Senior Planner, Housing Policy

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

About the division:
The Community Development division is responsible for the Met Council's regional long-range planning efforts; planning and technical assistance to local governments; planning for and funding the regional parks and open space system; delivering rent assistance through the Metropolitan Housing and Redevelopment Authority; and delivering the Livable Communities Act grant programs.

In Community Development, we have set the following goals to guide our work:

• Our division builds competency, takes meaningful actions, and creates the necessary infrastructure to advance racial equity.
• Our division's workplace culture is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

About the Team:

The Housing and Livable Communities team is responsible for developing and implementing regional housing policies, working with local governments to identify and plan for their current and future housing needs, and delivering funding to help communities achieve development goals that create more housing choices, support living wage job creation, and connect jobs, housing, transportation, and regional amenities to create a more equitable region.

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:

The Senior Planner is a senior-level individual contributor, project manager, and technical reviewer who serves as a key member of a small, collaborative Housing Policy team within the 12-person Housing and Livable Communities work unit. The Senior Planner performs technical reviews and analyses of local plans, applying regional housing policy, and manages and contributes to regional planning project(s) related to housing policy - supporting technical assistance and the development and implementation of the regional development guide, Imagine 2050. This role works across Met Council divisions and with external partners to advance the cross-cutting goals of the Imagine 2050 plan, support the Livable Communities program, and support ongoing evaluation and continuous learning in housing policy.

After an initial period of on-site work, this position is eligible for a hybrid (both remote and on-site) telework arrangement. The candidate's telework location must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

Note: Although the full salary range is displayed, the hiring salary will be determined based on the final candidate's qualifications, the Council's internal pay structures, and our total compensation package for the position. See anticipated starting range below.

Note: This recruitment may establish a six (6) month eligibility list for current and future vacancies if we have multiple qualified candidates.
Placement on the eligible list does not guarantee you a job with the Council.

• Help local units of government implement the 2050 Housing Policy Plan by providing technical assistance to create a full range of housing options.
• Conduct technical reviews and analyses, applying regional housing policy, for local comprehensive plans and amendments, environmental reviews, and other reviews.
• Manage defined housing policy projects and specific components of major regional community development planning projects: developing and implementing programs, technical assistance offerings, and community engagement projects.
• Projects may include, for example, creating technical assistance resources and interactive tools, facilitating community engagement to inform policy development, analyzing and reporting on housing data trends, and contributing to Council-wide implementation plans for regional development goals.
• Articulate and represent the Council's regional housing policy in internal and external discussions, including committees and work groups.
• Support implementation of grant programs by providing expert review and scoring on housing-related criteria.
• Proficiently use program information, databases, and other technologies to produce reports and respond to internal and external inquiries and requests for information as well as to evaluate housing programs.
• Provide a high level of customer service to all relevant parties requiring timely and accurate information, comprehensive plan amendment reviews, and technical assistance.

• Collaborate and engage across Met Council divisions and with external partners.
• Participate as a key team member in evaluation, continuous learning, and community engagement efforts to prepare for the development of future regional development guides, which are developed on a ten-year cycle.
• Advance racial equity through knowledge of how the history of housing policy has contributed to the region's racial disparities, the implementation and updating of the Regional Development Guide, and the delivery of Livable Communities programs and other Met Council programs.
• Promote an equitable, positive, and respectful professional environment that values culture and diversity among all partners and colleagues.

• A high school diploma/GED AND at least eight (8) years of experience.
• An Associate degree AND six (6) years of experience.
• A Bachelor's degree AND four (4) years of related experience.
• Master's degree AND two (2) years of related experience.

• Extensive knowledge of land use and community planning, housing development, urban design and implementation principles, theory, methods, and practice.
• Extensive knowledge of the governmental environment in which the Metropolitan Council works as it applies to local and regional housing policy and the Livable Communities program.
• Knowledge of affordable housing real estate development processes and the funding resources that support affordable housing development in the region.
• Ability to interpret a comprehensive plan, including maps and tables of land use.
• Knowledge of the purposes, objectives, and housing policy implementation functions of the Livable Communities Act program.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with local governments and their development partners even when delivering unwelcome news.
• Ability to understand and interpret housing policies that may or may not be familiar to the region generally and analyze their applicability to the local planning environment.
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgment and consistently and effectively demonstrate the Metropolitan Council's culture values of Working Together, Adapting to Change, and Putting People First.
• Ability to analyze and interpret Imagine 2050 regional goals and apply them effectively in the project analysis or development process:
  • Our region is equitable and inclusive.
  • Our communities are healthy and safe.
  • Our region is dynamic and resilient.
  • We lead on addressing climate change.
  • We protect and restore natural systems.
• Knowledge of the connections between housing policy and opportunities to reduce climate impact, plan effectively in transit and commercial corridors, support wealth-building, and sustain cultural and community connections within existing neighborhoods.
• Knowledge of institutional racism and the historically different impact of public investments on communities of color.
• Skill in persuasive communication, including the ability to influence, instruct, and negotiate with others to gain their understanding, cooperation, and action.
• Skill in interpersonal communications; effectively working with a wide variety of internal and external partners to address regional goals, navigating ambiguity and identifying creative approaches.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and clearly to a diverse audience of partners, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to handle and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously and complete deliverables within allotted timeframes.

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret funding applications, funder requirements, pro formas, site plans, and legal documents.
• Highly developed conceptual and analytical skills.
• Ability to apply equity principles in project management, processes, and decision-making.