Principal Planner (Housing and Grants)

Principal Planner (Housing and Grants)

County of Marin

San Rafael, California

$145,163.20 – $174,969.60 Annually

At the County of Marin, our employees overwhelmingly report feeling their work is meaningful, they like the work they do, and they are proud to tell people “I work for the County of Marin.” The Community Development Agency (CDA) has a long history of innovation and leadership. CDA is a multifunctional agency shaping many aspects of environment and communities, organized into five mission-oriented divisions: Planning, Building and Safety, Environmental Health Services, Housing and Federal Grants, and Sustainability. CDA’s mission is to promote, protect, and advance healthy, safe, and equitable communities.

ABOUT THE POSITION

There is currently one (1) full-time, regular hire Principal Planner vacancy in the Housing & Grants Division.

Under direction from the Deputy Director of Housing and Grants, the Principal Planner will oversee several Countywide housing and planning efforts which involve a high degree of sensitivity, technical expertise, and communication skills as well as oversight of other staff and consultants. These efforts include working with the cities and towns to lead the Housing Working Group, community members and stakeholders on major initiatives, such as supporting complex affordable housing developments and implementing housing element programs.

The Principal Planner supervises and evaluates the work of staff engaged in housing and planning activities and provides in depth technical expertise in their assigned program area. They conduct research, analysis, and conflict resolution on projects and issues having a high degree of complexity and public interest; makes recommendations for changes in housing policies and procedures; and regularly represents the department at meetings and hearings before City Councils, Board of Supervisors, various public agencies, collaboratives, community organizations, and interest groups.

Hybrid schedule: The Community Development Agency has embraced a hybrid work schedule that considers that some duties of this position may be performed remotely. However, the successful candidate must be able to report to County facilities for meetings, work assignments, and/or disaster service work upon short notice, as needed and deemed appropriate. During the initial probationary period, the successful candidate may be required to work primarily onsite before establishing a hybrid work schedule.

ABOUT YOU

The ideal candidate will be an innovative, strategic thinker who can help build compromise. The ideal candidate has a deep understanding of housing and planning complexities and equity with the ability to focus on collaboration, policy implementation and housing projects. They will be a service and solution-oriented person who is highly skilled in both housing and planning functions. An innovative leader who understands how collaborative efforts enhance the ability to provide the best outcomes will do well in this position. The successful candidate will have a record of straightforward and open communication and a willingness to find common ground when working with diverse stakeholders, as well as the ability to effectively manage conflicting perspectives and priorities. The ideal candidate will also have a strong background in project management, program administration, and extensive knowledge of affordable housing finances. A candidate with a strong record of collaborative work with internal and external stakeholders would be highly valued, as the Principal must be able to develop positive relationships with staff, other departments, cities and towns, the public, and many external agencies.

Our Highly Qualified Candidate has considerable:

Knowledge of:

• Affordable housing finance, including loan documents, grants and regulatory agreements.  
• Housing strategies and solutions to increase housing supply affordable to the local workforce and special needs populations.  
• State and regional planning grant requirements and applications.  
• Implementation strategies for removing barriers to housing. 

Ability to: 

• Supervise consultant(s) on highly complex projects with a budget of over $1,000,000.
• Master techniques to involve a wide range of people in making decisions. 
• Function as a mediator or facilitator when community interests conflict. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of education and experience that would provide the knowledge and skills listed. Typically, graduation from college with a major in planning, geography, environmental studies, architecture, landscape architecture, biological sciences or a field closely related to the work, and four years of increasingly responsible planning experience. For supervisory assignments, one year must have included lead or supervisory experience.

NOTE: Additional graduate level courses in planning or a closely related field may be substituted for up to one year of the experience requirement at the rate of twelve semester units (or 18 quarter units) for six months of experience.

How to Apply:

Visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/marincounty/jobs/5512998/principal-planner-housing-and-grants 

Filing Deadline:

Monday, October 26, 2026, 11:59 P.M. EOE