Senior Planner - Transportation

Salary: $73,504.00 - $109,438.00 Annually
Location : Knightdale, NC
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: CY25-00008
Department: Development Services
Opening Date: 03/20/2025

If you are interested in Knightdale's growing community and would like to contribute to its development, we invite you to apply to join Knightdale's talented Development Services staff. The position of Senior Planner - Transportation focuses on highly responsible municipal planning, zoning, and development. The individual in this position will be responsible for leading the Town's transportation program with a focus on multi-modal transportation and project management.

In return for their commitment to serving the community, our staff is provided with competitive salaries and a great benefit package. We are seeking a dedicated professional to join the staff of one of the fastest growing municipalities in our capital county who embodies our core values of Accountability, Respect, and Customer Service. If this describes you, a member of our Human Resources team is eager to guide you through our hiring process. We encourage you to view the position brochure, read the detailed job description below, and apply for our available Senior Planner position. Come and Start Something new with the Town of Knightdale.
Under general supervision of the Development Services Director, manages assigned department staff, performs highly responsible professional municipal planning, zoning, and development functions; performs related work as required. This position is classified as non-exempt and is subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime regulations.

• Assists with planning, organizing, and coordinating the Town's overall land use and development programs relating to transportation planning, including representing the Town at the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
  • Provides guidance on transportation planning policies.
  • Provides guidance on multi-modal transportation solutions
  • Manages major planning and capital projects that pertain to transportation. Including projects through the Locally Administered Project Program (LAPP).
• Researches issues, and prepares and presents staff recommendations, plans and reports on various planning studies including transportation, land use, annexation, Extraterrestrial Jurisdiction extension and the Unified Development Ordinance for the Development Services Staff and the Town Council.
• Assists with developing, implementing, and administering planning and zoning policies, ordinances, and procedures.
• Assists and works with various boards and community groups.
  • Attends regular monthly meetings of the Town Council and Land Use Review Board.
  • Attends occasional meetings of community groups.
  • Presents to various boards and community groups as needed.
  • Gathers information if requested by a board or community group.
  • Prepares and presents to the Town Council and the Land Use Review Board, staff reports and recommendations, advice, and technical information.
• Provides information through the Development Services Director to Town Manager and Town Council with regard to changes and amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance and transportation planning concerns.
• Identifies grants and other non-municipal funding sources, prepares grant applications and proposals, and assists in the administration of grants.
• Works with Wake County, State of North Carolina, and other public and private agencies on issues including, but not limited to, community development, economic development, transportation, Geographical Information Systems, historic preservation, open space, and greenways.
  • Serves as the staff liaison to the Wake County CDBG entitlement program and completes associated tasks as necessary.
• Assists Town staff and citizens with their digital mapping needs.
  • Collects and assembles data to create a draft of the digital map.
  • Creates a draft of the map.
  • Meets with the staff member or citizen to discuss the map.
  • Makes final changes to the map based on the meeting with the staff member or citizen.
• Assists in the management of any consultant contracts related to transportation and land use planning programs.
• Reviews Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) for conformance with Town standards.
  • Facilitates and attends scoping meetings with consultants, the North Carolina Department of Transportation and developers.
  • Reviews and provides recommendations on TIAs.
• Completes tasks such as updating transportation plans, costs and priority lists for CAMPO.
  • Serve as the main point of contact for the Town and CAMPO.
  • Serve on subcommittees and represent the Town's interest.
  • Serves on the Transit Planning Advisory Committee (TPAC)
• Performs other duties as required.

Equipment Operated: Calculator, computer, scanner, copier, plotter, telephone and GIS software.

Reporting Relationship: This position reports to the Development Services Director.

Working Conditions:

• Employee subject to the hazards associated with field work in site surveys performing planning and zoning activities including both inside and outside environments, in extreme hot and cold weather, and exposure to loud noises, vibrations, traffic construction site safety issues, electricity and elevated places, chemical fumes, and in close confined quarters.
• Must be able to perform all basic life operational functions.
• Must be able to perform light work exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally.
• Must possess the visual acuity to prepare and analyze data, visually inspect, read blueprints, use measuring devices, and read extensively.

Job Context: This position works 40 hours per week during the five day workweek. Weekends and overtime are sometimes necessary to fulfill job duties. The stress level of the job is low to moderate.

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in city planning; preferably a master's degree in city planning or closely related field. American Institute of Certified Planners certification preferred.

Experience: Considerable experience of an increasingly responsible nature in municipal planning and development, or other related area; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices pertaining to urban planning.
• Thorough knowledge of the philosophy underlying the laws and regulations pertaining to urban planning.
• Thorough knowledge of urban planning purposes, principles and techniques.
• Thorough knowledge of urban planning and zoning legislation.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the framework of municipal government.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of Transportation Planning including understanding of traffic analysis, traffic models, and traffic forecasting.
• Good knowledge of statutes, rules and regulations relating to the community development.
• Good knowledge of quantitative methods and research techniques.
• Knowledge of the current literature, trends, and developments in the field of urban planning.
• Ability to develop area-wide planning and development programs in accordance with modern practices and standards.
• Ability to prepare and present, in a clear and concise manner, oral and written reports.
• Ability to analyze complex planning problems and to present viable recommendations for their solution.
• Ability to prepare comprehensive master plans and to maintain such plans with technical accuracy.
• Ability to deal effectively with public and community groups concerned with municipal planning.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, Town officials and various groups and agencies.

Special Requirements: Computer literate in word processing, database, computer mapping and graphics software. American Institute of Certified Planners certification preferred.
The Town of Knightdale is an equal opportunity employer.