Planning Director

Planning Director

The City of Montgomery is seeking an experienced city planning professional to serve as its next Planning Director.

About the City of Montgomery Planning Director

The City of Montgomery Planning Director manages the three divisions of the Planning Department and its long-range land use planning, zoning, subdivision regulation, development review, permitting coordination, and transportation planning functions. The Planning Director also serves as the lead administrator for the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

The Planning Director plays a central leadership role in developing the capital improvements program in alignment with the comprehensive plan, managing studies and consultant-led planning projects, securing funding for planning initiatives, ensuring records and documentation are maintained, managing departmental and MPO budgets, supervising multidisciplinary staff, and serving as the City’s representative to Envision 2050 and other regional planning bodies.

The starting salary range for this position is $106,713.00 – $161,413.00 annually.

Responsibilities of the Planning Director

Key responsibilities include developing and managing strategic plans; creating, developing, and maintaining the City’s comprehensive plan; overseeing zoning ordinance and subdivision regulation updates; coordinating and supervising development and land use application reviews; and facilitating public engagement and intergovernmental collaboration.

Among other duties, the Planning Director:

  • Develops and manages strategic plans for the overall direction of the Planning Department and MPO, including the development and oversight of policies, procedures, services, and programs in accordance with current professional standards.
  • Manages the development and implementation of the City’s comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, corridor studies, and neighborhood plans.
  • Directs zoning and land use regulatory activities, including rezoning, variances, conditional use permits, site plan and subdivision reviews, and enforcement of development standards.
  • Supervises the preparation of agendas and reports for the Planning Commission, Board of Adjustment, Historic Preservation Commission, and other boards and commissions.
  • Develops scopes of service for outsourced planning and engineering work, oversees procurement processes, negotiates contracts, and manages consultant performance.
  • Leads the public engagement process for planning and development initiatives, ensuring transparency, inclusivity, and timely communication with stakeholders, including neighborhoods, developers, and elected officials.
  • Coordinates with permitting and inspection services to streamline development review processes and improve customer service.
  • Presents findings and recommendations to the Mayor, City Council, and MPO Board for approval and implementation.
  • Ensures that all planning and MPO records, studies, and documentation comply with federal, state, and local requirements.
  • Manages departmental and MPO budgets and provides regular financial reporting and analysis.
  • Seeks out and secures federal, state, and local funding for planning and infrastructure projects.
  • Builds and maintains partnerships with community stakeholders, civic and philanthropic organizations, state and federal agencies, and neighboring municipalities.
  • Provides technical assistance and policy guidance on land use, zoning, environmental planning, economic development, and transportation to internal and external stakeholders. Supervises multiple employees – including senior-level planners and technical staff – ensuring effective team management, performance evaluation, and professional development.
  • Serves as the City’s planning representative for regional and intergovernmental bodies, including Envision 2050.

Position Qualifications

The qualified applicant will have a master’s degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, or a related field and six (6) years of experience supervising and managing a primary planning function or division responsible for long-range planning, transportation planning, or similar. Two years of qualifying experience can substitute for the master’s degree. AICP certification is strongly preferred. Candidates without current certification must be eligible and willing to obtain it within two years of hire. Active membership in the American Planning Association (APA) is encouraged. The qualified applicant will also demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

  • Planning & Design Expertise: Principles and methods of planning, new urbanism, formbased/SmartCode, context-sensitive and complete street design, sustainable and climate-resilient development.
  • Legal & Regulatory Knowledge: Federal, state, and local planning laws, ordinances, land-use regulation, and real estate laws.
  • Integrated & Impact-Focused Planning: Approaches that link land use, housing, transportation, economy, and public health, with attention to social, environmental, and community impacts.
  • Funding & Budgeting Skills: Identifying funding sources, grants, budgeting, cost control, and financial planning for programs and infrastructure.
  • Analytical Skills: Participatory planning, data-driven analysis, GIS/visualization tools.
  • Strategic & Analytical Leadership: Ability to solve problems, make sound decisions, manage projects, and use data (including GIS) to identify trends and guide actions.
  • Effective Communication & Facilitation: Skilled written and oral communication, public presentations, mediation, conflict management, and engaging diverse stakeholders.
  • People & Performance Management: Proficient in supervising, delegating, coaching, developing, motivating, and evaluating staff and managing change, innovation, and performance.
  • Relationship Building & Influence: Builds trust, fosters collaboration, empowers teams, and influences or negotiates to achieve shared goals while maintaining confidentiality and fairness.
  • Technology & Resource Management: Competent in managing technology, adopting innovations, and ensuring efficient use of equipment, software, and other resources.

To Apply

The City of Montgomery is partnering with PoliHire to recruit the next Planning Director. To be considered for this position, attach 2 PDFs – a letter of interest and your resume – in an email to Montgomery_Planning@polihire.com. Please include only your name (Last, First) in the subject line of the email.

Once your application is successfully transmitted, you will receive an auto-generated acknowledgment email. Please be aware that this confirmation email may be in your junk/spam folder. Please contact info@polihire.com if you do not receive an acknowledgement or have any questions.

Overview

Date Posted

September 25, 2025

Salary

$106,713.00 - $161,413.00

Location

Montgomery, AL

Qualification

Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, or a related field and six (6) years of experience supervising and managing