The Planning Manager is primarily responsible for the overall performance, outcomes, and continuous improvement of short- and long-range planning functions within the Planning and Zoning Division. Leads division operations to support consistent, accurate, and timely case review and to connect near-term planning activities with long-range goals. Establishes strategic direction, defines performance expectations, and ensures alignment between current planning activities and the City’s General Plan and development policies. Provides leadership by guiding and coaching supervisors and lead-level planners, monitoring performance, evaluating service delivery, and driving system-level improvements that enhance efficiency, consistency, and the customer experience. Supervises and develops staff by setting expectations, supporting coaching systems, and advancing professional planning competencies. Offers policy-level guidance on complex or sensitive planning issues to ensure consistent and defensible application of codes and regulations. Advises Department leadership, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and City Council by translating planning analysis into clear, policy-aligned recommendations. Oversees resource allocation, budget, and consultant efforts, and leads coordination on high-level issues and long-range planning initiatives to advance the City’s vision. Champions policy and guideline updates by evaluating emerging trends and recommending refinements that improve development outcomes and reflect community priorities.
The ideal candidate will be a self-motivated, respectful, high-performing individual who possesses a bachelor’s degree in Planning (or a closely related field). The ideal candidate will also have at least five years of experience in a municipal planning environment or equivalent, including conducting complex planning analysis, managing planning and zoning cases, preparing professional staff reports, and presenting to planning commissions, councils, and community audiences. As Goodyear continues to experience rapid growth, the Development Services Department is committed to continuously improving our processes, service delivery, and planning outcomes to meet the city’s long-term vision with excellence.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate advanced leadership abilities, including the capacity to oversee long-range and current planning programs, guide teams through major initiatives, lead strategic decision-making, develop policy, and mentor and coach staff at all levels. The candidate will also bring strong operational and organizational leadership skills, such as evaluating and improving division processes, coordinating planning activities across teams and departments, establishing clear service and quality standards, supporting data-driven workload management, and fostering seamless collaboration with the Planning Supervisor to ensure efficient and consistent execution of planning and zoning responsibilities.
The ideal candidate will exhibit the values of empathy, optimism, integrity, innovation, adaptability, and initiative, while modeling professionalism and accountability in all interactions with staff, applicants, development partners, and the public. A master’s degree in Planning or a related field and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification are preferred.
At the City of Goodyear, you will be a part of an organization that values its employees as its greatest asset. You will become part of a dedicated team of IT professionals that will be challenged to learn and grow in an environment that values employee development and career-building. You will thrive in a culture of innovation. We believe that successful employees are those that possess six core values:
Integrity - Initiative - Empathy - Optimism - Innovation - Adaptability
EXAMINATION PROCESS
Only a limited number of the most highly qualified applicants meeting the City's requirements will be invited for an interview. The examination process for this position will include a panel Interview and may include a written assessment.
All communication regarding application status and interview notifications will be sent via email- please monitor your junk/spam email for communication as messages will come from a system generated source.
