City Planner

DOT is seeking a dynamic City Planner to implement the future of outdoor dining in New York City as a member of the Open Restaurants team. NYC launched the groundbreaking Open Restaurant Program during the height of the COVID-19 emergency to expand outdoor dining options and help restaurants rebound in difficult economic times. The City is now working to turn the emergency program into a safe, accessible, attractive permanent program. Under the direction of the Executive Director of Open Restaurants, the City Planner will assist the Executive Director and senior Agency staff with the planning and implementation of the permanent program, including developing design standards and an application portal, facilitating outreach and engagement in advance of program launch, and reviewing and approving Permanent Open Restaurants application submissions.

The City Planner’s duties will include: coordinating planning and enforcement with various other DOT units and City agencies; conducting outreach to the public regarding the program; leading public correspondence regarding the temporary program; reviewing submissions from restaurant owners; assisting with the preparation of design standards for participating restaurants; preparing agreements for participating restaurants, among other duties. In addition, the selected candidate may also conduct studies and prepare appropriate reports and analyses, and make recommendations on policies and procedures.

Minimum Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of satisfactory full-time experience in city planning; or

2. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience that is equivalent to “1"" above. Graduate
education in city planning, urban planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, transportation engineering, public administration, economic development or related fields may be substituted for experience on the basis of 30 graduate semester credits from an accredited college for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree.

Special Qualification Requirements

Assignment Level III
To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level III, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, one additional year of professional experience as described in "2" above.

Assignment Level IV
To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level IV, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, two additional years of professional experience as described in "2" above.

Preferred Skills

Excellent communication (oral and written), presentation, and analytical skills experience working with New York City agencies and community groups the ability to read site plans attention to detail the ability to handle a fast-paced and high-pressure environment graphic design skills and project management experience. Preference is also given to candidates with familiarity with contracts, legal documents, and rules and regulations. Preference also given to candidates possessing database management skills, graphic design skills, GIS skills, and familiarity with the Adobe Suite and Microsoft Office. Bilingual is a plus.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

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.