Senior Planner

Senior Planner

Salary

$117,105.41 - $142,361.10 Annually

Location

City Hall, Vacaville, CA

Job Type

FULL-TIME

Job Number

02371

Department

Community and Economic Development Department

Opening Date

06/24/2026

Closing Date

7/6/2026 5:30 PM Pacific

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

ABOUT OUR JOB

City of Vacaville - A beautiful place to live, a great place to work!

With more than 600 employees, the City of Vacaville values work-life balance and offers flexible/hybrid work schedules, every other Friday off, employee social and wellness activities, casual dress days, competitive pay and a generous benefits and retirement package.

Contribute to our vibrant community and join the City of Vacaville!

The City of Vacavilles Community and Economic Development Department is accepting applications for the position of Senior Planner. There is currently one vacancy. This recruitment will also establish an eligibility list for future vacancies that may occur over the next twelve (12) months.

Salary Information:

$117,105 - $142,361/Annually

A 2% COLA is scheduled for 11/1/2026

Working for the City of Vacaville comes with an excellent benefits package, including:

• Medical Insurance at affordable rates - City covers up to 85% of Kaiser Premium, other plans are also available
• Vision and Dental Insurance monthly premiums covered 100% by the City
• Healthcare double coverage opt-out incentive of $3,000 per year for eligible employees
• Paid sick leave, vacation leave, thirteen holidays and two floating holidays a year
• Up to 97.5 hours per year of Administrative Leave
• Tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment up to $2,200 per fiscal year
• Deferred compensation plan with up to 6% City contribution available
• California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) plan enrollment and Retiree Health Savings account

Please see more information on our generous benefits package here

The Senior Planner in Community and Economic Development plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our community by contributing their expertise in urban planning, land use and community development.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develops and implements comprehensive community plans, zoning regulations, and policies that align with the Citys near-term and long-term goals and objectives;

• Evaluates and provides recommendations on land use proposals including zoning changes, conditional use permits, variances and environmental documents such as EIRs, MNDs and Categorical Exemptions;

• Prepares reports, presentations, and documents that convey planning findings, recommendations, and progress updates, such as the General Plan Annual Progress Report to City officials and the public at public meetings including the City Council and/or Planning Commission per City of Vacaville and State standards;

• Oversees planning projects (ensuring they are completed on time and within budget) and coordinates with other departments and agencies as necessary;

• Supervises professional and technical personnel and assigns, reviews and evaluates work products and provides support and guidance to staff; and

• Collaborates with local, regional, and State agencies, as well as external partners, to coordinate planning efforts and address issues.

For a complete job description, please click here.

ABOUT YOU

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will take initiative, be flexible, work independently and have excellent organizational, oral and written communication skills. The candidate will possess strong interpersonal skills to successfully build solid relationships with staff, City leadership, partnering agencies, and other key stakeholders and enjoy the challenge of effectively managing a demanding workload of quickly shifting priorities and assuming ownership of key priorities and projects. Additional desirable skills in the ideal candidate include:

• Strong knowledge of municipal planning principles, zoning regulations, land use and housing laws

• Strong knowledge of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

• Proficiency in GIS, CAD, or other planning software

• Understanding of sustainable and community-oriented planning practices

• Exceptional communication and public engagement skills

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team and manage multiple projects simultaneously

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education: Equivalent to completion of a Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in planning or related field.

Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible journey level planning experience.

LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE

Select positions may require the possession of a valid Class C California Drivers License and a satisfactory driving record as conditions of initial and continued employment.

ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE

A completed City of Vacaville Employment Application and Supplemental Questionnaire must be received by the Human Resources Department at 650 Merchant Street, Vacaville, CA 95688 by 5:30 p.m., Monday, July 6, 2026.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line at www.cityofvacaville.gov. An application packet may also be requested in person at the Human Resources Department or by calling (707) 449-5101. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application packet.

IMPORTANT: Contact with candidates will primarily be via email. Make sure you list a current email that you check regularly with your application.

For ADA information and other Frequently Asked Questions, please click here.

Applicants receiving a conditional offer of employment must successfully complete the pre-placement process for this position before a final offer will be extended. Pre-placement assessments for this position include a Livescan (FBI/DOJ fingerprint review) education and employment verification and DMV record review.

The City of Vacaville is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

The City of Vacaville values our team and understands the need for work-life balance. Employees in most positions work a 37.5 hour work week and enjoy every other Friday off. In addition, we provide a collaborative work environment, employee social and wellness activities through a program we call CoV Life, casual dress days, competitive pay and a generous benefits and retirement package. More detailed information related to our benefits can be found on our VMO Benefits Summary page.

Part-time positions are paid an hourly rate and can work up to a maximum of 129 hours per month. Part-time positions are at-will, are not eligible for health or retirement benefits (including CalPERS membership), and do not accrue leave time with the exception of state mandated sick leave (40 hours per year).

Part-time positions are not covered by Social Security and are not eligible for the City of Vacavilles retirement plan through CalPERS and are therefore required to make 7.5% pre-tax contributions into a qualified plan under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA). For the City of Vacaville, the plan is a Section 457 Deferred Compensation Plan through Nationwide Retirement Systems, Inc.

01

Do you have the equivalent to completion of a Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in planning or related field?

• Yes
• No

02

Please list the major coursework you have completed in planning or a related field. If you have not completed any, put n/a.

03

Do you have three years of increasingly responsible journey level planning experience?

• Yes
• No

04

Please describe your journey level planning experience. If you do not have any, put n/a.

05

Do you have a valid class C drivers license?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Vacaville

Address 650 Merchant Street

Vacaville, California, 95688

Phone 707.449.5101

Website http://www.cityofvacaville.gov