it relates to field.
• Participate in and help provide cross-training in processes as directed by management to ensure a well-rounded team for coverage purposes.
• Maintain regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.
• Perform related duties as assigned.
• May be assigned to support critical city priorities during emergencies.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND LICENSE REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Land-use Planning, Geography, Public Administration, Environmental Studies, or closely related field.
• Minimum 2 years of park planning experience.
• Or minimum 6 years of relevant education and experience.
• Valid Driver's License.
• Successful passing of a required driving record check.
• Successful passing of a required background check.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Drive to offsite locations to perform essential functions.
• Move throughout City facilities and buildings.
• Operate a computer and other office equipment.
• Lift or move items weighing up to 20 pounds occasionally.
• Communicate with City employees and residents.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Work is performed in an office environment (and outdoors in all weather conditions occasionally).
• Noise level out in the field is moderately loud and noise level in the office is moderately quiet.
• Work evening and/or weekend hours occasionally.
• Night meetings may be required.

The City of Renton embraces a diverse and inclusive workforce and prides itself on promoting collaboration and teamwork in a positive environment while providing high quality services to the community. For more information about the City of Renton, please visit the following website: Why Renton.

The City has adopted an anonymous application process that prevents hiring managers from seeing personal identifiers, including candidates' names, addresses, and other similar information. This eliminates the possibility of unintentional or implicit bias during the screening of applications. For that reason, you will not have the ability to attach any documents to your application, including a cover letter or resume. Please make sure to submit a complete, detailed, and updated job application.

Accommodation: Individuals needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process may contact Sjacobs@rentonwa.gov at least 2 days prior to the need.

Communication from the City of Renton:
We primarily communicate via e-mail during the application process. E-mails from rentonwa.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders. We also communicate via text and encourage you to sign up for text alerts when completing your job application.

Recruitment Process:
The screening process will include a review of minimum qualifications and applicants selected for an interview will be invited via email to self-schedule a time through the Government Jobs account. At minimum, this position will be subject to a standard criminal background check and professional reference check. This position requires driving and is also subject to a driving record check from the WA State Dept of Licensing (or other state equivalent). Driving records will be evaluated based on a points system depending on the infraction and severity.