Why Work for the City of Charlottesville?
When you work for the City of Charlottesville, you join a thriving city where uniqueness is celebrated and the environment is a perfect blend of rich history, art, music, food and recreation. The City values diversity in its workforce and attracts those who strive to make an impact in our vibrant community, while demonstrating Charlottesville's Core Values of Leadership, Trust, Creativity, Respect, and Excellence. While working for us, you’ll enjoy a tailored compensation package, ongoing training opportunities at all levels, and an opportunity to perform truly satisfying work in the community which you live, work, and play. We look forward to you playing a vital part in what makes Charlottesville the dynamic community that it is. Watch the following video created by the University of Virginia on all that Charlottesville has to offer:

The City of Charlottesville is seeking a Manager for Long Range Planning & Design which performs specialized work in the preparation and advancement of City plans including the Comprehensive Plan, Small Area Plans, and amendments to the zoning ordinance. This position will provide leadership, expertise, and direction in long range planning and urban design activities and focus on land use and urban design planning and policies, coordinating this work across other disciplines within the City in order to advance implementation through City and private sector led projects. In support of this work, this position will identify funding opportunities and operational systems/processes that support the necessary level of coordinated planning and implementation.

• For a general summary of benefits offered by the City, please click the 'benefits' tab on this posting, or visit https://www.charlottesville.gov/1047/Employee-Benefits.
• The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system and does not participate in VRS, however the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS and there are certain provisions that must be met. For questions pertaining to the Portability Agreement, please contact the City's Benefits Administrator at 434-970-3462.

This position will serve as the principal staff for the City’s long range planning program, with particular focus on creation of plans and policies, leading and supporting implementation of long-range plans, and an ongoing system of community engagement and education. The position will lead plans and policy development in the City with particular attention to issues of equity, climate change, and urban design.

Responsibilities related to this include but are not limited to:

• Long-Range planning project management, including small area plans, zoning amendments and similar projects as well as updates to the Comprehensive Plan.
• Scope long range planning projects and draft RFPs, select consultant teams, and manage consultant contracts.
• Lead interdepartmental coordination to support planning processes and implementation of adopted plans.
• Provide direction/influences the work of applicable staff across departments on a project basis to ensure long-range planning efforts are incorporated.
• Make recommendations for potential policies/ordinances or for improvements to public space design.
• Participate in development review for high-priority or strategic development proposals.
• Assist in capital budgeting in support of plan implementation.
• Lead public meetings and make public presentations; prepare reports including development of text, graphics and maps that communicate planning, urban design, and regulatory information to a general audience.
• Build a community engagement program to support long-range planning efforts.
• Present to elected and appointed boards and committees.
• Acts as the staff support to urban design, planning, and similar task forces, working groups, or committees.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Any combination of education and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Land Use Planning, Landscape Architecture, Environmental Studies, Public Administration, or related field.

• At least five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience in urban design, planning or community development related activities, with direct project management responsibility is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A Master's degree and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), or similar planning or design professional certification, is highly desired.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Planning: Knowledge of both historic and contemporary urban planning concepts and strategies. Demonstrated ability to synthesize long range land use and other community planning endeavors with more short-term efforts is essential.

• Communication: Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex ideas, create cogent written summaries and utilize a variety of communications media (written, spoken and graphic form) for individual and group meetings, particularly with those who have been historically excluded from planning processes. Experience drafting Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and managing contracts with outside consultants, is expected.

• Zoning: Experience drafting and evaluating urban zoning ordinances so that they align with and effectively implement goals of a city's Comprehensive Plan (including related strategies, such as an Affordable Housing Strategy). A working knowledge of form-based codes is desirable. Familiarity with approaches taken by other communities to develop and implement development codes and procedures is highly desirable.

• Equity, Sustainability, and Resident Engagement: Demonstrated knowledge of equitable and sustainable best practices. The successful candidate will be mindful of, and sensitive to, the need to create long-range planning goals that will help expand opportunities for everyone in Charlottesville. Demonstrated experience designing and implementing effective community engagement strategies is highly desirable, with an emphasis on strategies that effectively increase participation of all residents across economic, racial, and ethnic lines, in community planning efforts.

• Architecture and Design: A comprehensive understanding of the effects of building design, landscape design, urban design and place-making on the built-environment. The ideal candidate will have a masters in urban policy and/or planning.

• Consensus Building: Demonstrated ability to build consensus among residents, across economic, racial and ethnic lines, during the process of developing and implementing a Comprehensive Plan and other key urban planning and strategic goals within the Charlottesville community. Experience with helping groups agree on a shared vision about their community, balancing apparent disparate issues.

• Government: Capability to work within an established structure as a complement to regular government efforts, balancing the input and requirements from elected officials, City departments, and constituents.

