Planning Manager

Description

THE COMMUNITY

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, approximately 37 miles south of San Francisco and 17 miles north of San Jose, Los Altos (pop. 31,625) is a highly desirable residential community. Known for its tree-lined streets, beautiful neighborhoods, and small-town atmosphere, the City spans seven square miles and offers an exceptional quality of life. Residents are highly engaged and take pride in their community, with a long tradition of volunteerism and active participation in local government, commissions, and community organizations. This strong civic culture contributes to the City’s thoughtful approach to planning, preservation of neighborhood character, and commitment to maintaining Los Altos’ distinctive identity. Los Altos benefits from its proximity to the innovation and economic vitality of Silicon Valley. Many technology professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs choose to live in Los Altos because of its welcoming neighborhoods, outstanding schools, and vibrant yet relaxed lifestyle. While primarily residential, the community features a charming, walkable downtown, as well as other neighborhood commercial areas, and a network of parks and open spaces that encourage outdoor recreation and community connection. With its picturesque setting, strong sense of community, and access to the cultural, recreational, and professional opportunities of the Bay Area, Los Altos is widely regarded as one of the premier residential communities on the San Francisco Peninsula—an exceptional place to live, work, and raise a family. www. losaltosca.gov

CITY GOVERNMENT

The City of Los Altos was incorporated as a General Law city in 1952. The City has a Council-Manager form of government. Five elected City Council members serve four-year terms. Appointed commissions and committees assist the Council in an advisory capacity. The City Council appoints the City Manager, who implements the strategic direction and manages the day-to-day operations of the City government. The City’s mission is to be a sustainable, vibrant, and inclusive community in which to live, work, visit, and play.

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT

The Development Services Department serves as the City of Los Altos’ centralized resource for private development, providing a streamlined, one-stop approach to planning, permitting, inspections, and regulatory services. The Department is organized into seven specialized divisions: Building & Safety, Business Licensing, Code Enforcement, Housing, Planning & Zoning, Land Development, and Engineering and Sustainability. Working collaboratively, these divisions guide thoughtful growth, ensure public safety, advance housing and environmental goals, and maintain the high quality of life valued by the Los Altos community. The Department is supported by a dedicated team of 22 professionals.

Examples of Duties

PLANNING & ZONING DIVISION

Reporting to the Development Services Director, the Planning Manager leads the Planning & Zoning Division, overseeing the City’s long-range planning efforts and current development review activities. The Division plays a central role in shaping the community’s future through the implementation of the General Plan and related land-use policies. The Planning Division is supported by and a team of five talented planning professionals. Key responsibilities include managing and mentoring a team of five planners; overseeing development application review, environmental analysis, and public counter services; and administering programs related to historic preservation, tree protection, and floodplain management. The Division also provides staff support to the Planning Commission, Historical Commission, Zoning Administrator, and City Council, helping guide informed land use decision-making. As a member of the Department’s management team, the Planning Manager plans, organizes, and directs division activities, contributes to departmental policy development, and ensures efficient and effective service delivery. This role provides both strategic leadership and day-to-day oversight of operations, supporting a high-performing team of planning professionals.

Key Priorities and Opportunities:

• Provide executive oversight for the comprehensive General Plan Update which was recently initiated, supervising the assigned project planner and supporting cross-department coordination.
• Support Housing Element Implementation.
• Work with a highly engaged and well-educated community.
• Building strong relationships with staff, elected and appointed officials, and the community.
• Serve as the Planning Commission Liaison.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The City of Los Altos seeks an experienced, service-oriented planning professional who thrives in a high-touch, highly engaged community. The ideal candidate will bring a strong customer service mindset, recognizing the importance of responsiveness, clarity, and consistency when working with residents, applicants, and stakeholders. This knowledgeable planning professional will be well-versed in contemporary urban planning practices and have a clear understanding of the housing challenges and legal framework impacting California cities.

This individual will be an approachable and collaborative leader with exceptional interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with staff, community members, and decision-makers. Success in this role requires an appreciation for the dynamics of a well-informed and highly educated community, along with the ability to navigate diverse perspectives with professionalism and respect. A key component of this role is the ability to mentor, develop, and inspire staff. The successful candidate will foster a positive and inclusive team environment, provide clear direction, and actively support the professional growth of team members at all levels.

