Job Details

Parks & Recreation Planning Coordinator

The City of Roanoke is seeking a Parks & Recreation Planning Coordinator to support a variety of park planning, mapping, and design projects. This position will report directly to the Park Project Manager, and be responsible for a range of duties related to park improvement project planning, design, community engagement, and GIS documentation. A qualified candidate should expect to collaborate with other external contracted design professionals, as well as citizens, maintenance and operations staff, and community partners, on a breadth of exciting park projects at a variety of scales. The City of Roanoke is an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA/M/F/Disability Employer. To elevate the performance of the organization, we are committed to respecting, celebrating, and embracing the collective mixture of differences and similarities between our employees as a rich tapestry. Our behaviors will demonstrate open communication, and we will seek opportunities to learn, recognizing and rewarding actions that promote acceptance while suspending judgment. By doing this, we will foster an inclusive, open work environment that delivers excellent service and creates a more vibrant and inviting community. This is an exempt position.

Summary: Handles a variety of planning, design, and mapping assignments, for the Parks and Recreation Department's services and facilities. Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Produce schematic-level drawings for park improvement project scoping

Produce high quality site plans and landscape details at a variety of scales, from small accessibility improvement projects to full schematic park plans

Produce signage graphics and public-facing map graphics for park wayfinding, in collaboration with the Departments Communications Coordinator and Park Project Manager

Facilitate and support citizen-led and volunteer-built park project proposals from concept through construction, for small park amenities like trail improvements, kiosks, park signage, and more

Support the Park Project Manager and the Communications Coordinator in public outreach efforts around park projects with graphics, presentations, creation of interactive engagement tools, and public meeting facilitation

Conduct field work assessing site conditions, project feasibility, and documenting existing conditions for park projects in coordination with the Park Project Manager and Park Operations staff, including the Trails and Greenways Coordinator, Landscape Management Coordinator, and Urban Forestry Coordinator

Conduct GPS field work for documentation of park amenities and trails

Creates, prepares and submits technical studies and presentations that include graphic design, computer assisted design, and GIS data for project support

Provide GIS support for mapping, as well as the Departments planning and operations work

Supervisory responsibilities: The position may function in a supervisory capacity over part-time project staff, contracted design and engineering partners, and volunteer partners.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or experience: Bachelors of Landscape Architecture (BLA or BSLA), Urban Design, Architecture (BARCH, BA, BSc), Environmental Design, Urban/Environmental Planning, Engineering or a related field is required. Major course work and/or a minimum of 0-3 years professional experience in park planning and design, urban planning, architecture or similar fields is also required.

Required skills: Proficiency in AutoCAD, Adobe Suite, SketchUp, and ArcGIS preferred Interest in and aptitude for community engagement work in diverse neighborhoods Strong graphic skills for both presentation materials and environmental graphic design Ability to represent the City and the Department warmly, patiently, and professionally in a role that will interface with the public often Eagerness to learn, be flexible, and wear multiple hats in a role with varied responsibilities, where every week is different Strong knowledge of native plants is preferred With a broad range of projects on the boards varying in scale from small ADA access improvements to full park master plans, candidates with interdisciplinary design education and/or experience are preferred Effective time management and communication (verbal, written and graphic)

Language skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret periodicals, journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to prepare reports, correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers and the general public.

Reasoning ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to address citizen-based interpersonal communication challenges as well as complicated decision-making with regard to project management. Ability to create a vision identify and coordinate with stakeholders and facilitate the planning steps necessary to accomplish departmental goals. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Physical demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include ability to adjust focus.

Work environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.