Following last week’s look at an opening for the Architecture Program Chair at the University of Michigan, we are using this week’s edition of our Job Highlights series to explore an open position on Archinect Jobs for a Senior Planner at the City of Tacoma’s Planning and Development Services.

The role, based in Tacoma, WA with the possibility of a remote arrangement, calls for an individual who is “passionate about working with diverse community members to solve complex problems and building great communities.” The position also asks for either a bachelor’s degree in planning, architecture, urban design, or a closely allied field with four years of planning experience, or a master’s degree with two years of experience in the planning profession.

Why the role interests us

The position at the City of Tacoma offers insight into the role performed by public planning departments in a city’s development. In Tacoma’s case, the city’s Planning Division is composed of urban planning and design professionals working in coordination with the wider community to develop visions and strategies for the built and natural environment. Such visions and strategies intersect land use, urban design, neighborhood planning, housing, environmental planning, and historical preservation.

The successful candidate for the latest role will also be involved heavily in a 2024 update to the One Tacoma Comprehensive Plan: a long-term plan described as “a blueprint for the future character” of the city. Among the areas of interest for the plan are land use, transportation, housing, infrastructure, and the environment. According to the Department, the Senior Planner for the latest open position will focus on issues such as expanding access to 20-minute neighborhoods, ensuring the equitable delivery of community facilities and services, addressing greenhouse gas reduction targets, and addressing disparate community health outcomes.

The City of Tacoma’s listing on Archinect Jobs also offers an insight into the skills and attributes required for a career in planning. In addition to the academic qualifications listed above, the role also calls for knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, an ability to oversee “highly visible and sometimes controversial projects effectively and sensitively,” and an understanding of how planning and policy development can impact communities and citizens.

The role also underscores the importance of community engagement in an effective urban planning role, calling for individuals with an “ability to gain the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity,” and build partnerships with a wide variety of public and private stakeholders who may at-times hold competing interests.

Further reading for interested candidates

• American Planning Association publishes policy guide to address inequalities in zoning (February 2023)
• Move over, Google Earth: Swiss tech startup uses enhanced aerial photography to create better 3D models of cities for urban planners (December 2022)
• What can video games teach us about urban planning? (November 2021)
• Researchers call for dismantling of 'racist infrastructure' to improve U.S. neighborhoods (September 2021)
• Private Interests and the Public Good: Could an Office of Public Space Management Fix New York’s Chaotic and Unfriendly Public Realm? (August 2021)
• Archinect's ongoing coverage of urban planning
• The City of Tacoma's Archinect profile
• Archinect Tips: Employment Edition (November 2020)

Job Highlights is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Meet Your Next Employer profiles and interviews interesting studios with open positions currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.