RMA Planner III

Description

WHAT WE OFFER

The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package.

• Merit Increases - New employees are eligible for an initial 5% merit increase within the pay range upon completion of at least 1,040 hours (approximately 6 months) provided performance meets satisfactory standards. Subsequent merit increases within the pay range will be upon completion of each additional 2,080 hours (approximately one year) from the initial merit increase.
• Educational Incentive - An educational incentive of 2.5% for completion of an associate's degree, 3.5% for completion of a bachelor's degree, OR 5% for completion of a graduate's degree.
• Bilingual Incentive - Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual Incentive depending upon operational needs and certification skills.
• Flexible Workweek/Telework Schedule - We support work life balance by offering compressed work (e.g., 9/80 workweek) and remote hybrid telework schedules for most positions subject to organizational needs and satisfactory performance.
• Sick Leave - Full-time regular employees accrue 3.08 hours of sick leave per pay period with an advance at hire of 40.04 hours which will be balanced at the completion of 13 bi-weekly pay periods.
• Vacation Accrual - New regular, full-time employees shall accrue approximately 14 days of vacation a year for the first 10,400 hours or 5 years of service; vacation accruals increase at 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 20 years of service topping out at 26 days a year and 400 hours of vacation hours banked.
• Annual Leave Redemption - After 14,560 hours of continuous County service (equivalent to seven (7) years) an employee may elect to "cash in" or redeem up to 80 hours of vacation accrued in the same year after using 80 hours of vacation in the preceding 12 months.
• Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions.
• Health Plans - Full time regular employees are afforded a flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans: Tier one for employee only is $509 per pay period, tier two for employee plus one is $779 per pay period and tier three for employee plus family is $983 per pay period.
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Choice of participation in the Flexible Spending Accounts which increase spending power through reimbursement of pre-tax dollars for IRS approved dependent care and health care expenses.
• Pension Plan - Participation in the County's defined benefit plan.
• Holidays -12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.
• Additional Benefits -Tuition Reimbursement, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Wellness Program.

VENTURA COUNTY
The County's 1,873 square miles include 1,846 square miles of land with 42 miles of coastline which is home to the following cities and points of interest: Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and Ventura as well as national protected areas such as parts of the Angeles National Forest, Channel Islands National Park, and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Ventura County is a “general law” county, governed by a five-member, elected-by-district Board of Supervisors. The Supervisors appoint a County Executive Officer (CEO) to oversee the County budget, day-to-day operations, and to advise, assist, and act as an agent for the Board of Supervisors in all matters under the Board’s jurisdiction.

THE AGENCY
The primary goal of the Resource Management Agency (RMA) is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public through administration and enforcement of County ordinances, Board policy, and state and federal laws regarding land use, and commercial and environmental regulation. The agency includes five divisions: Environmental Health, Building & Safety, Code Compliance, Operations, and Planning. RMA also plays an important role in economic development by assisting County residents and businesses in obtaining permits needed to construct new or reconfigured buildings, start new businesses such as home occupations, restaurants and food service establishments, and agricultural enterprises.

RMA recognizes the value of having a diverse and inclusive workforce at all levels of our Agency to best serve our clients and be representative of the community we serve and is committed to being an active participant in removing barriers to ensure equitable access and opportunities for success. The Agency is dedicated to attracting, hiring, developing, retaining, and valuing quality employees fully empowered to protect everyone’s health, safety, and the environment, and committed to providing excellent customer service through the efficient, accurate, and consistent application of laws, ordinances, regulations, and policies.

