Senior Planner

Middlesex County is hiring a Senior Planner to manage the Farmland Preservation Program and support various sustainability and resiliency initiatives. The role involves coordinating applications, conducting inspections, and representing the county at meetings. The planner will also assist with watershed management and develop outreach materials. This position is based in New Brunswick, NJ, and is part of a fast-paced office focused on strategic planning.
Overview

The Senior Planner will work in the Middlesex County Office of Planning under the Supervising Planner Sustainability and Resiliency's direction. The role involves analysis, preparation, and coordination of various environmental, sustainability, and resiliency-based programming, projects, and planning initiatives.

A primary responsibility is the coordination and management of the County Farmland Preservation Program. This includes administering all phases of the farmland preservation process from application to closing and post-closing stewardship. Additionally, the Senior Planner coordinates all matters and applications under the County Agriculture Development Board's purview.

The role also entails assisting in the preparation and coordination of other planning initiatives related to watershed and stormwater management, flood mitigation, and water quality protection planning. Furthermore, the Senior Planner supports the analysis, preparation, and coordination of other planning initiatives relative to the county's resiliency and sustainability efforts.

Middlesex County is a busy, fast-paced office engaged in a county-wide strategic plan, Destination 2040. This plan guides the county's policies, plans, programs, and investment decisions across five broad focus areas: Land Use, Development, and Housing; Sustainability and Community Resilience; Healthy, Safe, and Inclusive Communities; Economic Development and Workforce Competitiveness; and Transportation and Mobility.

Middlesex County is strategically located midway between New York and Philadelphia, comprising twenty-five urban, suburban, small-town, and rural municipalities. It is New Jersey's second most populous county.
Responsibilities
• Assists applicants through the farmland preservation process; prepares and reviews applications and all related materials; analyzes data; coordinates with municipal, county, and state agencies as well as other planning and professional partners.
• Prepares agendas and meeting materials for the County Agriculture Development Board, conducts meetings, and assumes the duties of the CADB Administrator as assigned.
• Coordinates preparation and submission of annual Planning Incentive Grant Applications to the State Agriculture Development Committee and manages grant funding.
• Conducts work related to annual monitoring inspections of preserved farmland, annual monitoring report submissions to State Agriculture Development Committee, and landowner follow-up on compliance issues.
• Administers components of the Right to Farm Act of New Jersey as necessary.
• Monitors and reports on State Agriculture Development Committee rules, policies, and agricultural management practices as well as other environmental legislation and policies that impact the state and county.
• Represents the County at State Agriculture Development Committee meetings as well as other meetings as assigned.
• Organizes and leads public outreach events; develops brochures and fact sheets on relevant County programming.
• Assists in preparation of the County Farmland Preservation Plan and other planning initiatives as assigned.
• Coordinates necessary Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and data needs with Data and Spatial Services planning group.
• Provides support to watershed management and water quality protection planning initiatives and projects.
• Provides support to stormwater management and flood mitigation resiliency work.
• Assists in County Water Quality Management Plan activities, Wastewater Management Planning activities, and related sewer service area amendment applications as assigned.
• Participates in Lower Raritan-Middlesex County Water Resources Association meetings.
• Assists in open space planning initiatives and related projects as assigned.
• Provides technical support to environmental planning projects and conducts other planning initiatives related to Sustainability and Resiliency and comprehensive planning as assigned.
• Supports the analysis and development of various resiliency and sustainability planning initiatives.
• Coordinates the planning of resiliency, sustainability, and environmental initiatives with various county plans and programs and appropriate partner agencies.
• Assists in conducting public and community outreach activities and events.
• Maintains records, files, maps, plans, and charts.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.