Land Use Planner

Applications will be accepted until November 30, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after this date.

SUMMARY: The Land Use Planner provides professional expertise in the planning, coordination, and long-range development of Prairie Island Indian Community’s tribal trust and fee lands. This position evaluates development proposals, coordinates multidisciplinary development projects, manages planning processes, and provides technical recommendations to the Community.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES:

The following duties and responsibilities are not meant to be all inclusive and may be adjusted to meet business needs.

Maintain current land use inventories, development data, infrastructure information, and planning maps.

Support development and implementation of land use plans across both trust and fee lands with adherence to the Community’s ordinances, net-zero goals, and strategic plan.

Manage contracted engineering, surveying, environmental review and other technical services needed to support land planning and infrastructure projects.

Coordinate with tribal, federal, state, county, and municipalities on transportation planning across multiple jurisdictions.

Coordinate with Public Works Department on planning for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, energy, and other utility infrastructure.

Coordinate with Housing Department on land availability, population growth, infrastructure needs, and community facilities.

Evaluate competing land use demands and recommend strategies to protect and enhance productive agricultural lands for food sovereignty objectives.

Ensure planning processes recognize and incorporate cultural values, traditions, historic properties, archeological resources, and sacred places.

Track consultant budgets, invoices, schedules, milestones, and deliverables.

Prepare planning studies, development scenarios, maps, reports, and staff recommendations for tribal leadership.

Recommend additional professional services when specialized expertise is required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required

Bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning, land use planning, civil engineering, environmental planning, or a related field.

3-5 years of professional experience in managing:

complex development or infrastructure projects involving multiple stakeholders and technical disciplines.

professional consultants, contracts, project budgets, and scopes of work.

Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply planning regulations, policies, ordinances, and technical standards.

Strong written, verbal, analytical, organizational, and public communication skills.

Proficiency with GIS and common planning, mapping, document management, and office software.

Sensitive to Native American Culture

Valid driver’s license, proof of insurability, and ability to travel to project sites, meetings, and other locations as required.

Pass drug screen (UA) and a federal criminal background check in compliance with the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act and the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act

Preferred

Master’s degree in urban and regional planning, land use planning, civil engineering, environmental planning, or a related field.

Previous experience working for a tribal government, tribal enterprise, or on tribal trust lands.

Knowledge of tribal sovereignty, federal Indian law, trust land administration, and the regulatory framework affecting tribal development.

Experience coordinating federal, state, county, or municipal funding and permitting programs.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:*

Repetitive tasks and motions

Frequent use of hands and arms including fine motor function

Walk, stand or sit for long periods throughout the day

REQUIRED TRAINING:

Effectively Handling Harassment training

Any position-related training as determined by department manager

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed primarily in an indoor setting, but will include occasional outdoor work to facilitate site visits and ground-truthing of planning data.

DISCLAIMER AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

All Prairie Island Indian Community employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship