Planning Division Chief (14003, Grade 34)

Why Join Us?

For over 90 years, The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) has had a national reputation for excellence in planning, and today serves a culturally diverse population of over one million people on the border of Washington, D.C. in Montgomery County. We provide planning functions through the Montgomery County Planning Department, which has pioneered programs in agricultural preservation, inclusionary housing, and transit-oriented design. We focus our skills and talents to bring high-quality design in both form and function to all areas, from central business districts to rural villages. To learn more, visit us at !

We are seeking a leader and highly innovative planner for the position of Division Chief, Area 3. Area 3 includes more than half of the county and contains a variety of communities from the growing corridor cities of Germantown and Clarksburg to rural areas such as Sandy Spring/Ashton, satellite towns like Damascus and Olney, and encompasses the 93,000-acre Agricultural Reserve. As the Division Chief, you will lead a multi-disciplinary team of hardworking, professional planners responsible for master and regulatory planning within the Area 3 geographic boundaries. You will also represent the Planning Board and the Department as a liaison with citizens, community groups, developers, consultants, the County Council, County Executive, and other government agencies.

The Division’s prime responsibilities include:

• Preparing master and sector plans;
• Managing the development review process so development projects are functional, compatible and consistent with approved and adopted master plans;
• Integrating environmental and transportation land-use planning task considerations into the earliest phases of the planning and development processes;
• Providing timely and coordinated analysis of zoning requests, conditional uses, referrals, and development applications in order to achieve implementation of area master plans, sector plans and other public plans and policies;
• Providing guidance and interacting with communities in the Agricultural Reserve.

In this position, you will manage approximately 20 people and an annual budget of approximately $2.1 million dollars which is reviewed annually.

You will also develop, interpret, and implement land-use policies. Strong program management and leadership skills are needed as well as the ability to foster relationships with community leaders and other interest groups. The Chief should have excellent analytical, verbal, and public presentation skills as well as in-depth and broad-based planning experience. Knowledge of GIS and other land use software is helpful.