At our Planning and Development (P&D) Agency we play a meaningful role in ensuring that County parks, trails, and buildings are well planned, designed, constructed, and preserved; socially and culturally relevant; appropriately and equitably located in all neighborhoods; physically accessible; and safe and secure. We serve the needs of communities in the County of Los Angeles by developing policies and implementing projects that support park expansion and environmental stewardship of County lands and trails. We are part of an award-winning department that offers room for career growth!

The Chief of Planning is responsible for master planning, regulation, land management and compliance, and trails planning for the County. Are you an organized, detail oriented, team player who enjoys working on meaningful projects? If you answered yes, then we are looking for you!

• Plans, assigns, reviews, and evaluates the work of the Planning Division.
• Leads the development of plans to prioritize the development of new and improved park space in Very High and High Need Communities as defined by the Los Angeles Countywide Comprehensive Park and Recreation Needs Assessment (accessed at this link: https://lacountyparkneeds.org/pnaplus-home).
• Leads the development, maintenance, and application of the Los Angeles Countywide Comprehensive Park and Recreation Needs Assessment
• Facilitates the development of planning priorities and special initiatives across the department for the development of new and improved facilities and hiking trails.
• Engages other County departments, non-governmental organizations, jurisdictions, and elected officials to ensure the advancement of departmental priorities.
• Develops strategies, priorities, performance measures to advance departmental aims and values.
• Promotes and supports the department's equity and inclusion goals, such as the increase of park access in High and Very High Need Communities.
• Recommends park improvements and develops specific plans for implementing these needs.
• Supervises planning activities for the acquisition of land and facilities for recreation purposes.
• Provides avenues of participation from, consults with, and provides information to Board Offices, community groups, county departments, and other public or private agencies on matters relating to park planning development and facilities.
• Applies knowledge of social, political, and environmental issues that influence the County park and recreation system.
• Engages diverse groups and stakeholders, including people with disabilities, communities in Very High and High Need Communities, and historically underrepresented groups.
• Oversees routine planning and regulatory actions, including CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act), encroachments, and easements.

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:

Seven years' progressively responsible experience directing the work of a unit* engaged in professional planning activities for master/community planning*** OR land management and acquisition,**** three years of which must have been in a supervisory role.**

LICENSE:
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

PHYSICAL CLASS II - Light:
This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
Credit will be given to applicants who possess the following:

• Experience supervising large teams of staff engaged in professional planning activities for master/community planning, or land management and acquisition.
• Experience managing technical and professional staff through subordinate supervisors engaged in professional planning activities for master/community planning or land management and acquisition.

EXAMINATION CONTENT:

• Training & Experience (T&E) Evaluation: This assessment type will evaluate the experience and desirable qualifications you list on a questionnaire and assign a score based on a standardized scoring system. This part of the assessment is worth 100% of your total score.

VACANCY INFORMATION:
The list of successful candidates created from this exam will be used to fill one vacancy located at our department's headquarters located in Alhambra, CA.

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Employment Information

Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.

This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement:
The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/.

Testing Accommodations for Applicants:
The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/.

Fair Chance:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).

Employment Eligibility:
Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.

Career PathFinder:
Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov.

Veteran’s Credit:
Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions.
For more information on veteran’s credit, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205102_PPG_115.pdf

Revised September 2025