Senior Planner
About Us
The North Country Council is a dynamic, community-focused organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for residents of Coös, Grafton, and Carroll Counties. As a Regional Planning Commission and Economic Development District, the Council collaborates with municipalities, businesses, and community stakeholders to drive sustainable growth, economic development, and rural planning across Northern New Hampshire. We are committed to addressing the region's challenges and leveraging opportunities to foster lasting, community-driven change.
Our forward-thinking team works across various sectors, delivering innovative solutions that promote sustainable growth, enhance community livability, and support economic vitality. By focusing on rural development, transportation, and regional planning, we aim to shape a prosperous future for the communities we serve. The North Country Council's dedicated professionals are passionate about creating a stronger, more vibrant region.
The North Country Council offers an exciting opportunity for a Senior Planner - Community Development to lead regional planning initiatives shaping the future of community development, economic growth, housing, and infrastructure across the North Country. Based in the active town of Littleton, New Hampshire, this role provides a unique opportunity to work on diverse planning projects that impact the region’s long-term sustainability and quality of life. The Senior Planner will contribute to advancing planning efforts across key focus areas, collaborating with stakeholders and senior staff to ensure projects align with regional and municipal goals.
Role Overview
The Senior Planner – Community Development supports a broad range of regional and municipal planning initiatives across the North Country, with a focus on economic development, housing, and local land use planning. This position contributes to planning projects from concept through implementation, working collaboratively with internal staff, municipalities, and community partners to advance sustainable economic development and community vitality.
The Planner plays a key role in developing practical, locally responsive planning solutions that address community needs while supporting the Council’s and municipalities’ long-term goals and regional strategies.
Key Responsibilities
The Senior Planner – Community Development supports regional and municipal planning initiatives focused on economic development, housing, and local land use. The Senior Planner conducts research, analyzes data, and contributes to planning documents, reports, and strategies that address regional economic conditions, housing needs, and community development priorities, including infrastructure, workforce, business development, and housing affordability and availability.
The Senior Planner provides technical assistance to municipalities on zoning, land use regulations, and planning best practices, and supports local planning boards, committees, and municipal staff in navigating state and federal planning requirements. Responsibilities include reviewing ordinances, regulations, master plans, and related planning documents, and helping translate planning recommendations into practical, implementable actions.
The Senior Planner participates in planning projects from concept through implementation by supporting project coordination, data analysis, mapping, and report preparation. The role includes assisting with public engagement activities such as meetings, workshops, surveys, and stakeholder interviews; summarizing public input; and incorporating feedback into planning recommendations. The Senior Planner I also supports grant development and grant-funded projects by assisting with proposal materials, scopes of work, budget inputs, and tracking project progress, deliverables, and reporting requirements using GIS and other analytical tools as appropriate.
Knowledge
· Knowledge of community development and regional planning principles, including economic development, housing planning, land use, and infrastructure planning.
· Working knowledge of municipal planning processes, zoning ordinances, site plan review, master plans, and capital improvement planning.
· Understanding of state and federal planning frameworks, including relevant New Hampshire planning statutes and grant program requirements.
· Knowledge of housing issues affecting rural communities, including affordability, availability, land use constraints, and development feasibility.
· Familiarity with economic development strategies, including workforce development, infrastructure investment, and place-based economic revitalization.
· Knowledge of grant-funded project workflows, including scopes of work, budgets, reporting requirements, and compliance expectations.
· Working knowledge of data sources and analytical tools used in planning, such as census data, economic indicators, housing data, and regional datasets.
· General understanding of GIS concepts and applications for planning, mapping, and spatial analysis.
Ability To
· contribute meaningfully to planning projects from concept through implementation while working under the guidance of senior staff.
· analyze qualitative and quantitative data and translate findings into clear, actionable planning recommendations.
· collaborate effectively with municipalities, community partners, consultants, and internal staff.
· support public engagement efforts, including organizing meetings, assisting with facilitation, and summarizing community input.
· manage multiple tasks and deadlines across several projects while maintaining attention to detail.
· communicate planning concepts clearly in writing and verbally to both technical and non-technical audiences.
· adapt planning approaches to the unique needs and capacity levels of rural and small communities.
· support grant development and administration, including tracking deliverables and assisting with reporting requirements.
Skills
· Strong written communication skills, with experience drafting planning reports, memoranda, summaries, and supporting documentation.
· Strong organizational and project coordination skills, including task tracking and schedule management.
· Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Microsoft 365 for document preparation, data analysis, and presentations.
· Working skills in GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS or similar) for map creation and basic spatial analysis.
· Research skills, including the ability to compile and synthesize data from multiple sources.
· Interpersonal skills that support relationship-building with municipal officials, community members, and project partners.
· Presentation and facilitation support skills for public meetings, workshops, and stakeholder sessions.
· Ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
Qualifications
- Education & Background: A bachelor’s degree in planning, public administration, geography, community development, environmental studies, economics, or a related field is preferred. An equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant professional experience will be considered. A master’s degree is a plus but not required.
- Planning Experience: Experience supporting community, municipal, or regional planning projects, including research, coordination, documentation, and schedule tracking. Experience working with municipalities, public agencies, or community organizations is strongly preferred.
- Technical & Analytical Skills: Demonstrated ability to work with data, reports, and mapping or analytical tools commonly used in planning and community development.
- Driver’s License: A valid driver’s license and reliable transportation for travel throughout the region.
- Professional Orientation: Demonstrated interest in community-focused planning and regional development, with the ability to think critically and apply planning principles to real-world challenges. A willingness to stay informed about emerging trends, best practices, and funding opportunities relevant to regional planning.
If you are a planner who enjoys applied, community-based work and wants to contribute to meaningful planning efforts across the North Country, we encourage you to apply.
Why Join Us?
At North Country Council, you’ll join a dedicated and supportive team that values creativity, collaboration, and community impact. Your work will directly influence the planning and development efforts shaping the future of the North Country region, enhancing the lives of residents and businesses.
We offer a dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth and the chance to contribute to the long-term sustainability and prosperity of one of New Hampshire's most beautiful and vibrant regions.
In addition to working on exciting planning projects, we offer a competitive salary starting at $65,000, depending on experience, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance—with generous employer contributions.
- Life Insurance and Short-Term/Long-Term Disability Insurance at no cost to you.
- Paid Time Off, including holidays, sick days, and vacation time, that increases with tenure.
- Opportunities for professional development and continuing education.
Location and Travel:
The role is based in Littleton, NH, with travel required throughout the three counties (Coös, Grafton, and Carroll) and occasional trips outside the planning region. You must be flexible; some evening and weekend work will be required to attend meetings or facilitate events. Working remotely is an option, with some days spent in the office.
How to Apply:
If you are excited about the opportunity to make a tangible impact on the future of the North Country region, we would love to hear from you.
To apply, please send your resume and a cover letter detailing your qualifications and interest in the position to Michelle Moren-Grey, Executive Director, at [email protected]. Please use the subject line “Senior Planner”.
This position is open until it is filled, and we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. The North Country Council is an equal-opportunity employer, and we welcome applications from all qualified candidates.
Pay: From $65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Littleton, NH 03561
