Planning Analyst (Development)

A leading municipal employer in Metro Vancouver, known for delivering a broad range of urban services and supporting a vibrant, diverse, and growing community, is hiring.

The Opportunity

The employer is seeking a Planning Analyst to join its Planning & Development Department within the Development Planning team.

This role is an integral part of a team whose projects help shape the urban landscape of the community. The successful candidate will join a group of committed professionals who care deeply about the community they serve, thrive on variety, and enjoy the challenge that comes with emergent and innovative planning work.

The successful candidate will leverage advanced knowledge and skills to review development applications, including development permits, development variance permits, and rezoning applications. The role involves reviewing and managing development applications, preparing reports to committees and Council, and liaising with developers, applicants, and the Development Planning Supervisor to advance assigned work.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong passion for developing and delivering innovative approaches and solutions to planning and development projects, applications, bylaw interpretations, and related processes. Collaboration with team members to streamline procedures and ensure regulatory and policy alignment with planning and building permit processes will be a key part of the role.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing stand-alone development applications of moderate complexity, including:
• Development Permits
• Development Variance Permits
• Heritage Alteration Permits
• Rezoning Applications
• Reviewing submittals by development applicants on proposals, including architectural and landscape drawings.
• Interpreting policy and bylaw documents.
• Liaising with applicants, municipal departments, and external agencies.
• Drafting memos to applicants to provide feedback.
• Coordinating the interdepartmental review of assigned files.
• Writing reports and making recommendations to community groups, municipal committees, and Council.
• Coordinating legal agreements related to assigned files.
• Addressing development inquiries from developers, consultants, community members, and other external partners.
• Providing support to more complex development application review processes.
• Supporting policy work of the division, including detailed research of current trends and housing policy work as it relates to the Development Planning Division.
• Performing upkeep on the municipality’s Zoning Bylaw, including drafting recommended improvements and relevant Council reports.
• Supporting the development and implementation of planning and development processes and procedures.
• Upkeeping the Development Planning fee structure by researching regional trends and recommending improvements.
• Performing other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree or degree in Planning or a related discipline, with some related work experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Knowledge of municipal development review processes and best practices.
• Knowledge of the principles, procedures, and legislation applicable to municipal planning and building departments.
• Demonstrated ability to collect, analyze, and interpret information from various sources and present conclusions and recommendations clearly.
• Strong organizational skills, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to manage multiple tasks effectively.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and collaboratively as a team member.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external contacts.
• Effective verbal, visual, and written communication skills for diverse audiences.
• Ability to effectively use Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Outlook.
• Ability to use graphics software, including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Canva.
• Ability to use Tempest.

This opportunity is well-suited for a planning professional who is passionate about municipal planning, development review, policy interpretation, process improvement, and community-focused urban development.