Planning Manager - Project Support Unit
Salary
$99,100.00 - $153,600.00 Annually
Location
One Exchange Plaza 219 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, NC
Job Type
Full-Time
Remote Employment
Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number
2026-00551
Department
Project Support and Strategy
Opening Date
07/22/2026
Closing Date
8/5/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Work Hours
Monday - Friday; 8:30 am -5:15 pm
Hiring Range
$99,100.00 - $126,300.00
Job Description
Raleigh Planning and Development is seeking a Planning Manager to lead the new Project Support section within the department's Project Support and Strategy Division.
The division includes three core functional areas:
This position oversees the Project Support and Customer Experience units to ensure delivery of high-quality, timely, predictable, and customer-focused outcomes that align with City goals regarding customer support and orientation. The Project Support unit serves as the City's internal coordination and facilitation resource, helping projects move efficiently through the development review process by guiding complex projects, resolving cross-department issues, and assisting applicants. The Customer Experience unit leads the department's overall customer service strategy and ensures that service standards are consistent across all departments involved in development processes.
About You:
The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional customer service and problem-solving skills while maintaining effective working relationships with staff, other departments, elected officials, and the public. Experience with and a solid understanding of development processes will support success in this role and help build strong relationships across the organization. Candidates must be highly skilled in team building and leadership, including consensus building, facilitation, conflict resolution, and fostering cooperation among diverse interest groups. Strong project management abilities-such as planning, organizing, evaluating, analyzing issues, making sound decisions, and managing time and implementation plans-are essential. Qualified candidates will clearly embody the City's organizational values of Accountability, Collaboration, Equity, Ingenuity, and Integrity.
About Us:
Raleigh has a long history of planning, from its intentional establishment as the Capital of North Carolina in 1792 to its growth into the second largest city in North Carolina. We have grown from our initial William Christmas-planned 400-acre grid to over 150 square miles of corporate limits supporting a population of over 500,000. Raleigh Planning and Development oversees the development process throughout more than 180 square miles of corporate limits and planning jurisdiction; from the legislative beginning of the process including maintaining the City's Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance; through to completion of individual buildings, including site planning reviews, building permit issuance, and inspections.
Planning and Development has a vision "to partner with the community to plan for and develop a safe and sustainable built environment supporting a healthy and prosperous Raleigh." This vision is supported by the City's Comprehensive Plan, maintained by our department, as well as our mission "to provide timely, predictable, and customer-oriented services," which is a key focus area of this role.
Duties and Responsibilities
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.
Lead and manage the Project Support section, advancing customer experience and project support priorities while ensuring alignment with the department's mission, vision, and strategic plan
Coordinate cross-department collaboration on complex or high-profile development issues, chair the Development Management Team (DMT), and support the Executive DMT and compliance with the Development Review Process MOU
Provide guidance on complex cases, support plan and application intake staff, and ensure routine questions are directed to appropriate customer service channels
Manage escalations and sensitive issues by identifying barriers, developing solutions, and facilitating resolution with City staff, development partners, and community members
Implement processes, practices, and service standards that promote consistent, high-quality customer service across the development review process
Oversee process improvement efforts by conducting after-action reviews, monitoring service quality and compliance, and maintaining documentation of complexity criteria, handoff procedures, and system-level process updates
Support Customer Experience staff in advancing the City's transition to a centralized customer care model in coordination with the Public Service Center and the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) program, ensuring clear communication and strong service delivery
Supervise, manage, and evaluate assigned employees and make decisions about hiring, discipline and/or termination of employees; prioritize and assign work; develop and oversee employee work schedules and approves time away from work; provide and/or facilitate employee training and development; address employee concerns and/or problems; counsel and/or discipline as appropriate; complete employee performance appraisals; determine or make recommendations regarding new hire salaries and salary changes; and act as liaison between employees and management
Serve as a representative and advisor to management, City officials, boards, commissions, authorities, external agencies, the public, and other organizations on matters related to assigned responsibilities; attend and facilitate meetings
Contribute to the preparation and monitoring of division accounting, budget, and fiscal operations
Maintain and communicate performance dashboards and reports on timeliness, workload, and customer experience, using data to inform decisions and improve outcomes
Identify, develop, implement and maintain processes and practices that encourage, support and promote effective, comprehensive and meaningful community engagement
Serve as the primary lead or as a contributing team member for departmental or Citywide special projects, initiatives, and cross functional efforts as assigned
Conduct occasional site visits, field inspections, community meetings, and interdepartmental coordination activities that require the use of a City vehicle
Typical Qualifications
Education and Experience:
Bachelors Degree in Planning, Urban Planning, Public Administration, or related field and 5 to 7 years supervisory level professional planning experience in an area relevant to assigned department
OR
Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be substituted.
Licenses and Certifications
Preferred Qualifications:
Additional Information
Knowledge of:
Skill in:
Ability to:
ADA and Other Requirements:
Work Environment and Physical Effort:
Sedentary: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, a negligible amount of force frequently, and/or constantly having to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
Work Environment:
Work is typically performed in an office or similar indoor environment. Employees may occasionally work in an outdoor environment or in a vehicle.
Work Exposures:
Employees in this role will occasionally interact with individuals who are hostile or irate.
City of Raleigh is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Accommodations for individuals with disabilities are provided upon request.
When you join the City of Raleigh's work family as a full-time employee, your benefits are an important part of your "total rewards". Your benefits impact many aspects of your life including your health, your finances, and the protection of your family. The City provides a comprehensive benefits package as part of our total rewards program to support you through important events in your life, to enhance your life outside work, and to help you plan and prepare for the future.
To find out about the Citys benefits package, and other programs, please visit our Employee Benefits page: https://raleighnc.gov/services/jobs-and-volunteering/pay-and-benefits
The City employs temporary and seasonal employees who generally are scheduled to work on a short-term basis. However, if you are hired as a temporary or seasonal employee, or as an intern, you are not eligible for the City of Raleigh's benefits.
01
Please select your highest level of education completed.
02
How much relevant or comparable work experience do you have in professional planning?
03
Do you have at least 5 years of supervisory level experience in professional planning?
04
Do you have a valid North Carolina Drivers License Class C or the ability to obtain one within 60 days of hire?
05
Have you ever been terminated or forced to resign from a position?
06
If you answered "yes" to being terminated or forced to resign, please provide an explanation and the date.
Required Question
Employer City of Raleigh North Carolina
Address 222 W. Hargett St.
Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601
Website https://raleighnc.gov