THE DIVISION
The chief responsibility of the Planning Division is to regulate the use of land and structures within unincorporated areas of the county. Using these regulations and others, the Planning Division issues permits for uses and structures and enforces both permit conditions and maintains consistency with the County's Zoning Ordinances and General Plan. The Division is comprised of eight interdisciplinary teams that work collaboratively to meet the mission of the organization: Planning Programs, Ordinances and Implementation, General Plan Implementation, Area Plans & Resources, Housing & State Mandates, Commercial/Industrial Permits, Residential Permits, and Permit Administration. A GIS Story map with more information about the Planning Division for potential job candidates can be viewed: HERE

THE POSITION
Under direction, the Planner III performs progressively complex professional planning work involving data collection and analysis, report preparation and public contact; assists in zoning and/or planning programs; and performs related duties as required.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a highly organized planning professional with strong writing, problem-solving, and analytical skills. They have a proven ability to provide excellent customer service, manage time effectively, and deliver clear oral presentations to decision-making bodies. With at least five years of progressively complex experience in land-use planning, they are skilled in preparing staff reports, making recommendations, and applying the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This role requires a confident, motivated individual capable of managing moderately complex projects or contributing significantly to highly complex ones as part of a team.
PAYROLL TITLES AND APPROXIMATE SALARIES:
Planner III: $40.03 - $56.25 per hour

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
OPENING DATE: 03/24/25
CLOSING DATE: 04/11/25

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Reviews and interprets Planning ordinances, State regulations including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), land use policies, and prepares written reports, making recommendations for completion of planning projects.
• Researches, compiles, synthesizes, analyzes and interprets information and data necessary to meet planning objectives.
• Coordinates and/or negotiates with other individuals, groups, sections, divisions, departments, and agencies on various technical or legal aspects of programs, some of which may be controversial or politically sensitive.
• Coordinates projects, defines problems and alternative solutions, and sets objectives as part of the ongoing planning process.
• Provides general information to the public in response to questions about projects, planning programs, applicable ordinances, policies and procedures.
• Makes oral presentations to public groups and governmental bodies to explain and clarify planning reports and recommendations.
• Conducts field investigations of proposed project sites in order to have direct knowledge of the location or project under study.
• May act as a project team leader and a program coordinator.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE
Considerable experience in land use planning which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

The required knowledge, skills, and abilities can be obtained by completion of a Bachelor’s degree in urban planning or a related field, and three or more years of progressively responsible planning experience.

Substitution: Additional experience or non-related degrees may be substituted for the required education and experience.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid California driver license.

DESIRED

• Experience with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
• Experience preparing written staff reports and recommendations.
• Experience giving oral presentations before decision making bodies.
• Master’s degree in Urban Planning or a related field.
• 5 years of progressively complex work experience in land-use planning.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES

Comprehensive knowledge of:

• Principles, practices and techniques of urban and regional planning.
• Federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to planning, land use and environmental protection (such as CEQA).

Working knowledge of:

• Research and statistical methods.
• Interagency relationships.
• Map reading.

Working ability to:

• Collect, analyze and interpret data to formulate recommendations.
• Solve problems at increasingly complex levels as experience level increases.
• Speak and write effectively.
• Prepare technical reports on complex projects.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public and other agencies to provide information and coordinate planning efforts.
• Function as a project leader and program coordinator.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Work is performed primarily in an indoor environment, but regular on-site inspections are required, sometimes involving hazardous terrain. Also requires occasional climbing, crouching, kneeling, balancing and keyboard entry.

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE: Applications must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 11, 2025.

To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/jobs . If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

NOTE : If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here for additional information.

Note to Applicants: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination AT THE TIME OF FILING. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in removal of the application from further consideration.

TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EVALUATION
A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.

NOTE: The selection process will likely consist of an Oral Exam, which may be preceded or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence.

ORAL EXAMINATION - 100%:
A job-related Oral Examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating candidates' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Applicants must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

NOTE: If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an oral exam will not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.

Candidates successfully completing the exam process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary, Extra Help, Intermittent, and Fixed-Term) vacancies for this position and similar positions within the Resource Management Agency. There is currently one regular vacancy within the Planning Division.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information and driving record is required for this position.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Daisy Silva by email at Daisy.Silva@ventura.org or by telephone at (805) 654-2479.

YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE

Service Employees International Union (LOCAL 721)

(SEIU)

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

• Benefits website or you may call (805) 654-2570.
• Retirement FAQ's
• Memorandum of Agreement

Union Codes: UPA, UPC, UPE, UPH, UPI, UPJ, UPT, UWS

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• County of Ventura

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