Team Leader

Job Description THE AGENCY The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide and by sharing its perspectives on growth and community needs with sister agencies in collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The New York City Department of City Planning is a great place to work – cultivating intellectual inspiration, professional development, and creativity. Visit our website at www.nyc.gov/planning to access the full listing of job opportunities and to learn more about our great agency. THE DIVISION The Bronx has again reached its all-time population level, and by 2040, the borough is projected to grow by more than 200,000 residents. The Bronx Office has a diverse and dynamic work program focused on ensuring the borough has great neighborhoods, affordable housing, vibrant commercial and institutional centers, rich transit opportunities, and high-quality open space and waterfronts. The Office is made up of a team of city planners and urban designers who work on a wide variety of studies, rezonings, and developments, across a large and diverse borough. The Bronx Office coordinates the review of numerous private and publicly sponsored requests for land use and zoning changes and manages the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), including presentations to the City Planning Commission and coordination with Community Boards. Bronx Office staff also work on a wide range of land use, zoning, urban design, and transportation issues in communities across the borough, and staff are the local experts on their communities, providing essential knowledge to policy makers and elected officials. The Office works in close consultation with the central divisions on borough-specific and city-wide issues. THE ROLE The Bronx Office is seeking a Borough Certification Manager (BCM)/Team Leader. The selected candidate will be responsible for managing the borough’s pre- and post-certification ULURP application pipeline, including internal process management in coordination with staff, maintaining adherence to Agency standard operating procedures, management of data quality across the Office and internal divisions, the creation and distribution of standardized pipeline reports for both staff and management, and coordination of inputs into the Zoning Application Portal (ZAP), the Agency’s new e-filing application system. Additionally, the BCM will be responsible for some project and application management within the Office. Application Pipeline Management Manages borough application pipeline review and processes using standard reports and tools. Attends all pipeline management meetings, coordinates borough updates to central divisions, and helps develop timelines for internal division reviews during the pre-certification process. Regularly reviews data quality within ZAP and manages regular updates with Office Team Leaders and Staff. Ensures ZAP-specific tasks and milestones are being updated by office staff, that correct documents are uploaded in a timely manner, and that public-facing portions of the application are correct and up to date. Supports office staff review of application pipeline processes utilizing existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and identifying opportunities for new tools as needed. Identifies and helps resolve bottlenecks in application review, monitors application workload across staff, and recommends adjustments in workload and staffing to the Borough Director/Deputy Director. Regularly communicates with Borough Director/Deputy Director about application and pipeline performance, progress, and specific application issues, identifying where interventions may be necessary. Coordinates the Borough Office preparations for the City Planning Commission (CPC) Review Sessions, including setting up the agendas and sessions for presentation preparation with Staff and the Borough Director/Deputy Director. Supports Borough office staff and responds to their questions regarding pre- and post-certification processes and items, and identifies staff training needs regarding pipeline management, technical writing, application review, and ZAP. Supports post-certification tracking with Borough Office Staff and the Land Use Review division, including confirming schedules for CPC’s public hearings, post-hearing follow-ups, and timing of CPC Report development. Distributes Pre-Application Statements (PAS) to appropriate borough planners and supports division involvement and assignments, and helps suggest distribution of inquiries, informational interest meetings, and redistribution of workloads to Borough Director/Deputy Director. Senior Planner/Project Management Supervise the work of a team of planners and urban designers managing land use review processes and schedules, staffing, and prioritization for projects across multiple Community Districts in Bronx and liaise with multiple Community Boards and elected officials. Manage, review, analyze, and make recommendations on public/private application for developments and proposals submitted to the Department pursuant to the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) and coordinate this work with technical divisions of the Department, other city agencies, community boards, elected officials, and the public. Analyze site plans and development proposals to determine compliance with NYC zoning regulations, technical review standards, and the City’s land use planning policies. Review, analyze and make urban design related recommendations on applications and projects submitted to the Department subject to the City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) and other administrative procedures. Provide and obtain technical information and assist applicants and office planners in the preparation of required documents for ULURP actions. Support the development and planning of studies in coordination with office planners, including research analysis and the production of technical reports and presentations. Advise Director and Deputy Director on policies and standards relating to the technical review of land use applications relating to assigned area and zoning rules, as well as on future policy decisions and potential text amendments. Serve as liaison to one or more Bronx Community Boards, create graphic and written materials for presentations to the CPC, other government agencies, and the public, and represent the Agency at meetings of civic, business and community groups, community boards, and public agencies. Perform other related projects and tasks as needed. The ideal candidate will have a positive attitude toward community service, as well as a desire to contribute to an engaging, fast-paced work environment in roles that impact the growth and development of the borough. The Bronx Office offers a dynamic work environment, with exposure to and influence on the development of borough-wide plans, and provides planning expertise to the Office, City Planning Commission (CPC), elected officials, Community Boards other City Agencies and the public-at-large. Qualifications A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of satisfactory full-time experience in city planning; or 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. 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.