COASTAL LAND USE PLANNER

(SENIOR PLANNER)

MUNICIPAL PLANNING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Opening Date:

January 09, 2025

Closing Date:

February 06, 2025

Location:

Augusta*

Position #:

09510-1110

Position Type:

Full Time 

Class Code:

0603

Grade/Salary:

Grade 25 - $54,412.80 - $76,315.20 Per Year

*Remote work options are available for this position with the approval of management.

Join the State of Maine’s land use planning team and help build thriving communities that are sustainable, resilient to environmental challenges, and prepared for the future!

AGENCY DESCRIPTION: The Municipal Planning Assistance Program (MPAP) at the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry has a Coastal Land Use Planner (Senior Planner) opportunity. MPAP provides land use planning expertise for Maine citizens, municipalities, regional planning councils, state agencies, and the Legislature. It promotes growth management principles in state and local policies, programs, regulations, and investments. The program and this full-time position are in Augusta, and remote work options are available subject to management approval.

BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION: Your professional services will assist coastal Maine municipalities with land use and comprehensive planning, manage grant programs for municipalities and regional councils, research municipal planning issues and develop coastal and land use policy and implementation recommendations for use by the executive department, legislature, or line agencies. 

The Coastal Land Use Planner leads the review process to award Coastal Community Grants. The successful candidate will determine the scope of work for land use technical assistance grants to Maine’s Regional Councils, develop land use technical assistance guidance materials, and review municipal comprehensive plans under the Growth Management Law and Chapter 208 Comprehensive Plan Review Criteria Rule.

The successful candidate will have experience in and know the principles, practices, methodologies, and objectives of municipal planning; sustainability, coastal resilience, and land use planning issues facing coastal municipalities; local government management, capabilities, and constraints; funding opportunities to address municipal planning concerns; and the ability to evaluate land use planning problems and recommend solutions. Finally, the successful candidate will be able to extract and apply information from technical documents, effectively communicate orally and in writing, establish and maintain effective working relationships, and work collaboratively in a team environment. 

Work is performed under limited supervision.

For questions specific to the position, please contact Joan Walton, AICP at (207) 419-8661.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelor’s degree in assigned area and four (4) years of related work experience. Equivalent related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

Assigned area(s) for this position: Community planning and development, environmental sciences, public administration, or a related field.

Preference will be given to those who demonstrate:

• Familiarity with general principles of land use planning and coastal resilience planning
• Experience in comprehensive planning and land use ordinance development, community development, and housing issues
• Experience in GIS, database management, and other computer software applications.

Excellent organizational, writing, communication, teaming, problem-solving, consensus-building, and process skills are essential. A Master's degree in planning, or AICP certification is a plus.

HOW TO APPLY: Interested applicants need to apply online by selecting the "APPLY" button below along with uploading a Cover Letter and a current Resume. In order for us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your Resume includes month and year for any experience listed along with the duties and responsibilities associated with each particular time period. Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such. 

If you can't apply online and you require a paper application, please download and print one here: https://www.maine.gov/bhr/state-jobs/application-process. Paper applications for this posting should be submitted along with a Cover Letter and Resume, before the closing date, to: Natural Resources Service Center, c/o Kristin McCamish, 32 Blossom Lane, Marquardt Building, Augusta, ME 04333-0155. Please be sure that the title, and position number, of the job you are applying for is included.

_______________________________________________________________

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Balance – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave. 
• Health Insurance Coverage– The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($11,196.96-$13,172.88 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.  
• Health Insurance Premium Credit– Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements. 
• Dental Insurance– The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($358.08 annual value). 
• Retirement Plan– The State of Maine contributes 13.29% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.  
• Gym Membership Reimbursement– Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense. 
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts– Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses. 
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness– The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office. 
• Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive forty-two (42) consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.  
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation– Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions. 
• Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness. 

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics. 

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you.  Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Thinking about applying?
Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting.  If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.