Job Description

City of Milwaukee

Milwaukee,WIUnited States

How to Apply

Email: vaarmst@milwaukee.gov

Other: Please email a cover letter and resume by 4:45 p.m. on Friday, June 13, 2025, to: vaarmst@milwaukee.gov. Please indicate “City Planning Director” in the email's subject line.

The City of Milwaukee City Planning Director role is a unique opportunity for an experienced leader in urban planning and community development to make a significant impact in guiding land use and neighborhood planning, zoning, urban design, and public engagement in a major city rich in history, potential, and complex planning challenges.

Consider applying for this Planning Director position, which offers a broad mix of duties leading the DCD Planning Division!

The Planning Division develops and implements the City of Milwaukee's Comprehensive Plan and 14 Area Plans, carrying out strategic zoning code updates and urban design initiatives to advance City planning goals, serving as the staff support for the City Plan Commission, and leading major planning initiatives including the City's Anti-Displacement Planning efforts, while collaborating with DCD colleagues to advance the Department's affordable housing and economic development goals.

The City of Milwaukee's City Planning Director directs the staff and resources assigned to the DCD Planning Division. The Planning Division is responsible for the design and administration of the City of Milwaukee's land use regulations, the development of Comprehensive, Area, and Neighborhood plans, the development and implementation of planning and policy initiatives related to these activities, and the operation of the City Plan Commission.

Qualified candidates will have a Bachelor's Degree is urban planning or a related field, AND five years of progressively responsible work experience in professional urban planning or an equivalent role in community development, including three years of staff management experience related to the essential functions of this position.

The City Planning Director essential functions include:

Management

• Direct the Planning Division of the DCD and oversee daily operations.
• Hire, orient, and evaluate staff.
• Set priorities and expectations and assign work, organizing staff assignments and responsibilities for maximum efficiency.
• Establish a positive culture within the planning division that demands a high degree of staff responsiveness, encourages creativity, and supports professional growth.
• Coordinate the Planning Division's work with other departmental sections.
• Ensure the Planning Division provides effective mapping and data analysis to support the department's ongoing needs.
• Utilize planning, demographic, and other data sources to inform departmental priorities and goals and communicate relevant data and trends to internal and external audiences.
• Develop partnerships to augment the City planning staff with qualified interns.

Planning Direction

• Provide overall direction and leadership to staff on Comprehensive and Area Planning initiatives, including plan development, updates, and implementation. Focus on effective community engagement during planning processes.
• Oversee initiatives to develop and implement updates to the zoning code and urban design standards to advance city planning goals.
• Ensure high-quality representation of the City of Milwaukee in collaborative local and regional planning activities.
• Vet and present City positions and perspectives to bodies such as the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Plan Commission and Community Development Alliance.
• Ensure that the Planning Division provides effective analysis and recommendations to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
• Work with internal project managers and developers to ensure high-quality design and coordinated entitlement processes for projects seeking City approvals, including zoning changes, Board of Zoning Appeals approvals, Certified Survey Maps and Subdivision Plats, and street and alley vacations and dedications.
• Ensure that planning activities are well-informed by public input.
• Ensure that policy-makers are well-informed regarding planning division activity, including requests for entitlements, forthcoming legislation, and plan development.

City Plan Commission Oversight

• Ensure the effective functioning of the City Plan Commission (CPC).
• Approve meeting agendas, minutes, and public notices.
• Determine staff recommendations to be presented to the CPC.
• Oversee staff interaction with the CPC so the Commission has timely and accurate information to make decisions.
• Ensure that the CPC notices and meetings are conducted in accordance with the State of Wisconsin open meetings law.

Administration

• Manage the division's budget and identify potential grant sources to support planning projects.
• Oversee the development of legislation and the implementation of technology solutions to improve Milwaukee's land use regulation practices and processes.
• Serve as a member of the senior management team of DCD.

To find out more about the City Planning Director employment opportunity, view the City's linked website and apply today! Applications are due June 13, 2025.

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