The City of Vancouver Looking for Planner I – Gastown (Street Activities Branch) at Vancouver, BC Full Time

Requisition ID: 37636

Company

Located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, Vancouver has a commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation. Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the world’s most liveable cities and is working towards being the greenest city in the world. Named among Canada’s Top 100 Employers, BC’s Top Employers, and Canada’s Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver seeks colleagues who can help shape and embody our core commitments to sustainability, decolonization, equity and outstanding quality of life for all residents.

Consider joining our committed team of staff and being part of an innovative, inclusive and rewarding workplace.

Main Purpose and Function

The Planner I supports public space planning, design and implementation, including coordinating internal and external public space design processes for the Gastown Streets project as well as other retail corridors with significant public space emphasis. The position helps refine and advance the overall process, leads review of consultant materials, conducts research, policy, case-study and concept development, and supports development of partnerships with Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-waututh, and community relationships with BIAs, urban indigenous organizations, heritage groups, accessibility advocates, etc.

Key Contacts and Reporting Relationships

The position reports to the Senior Public Space Planner for Projects and Policy. This position works closely with a team of planners, engineers and public realm design consultants who lead public space design projects, as well as policy development. The planner I helps lead collaborative internal working groups and technical teams to advance the overall design process and help manage various consultancies. The Planner I provides mentorship and guidance to Planning Analysts, Landscape Designers and Engineering Assistants work on the Gastown project, as well as on other projects and policy work within Street Activities.

Specific Duties/Responsibilities

Emerging policies

• Supports the development and implementation of public space initiatives, projects and policy.
• Supports the development and refinement of design process with internal and external partners for Gastown Streets project.
• Represents Branch in an inter-departmental review of best practices and policies related to public space, and supports the creation of city-wide policy.
• Stays up to date on best practices for public life/public space.
• Provides guidance to junior and technical staff on research, mapping, visualization and presentations.
• Takes a lead role in internal discussions regarding public space policy, stewardship and programming.
• Establishes, coordinates and facilitates collaborative internal technical teams, charrettes and workshops to advance the overall project scope and process, utilizing creative and strategic online, virtual and in-person tools and techniques.

Public Realm and Streetscape Concepts

• Supports public realm and streetscape design through research, conducting best practices case studies, analysis of the public realm and public life existing conditions, mapping and visualization.
• Develop public realm goals and principles, high-level concepts and related visuals and analysis that can facilitate public space, streetscape and street design process, visioning, workshops, trade-off analysis, decision-making and storey-telling.
• Develop consultant scope, review and provide feedback to multi-disciplinary consultancies related to public realm experience and streetscape design.
• Review, analyze and provide feedback on street designs concepts from a public life and public realm experience to facilitate ideation and design iteration process to advance City’s public life goals.

Public engagement support

• Supports the development of public engagement strategies for public space-related projects and policies.
• Develops presentation materials to communicate complex policies and concepts to different audiences, including other departments, stakeholders, the public, and Council.
• Facilitates and co-designs public and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Responds to public enquiries on specific projects.

Develops and maintains partnerships

• Builds relationships and collaborates closely with staff in other COV departments, including Street Use, Transportation, Building Review Branch (CBO), and Planning Design & Sustainability (PDS).
• Develops and maintains relationships with community organizations related to public space creation, stewardship and programming.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

• A post-secondary degree in planning, landscape architecture, urban design or related subject recognized by the Canadian Institute of Planners and a minimum of one year of experience in a planning-related field, or an equivalent combination of post-secondary education and experience.
• Membership or eligibility for membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners is an asset.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Considerable knowledge of urban and spatial design, streetscape and public realm concept development and creating design guidelines.
• Skilled at understanding of public space and urban design best practices with demonstrated ability in public realm and public life analysis, story telling, concept development and visualization.
• Knowledge of designing and facilitating innovative public engagement processes and events.
• Knowledge of municipal permitting processes, development and building by-law reviews.
• Good knowledge and understanding of governmental structures and systems.
• Ability to form effective partnerships, collaborate on inter-departmental and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability to work independently, and lead projects from initial scoping to completion.
• Ability to perform moderately complex technical research and prepare reports thereon.
• Ability to scope, refine and advance complex, multi-disciplinary design processes with substantial internal and external collaboration and strategic requirements.
• Ability to manage consultancies and lead the review and feedback process.
• Strong written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
• Skilled in policy review and research, best practices reviews, and policy planning.
• Skilled in both hand drawing and computer-assisted visualization techniques (e.g. Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, AutoCAD or other).
• Proficiency in the use of office and professional software and databases such as MS Office, GIS systems (MapInfo and ArchGIS).

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work remotely 1 – 4 days a week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite. At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.

The City of Vancouver has a COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy. All external applicants applying to the City of Vancouver are required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of hire and subject to this policy as a condition of ongoing employment. Candidates may only be exempted from this requirement if they request and are approved for an accommodation based on a reason related to a Human Rights Code ground (such as disability). Such a request must be made during, not after, the recruitment process.

Business Unit/Department: Engineering Services

Affiliation: CUPE 15 Non Pks

Employment Type: Temporary Full Time

Position Start Date: February 2023

Position End Date: January 2024

Salary Information: Pay Grade : $47.57 to $56.25 per hour

Application Close: January 15, 2023

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. Indigenous applicants, people of colour, all genders, 2SLGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process. Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

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In addition to uploading your cover letter and resume, part of the application process may include answering application questions related to the preferred requirements of the role which may take approx.. 5-10mins. Cover letters should express interest and highlight additional information relevant to the position and resumes should include a tailored summary of skills and experience related to the position.