CPRS Job Listing
Coastal Planning Manager
THE COUNTY
The County of Orange is a regional service provider and planning agency whose core businesses include public safety, public health, environmental protection, regional planning, public assistance, social services and aviation.
OC COMMUNITY RESOURCES (OCCR)
OC Community Resources is a multi-faceted department comprised of OC Animal Care, OC Community Services, OC Housing & Community Development, OC Parks, and OC Public Libraries. Click here for more information on the County of Orange and OCCR.
OC PARKS
OC Parks encompasses regional, wilderness and historical facilities, as well as coastal areas throughout the County of Orange in California. Featuring 60,000 acres of parkland, open space and shoreline, Orange County's award-winning parks and programs are enjoyed by millions of residents and visitors each year, in ways as diverse as the parks themselves.
OC Parks is comprised of eight divisions, including three park operation divisions; systems and resources division; strategic communications division; planning and design division; entitlements division; and the business administration division.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The OC Parks Coastal Planning Manager will implement strategies for obtaining local, state, and federal regulatory agency permits within the coastal zone, review environmental documents and technical studies, and communicate information to California Coastal Commission (CCC) staff and regulatory agency staff. In addition, this role will involve coordinating projects related to coastal restoration and erosion control, ensure compliance with permit conditions, oversee shoreline monitoring programs, and assist with grant compliance.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND CORE COMPETENCIES
The ideal candidate will possess five (5) or more years of experience in any or a combination of the following areas:
- Regulatory compliance and permitting, including coastal development permits (CDP's), public works plans (PWP's), or enforcement resolution
- Preparation of environmental documents related to beach, harbor and/or coastal facility development projects
- Conducting technical studies to support coastal or environmental projects
- Coastal science and/or engineering
The ideal candidate will also have a strong understanding of coastal policies and regulations. A Bachelor's degree or higher in environmental studies, science, engineering, planning, construction management, or related field are highly desirable.
The possession of the following certifications is highly desirable but not required:
- American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Certification
- Certified Coastal Practitioner (CCP)
In addition, the ideal candidate will also demonstrate extensive experience, knowledge, and ability in the following core competencies:
Technical Expertise
- Advanced professional knowledge of the principles, and practices of coastal regulations management
- Technical knowledge of coastal regulations, including assessing, diagnosing, and recommending corrective action based on those regulations
- Developing and implementing strategies for conveying information to regulatory agencies, including CCC staff and Commissioners that will ensure fully informed recommendations and actions on OC Parks permit applications
- Experience in preparing and/or reviewing Local Coastal Programs (LCP), LCP amendments, CDPs, CDP amendments, and related permits
- Proficient in preparing and reviewing documents on environmental issues pertaining to beaches, harbors, and/or coastal facility projects
- In-depth understanding of federal, state, and local legislation, policies, regulations, and issues that pertain to the coastal zone
- Knowledge of methods and resources for documenting deficiencies, tracking and reporting, planning and analysis of work
- Ability to inspect facilities and park activities for compliance with coastal regulatory conditions ensuring successful outcomes
- Strong analytical skills to review, analyze, and synthesize information, develop recommendations, and implement actions to successfully manage PWPs, CDPs, and other regulatory agency conditions
- Experience in reviewing, planning, developing, and interpreting a variety of complex studies, research efforts, and analysis related to environmental impacts, regulatory permit conditions, and legislative compliance
- Up-to-date knowledge of the latest coastal science, engineering techniques, and regional trends, with the ability to apply the information to OC Parks coastal properties
- Managing coastal monitoring programs and documenting and distributing data as appropriate
- Participation in project and program meetings to assist with project design to ensure environmental compliance, particularly for beach, harbor , and coastal facility development and maintenance
- Familiarity with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process and requirements, including the ability to review and analyze complex environmental documents including Initial Study (IS)/Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
Leadership | Management Skills
- Ability to guide and facilitate collaboration between multiple work groups and/or facilities
- Ability to support park staff in coastal management, contract administration and inspection
- Strong interpersonal skills for maintaining cooperative working relationships and effective public relations
- Skilled in understanding project stakeholder needs while ensuring compliance with policy and procedures
Analysis | Problem Solving
- Strong critical thinking and problem solving abilities, with a track record of effective decision making
- Proven ability to understand, interpret and enforce compliance with plans, specifications, schedules and contract provisions
- Experience performing policy and environmental constraints and opportunities analyses
Planning | Organization
- Planning and organizing work effectively to ensure timely completion of assignments
- Experience overseeing the development of realistic schedules and appropriate processes for delivery of permit applications and environmental documents for coastal management projects
- Capable of managing multiple complex projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines
- Strong organizational skills with attention to detail
Oral Communication | Writing Skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills for presenting complex information
- Experience preparing presentations and reports for CCC and other regulatory agencies
- Working collaboratively with and presenting ideas to elected officials, stakeholder groups, members of the community, and with other County and government staff
- Skilled at building consensus and negotiating with public and private parties
- Ability to present ideas in a clear, logical, and concise manner
- Effective communication with individuals and/or groups with diverse interests including project stakeholders, contractors, and departmental representatives