• Charlottesville Culture: Adeptness to see the City as a whole while at the same time showing a sincere appreciation of the quality and life of the varied, individual neighborhoods.

• History: Ability to quickly learn and assimilate the unique history of Charlottesville- our people, our struggles and our promise. An understanding of urban renewal and displacement is critical.

Physical requirements for this position as outlined by the Department of Labor: LIGHT WORK: Ability to lift up to 20 lbs. occasionally and/or up to 10 lbs. frequently and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires the ability to lift or move more than 20 lbs. for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work.

The majority of time spent in this position involves inside work. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

SUMMARY OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Updated July 1, 2022


Benefits cited represent those for regular 40-hour employees and may differ for Management Level, Part-Time, and/or Library positions. Long-term temporary employees are eligible for all benefits except retirement. Interns, temporary, seasonal, substitute, and relief employees are not eligible for benefits.


1. LEAVE:

• Vacation:
  • 3.09 hours accrued biweekly - 0 - <3 years
  • 3.85 hours accrued biweekly - 3 - <5 years
  • 4.62 hours accrued biweekly - 5 - <10 years
  • 5.40 hours accrued biweekly - 10 - <15 years
  • 6.16 hours accrued biweekly - 15 - <20 years
  • 6.93 hours accrued biweekly - 20 - <25 years
  • 7.70 hours accrued biweekly - 25+ years
• Sick:
  • 4.62 hours per biweekly pay period, approximately 120 hours a years, no limit on accumulation
• Holidays:
  • 14 paid holidays per calendar year (13 observed and 1 floating)

• Aetna Medical –
  • Choose from three options with different premiums and levels of coverage and coverage is effective on the first of the month following date of hire:
    • HMO: $0 premium for employee only coverage
    • POS 1: Employee-only premium of $36.28 per biweekly pay
    • POS 2: Employee-only premium of $13.02 per biweekly pay
      • (Dependent coverage is available but the cost of the premium is not subsidized.)
  • Prescription Card ($10 generic, $30 lower cost name brand, $55 higher cost name brand)
  • Mail Order Maintenance Prescription Drug Program ($20 generic, $60 lower cost name brand, $110 higher cost brand)

• Dental (Delta Dental)
  • No cost for employee only coverage. Dependent coverage is available but the cost of the premium is not subsidized.
  • Diagnosis and Preventive - 100% of allowable charge; Basic Dental Care - 80%; Major Dental Care - 50%
  • Primary - $50 deductible, 80/20
  • Prosthetic & Complex Restorative - $50 deductible, 50/50
  • $1,500 maximum annual benefit
  • $1,000 Orthodontic Benefit
• MetLife Vision Plan: Optional
  • Employee only coverage: $2.50 bi-weekly; Dependent coverage also available at differing rates.
  • Eye health exam, dilatation, prescription and refraction of glasses covered after $10 co-pay;
  • $130 allowance for frames, after co-pay, plus additional discounts where accepted.
• Life:
  • Two times annual salary (paid by the City)
  • Optional supplemental life available for employee, spouse, dependents (paid by employee)
• AFLAC: Optional
  • Cancer/accident/short term disability/intensive care insurance (paid by employee)

• Long Term Disability
  • Protection from income loss due to long-term illness or injury (paid by the City)

• Pension:
  • Choose from two options:
    • A Defined Benefit Pension plan pays a monthly benefit in retirement using a defined formula based on the employee's earnings history, tenure of service, and age. Our plan has a 5 year vesting period and an employee contribution of 5% of salary.
    • A Defined Contribution 401a plan in which fixed contributions are paid into an individual's account by the employer, the contributions are invested, returns (positive or negative) are credited to the account, and the account balance is used to provide retirement benefits. The vesting schedule for our 401a plan is 33% after one year of service, 67% after two years of service, and 100% after three years of service. There is no required contribution from salary. (Note that: the Defined Contribution retirement plan is the only plan available for Library employees)

• Supplemental:
  • Deferred Compensation (457) - employee contribution

• Flexible Spending Accounts:
  • Health Care Expenses
  • Dependent Care Expenses
  • Parking/Mass Transit Expenses
  • Parking Subsidy of $50 per month
• Wellness Programs:
  • Gym Reimbursement Program
  • Monthly On-Site Nurse and Annual Flu Shots
  • Health Screenings and Fairs, Education Sessions, & Weekly Fitness Classes
  • Weight Watchers at Work
• Bike Commuter Program:
  • Reimbursement of up to $20 per month for reasonable bike commuting expenses
• Employee Assistance Program:
  • A variety of confidential, personal professional services for you and your family available 24 hours a day.
• Tuition Reimbursement Program:
  • Up to $1,500 for undergraduate OR Up to $3,000 for graduate level tuition per fiscal year per employee.