The mission of the Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS) Department is to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations by promoting protection of natural resources and facilitating the development of safe, sustainable and resilient communities.

PDS seeks employees who are self-managing high performers, accountable for their actions, and dedicated to providing superior customer service. Ideal candidates are excited about change and learning, are innovative, organized, exceptionally customer-service oriented, and have a passion for public service.

PDS is seeking a Principal Planner for its Long Range Planning Division.  This person must have a professional level of expertise in a wide variety of planning disciplines. The successful candidate will lead an inter-departmental team overseeing the county’s required periodic update of its Growth Management Act (GMA) comprehensive plan. Candidates should have a strong background in the GMA or equivalent state planning laws, State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) or equivalent, comprehensive plan policies, development regulations and experience presenting to boards, commissions and elected officials. This position may be assigned other Long Range Planning Division work as needed including policy and code development.

This job posting will be used to fill one or more Principal Planner positions. 

1. Serve as project manager for more than one assigned current and long range planning functions; provides and evaluates customer service functions and technical assistant to agencies, groups and individuals both inside and outside the department; provide strategies to improve customer service.
2. Develop integrated land use, environmental, cultural resources, economic development, housing, community development, local government capital facility policy and plan proposals; formulate integrated regional, county and long and short range plans, plan implementation strategies and regulations.
3. Organize and present policy recommendations and plan proposals to policy makers at all governmental levels and the general public; provide editing and quality control for the work drafted by other planning staff.
4. Serve as coordinator and evaluator of the development applications review process including permit completeness, conformance with plans, regulations and codes; schedule and conduct technical review meetings with applicants and other affected parties for the most complex development applications; negotiate project redesigns as appropriate; prepare overall schedules of cases for public hearings; provide periodic joint review with senior planners of final site plans; approve minor plan modifications.
5. Represent the PDS Department and Snohomish County in the negotiation of major planning programs with other agencies and jurisdictions.
6. Schedule and provide lead staff support for multiple public meetings, hearings, and council sessions; provide technical expertise and assistance in the preparation of staff reports and recommendations, develop oral and written presentations including findings and reports for comprehensive plans and amendments, land use code amendments and major development application review.
7. Negotiate interlocal agreements and memoranda of understanding with other jurisdictions for annexation, planning and plan implementation activities; review and update administration of county codes and regulations to implement cities’ plan and development review systems

• supervisory principles and practices
• principles and practices of urban planning and design
• urban planning and land use laws, codes and policies
• methods and techniques of community involvement
• geographical and political aspects of work related areas

• mediate and resolve planning issues involving opposing interest groups
• plan, organize and supervise the work of professional, technical and clerical staff
• analyze and resolve work related problems
• read, interpret and apply federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations governing assigned duties
• arbitrate or enforce laws, codes, ordinances and regulations with firmness and tact
• establish and maintain effective work relationships with all levels of county management and staff, representatives of other agencies and the general public
• communicate effectively with people of all ages and from a variety of cultural, economic and ethnic background
• present technical information clearly to the general public
• synthesize research results of a planning team and use these results as a basis for recommendations