Full-Time Community Planning Associate
Job Description
At New Jersey Future, we believe that great places help build great lives. To help create and preserve our great places, we promote sensible and equitable planning, redevelopment, and infrastructure investments that foster vibrant cities and towns; protect natural lands and waterways; enhance transportation choices beyond cars; support a strong economy; and provide access to safe, affordable, and aging-friendly neighborhoods for everyone. We do this through original research, innovative policy development, coalition-building, advocacy, and hands-on strategic assistance. Embracing differences and advancing fairness is central to our mission and operations, and we are firmly committed to pursuing greater justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work and culture. New Jersey Future is located in downtown Trenton, NJ. For more information, visit www.njfuture.org.
New Jersey Future is seeking a highly organized, motivated individual to join our planning team as we expand our strategic assistance program to foster vibrant downtowns and livable communities for everyone. The successful candidate will have an understanding of local land use policy, planning, and implementation and will be familiar with municipal governance, comprehensive plans, and land use regulations, as well as community engagement and advocacy. A commitment to social and environmental justice is required.
The community planning associate will work closely with New Jersey Future staff and partners to complete place-based assessments, plans, and strategies in municipalities across New Jersey and work collaboratively to advance local and state policies and practices that promote sustainable and healthy communities. Our team is passionate about supporting communities that are resistant to climate impacts, intentional about racial and economic equity, and designed for people over cars. The community planning associate performs a range of support activities, such as collecting and analyzing data, researching and drafting reports and program content, grant writing and tracking, and engaging stakeholders and partners through meetings and outreach materials. The position reports to the community planning manager.
RESPONSIBILITIES
● Compile environmental, economic, demographic, and land use data.
● Review planning documents, municipal ordinances, and relevant studies.
● Conduct research and analysis.
● Attend site visits.
● Draft plans, reports, and ordinance and policy recommendations.
● Communicate with partners and clients.
● Assist with preparing scopes of work and invoices.
● Create and deliver presentations.
● Engage with stakeholders.
● Participate in program marketing and client solicitation.
● Write and edit articles, newsletter messages, blog posts, direct emails and letters, etc.
● Assist with program development and writing grant proposals.
REQUIREMENTS
● Motivated by the organization’s mission and dedicated to creating equitable and sustainable
communities.
● Possess an understanding of smart growth planning principles.
● Excellent writing and communication skills.
● An understanding of municipal master planning, zoning, and other land use policies and practices.
● Experience reviewing or working with municipal ordinances, plans, and policies.
● Ability to identify and use relevant data to assess and characterize community features such as, but not limited to, flood risk, community assets or challenges, social capital, vulnerable populations, walkability, connectivity, mix of land uses, density, and proximity.
● ArcGIS skills sufficient to create maps, conduct basic analyses, and participate in development of land use analysis methodologies. ArcGIS Pro skills and data management capabilities are desired. Ability to create urban planning design renderings is strongly desired, preferably in an open-source or readily available platform.
● Attention to detail in producing accurate and meaningful results and products.
● Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and be sensitive to diverse perspectives and positions.
● Ability to engage in creative thinking and problem-solving to advance community-building goals.
● A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
● Bachelor’s degree in planning or related field.
● Minimum one year experience related to community planning.
As of January 12, 2022, New Jersey Future is on a temporary remote-work schedule. When it is safe to do so, New Jersey Future employees will return to a hybrid work-from-home and in-office schedule.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and a resume to hr@njfuture.org. If selected to advance, a brief writing sample that is original content (not edited or contributed to by someone other than the applicant) will be required.277 total views, 0 today