Director of Land Use and Planning

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine seeks a Director of Land Use and Planning (Director) to be part of his collaborative, energetic and innovative team. The Director will be part of the Office of the Manhattan Borough President’s (MBPO) senior team.

The Director of Land Use and Planning will be responsible for executing the MBPO’s urban development agenda in partnership with the senior team and reviewing and guiding the course of action for each project that falls under ULURP. The Director will manage all aspects of the Borough President's land use and planning team, including leading a unit of urban planners, a topographical bureau, a consulting engineer and other professional staff.

The ideal candidate for this position will have advanced knowledge of planning concepts and the unique land use challenges and opportunities of New York City, the ability to conduct in depth analysis of all land use and planning issues coming before the MBPO, experience conducting negotiations, strong written and verbal communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, and a deep commitment to the issues that affect our residents, including housing scarcity, tenants’ rights, public health, equity in our schools, transit, parks, and housing.

The Director of Land Use and Planning will report to the Deputy Borough President.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Envision and execute the MBPO’s urban development agenda in partnership with the rest of the senior team
- Oversee the review and evaluation of land use proposals to the City Planning Commission, Landmark Preservation Commission, Board of Standards and Appeals, and other government entities, as well as the development of recommendations that are consistent with the Borough President’s priorities, sound planning principles, analysis of environmental impacts, and community concerns
- Supervise and manage all urban planners, including creating work plans, setting deadlines, providing technical and policy guidance for/to the planners in order to ensure high-quality and timely review of land use proposals
- Supervise and manage the Manhattan Topographical Bureau staff and oversee all services provided through the bureau; manage relationships with consulting engineers and other professional staff
- In coordination with the Director of Community Affairs, provide land use and planning technical support for Community Boards, constituents, and advocacy groups as needed
- Guide planners on special projects or reports, including creating outlines, data analysis, and managing progress of assigned projects; create and document processes to provide consistency and high-quality land use deliverables
- Provide land use input on inter-unit or office-wide projects, initiatives and reports
- Prepare land use policy reports, briefing materials, and testimony; coordinate with Communications Unit on press quotes, talking points, and other public facing materials
- Represent the Borough President on other Boards and advisory councils as appropriate, and in meetings with developers, advocates, community groups and other interested parties
- Represent the Borough President at events and meetings throughout the borough to advance the MBPO’s agenda


TO APPLY

Interested candidates must do the following:

Email a cover letter and resume in a word or PDF document to: [email protected] with “DIRECTOR OF LAND USE AND PLANNING” in the subject line

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and 8 years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above, with at least 3 years in a supervisory capacity.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.