The ideal candidate will bring exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex planning concepts in an understandable manner to a variety of audiences, including residents, applicants, commissions, and elected officials. With strong emotional intelligence and political acumen, this individual will be an active listener, able to understand differing perspectives and build consensus around complex issues. A genuine commitment to community engagement is essential. The successful candidate will value meaningful interaction with stakeholders and have a proven track record of fostering positive community relationships. They will be visible, approachable, and skilled at building trust across the organization and throughout the community. This individual will be solution-driven and results-oriented, with a track record of moving projects forward efficiently while maintaining high standards of quality. They will demonstrate sound judgment, accountability, and the ability to balance competing priorities, effectively managing both long-range planning initiatives and current development projects. Finally, the ideal candidate will be organized, adaptable, and flexible, capable of multitasking in a dynamic environment while providing both strategic leadership and hands-on support. A commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and delivering high-quality service will be key to success in this role.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be: Five (5) years of increasingly responsible professional planning experience of which three (3) years should be in a management or supervisory capacity, and equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in urban planning, architecture, environmental design, environmental studies, or a related field.

Supplemental Information

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS

The closing date for this recruitment is midnight, Sunday, May 3, 2026. To be considered for this opportunity, upload a compelling cover letter, resume, and list of six professional references using the “Apply Now” feature at www.tbcrecruiting. com. This is a confidential process and will be handled accordingly throughout the various stages of the process.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $157,378 to $191,294; placement within the range is DOQE. Salary is supplemented by a highly competitive benefits package, including:

Retirement: 2% at 60 years of age for CalPERS classic members with employees contributing 7%; PEPRA employees have a plan of 2%@62 with employees paying 7.75% of the retirement contributions. Benefits are based on the highest three years of compensation. The City does not participate in Social Security.

Health Insurance: Choose from 8 CalPERS HMO/PPO plans to fit your needs. The City fully covers the premium for employee-only coverage on all plans and offers several no-cost options for employee + one. For family coverage, the PERS Gold plan is fully covered, with generous City contributions toward all other plans. Employees who waive coverage may receive a $350 monthly stipend.

Dental/Vision: City offers a dental and vision reimbursement plan up to $2, 230 annually for employee plus $1, 485 annually for each dependent.

Long-Term Disability: City paid LTD coverage at 66.67% up to $10,000 per month.

Life Insurance: City paid life insurance of 1 ½ times basic annual earnings up to a maximum of $150,000. Additional optional life insurance is available at the employee’s expense.

Flexible Spending Plan: Support your health and family needs with pre-tax accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses—designed to make life a little easier.

Deferred Compensation 457 and 401(a) Plans: The City will contribute an amount equal to 2% of regular base monthly salary to an offered defined contribution plan.

Vacation Leave: Starting at 2 weeks of vacation accrual each year.

Sick Leave: Take care of yourself and your family with 3.69 hours of sick leave accrued each pay period (about 96 hours annually), with unused time rolling over year to year.

Management Leave: Allowance of 80 hours each fiscal year may be taken as time off or paid in cash for any portion of this leave remaining as of June 30 each year. Pro-rated for the first year.

Holidays: 14 paid observed holidays, plus city-paid time off during the end-of-year holidays.

Quality-of-Life Benefits: $1,950 annually. The City offers this benefit to help with your physical, mental, and financial well-being through wellness purchases, or as an employer contribution towards your FSA or 457 plans.

Cell Phone Stipend: $30/month for employees who must use their personal phone for work.

Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule: Pick your own schedule! Although the City provides most services in person, we value work schedule flexibility and remote work. The City offers 5-day (5/8), 4-day (4/10), or 9/80 alternate work schedules for employees to select from.

For a complete description of benefits, please visit: Summary of Benefits ( City-of-Los-Altos-2026-Benefit-Summary )

Following the closing date, applicants with the most relevant qualifications will be granted preliminary interviews by the consultants. Candidates deemed the best qualified will be invited to participate in additional interviews and a meeting with the Development Services Director. The City anticipates making an appointment in a timely manner, once negotiations, background, and reference checks are completed. Please note that references will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established.

• 

• City of Los Altos

• 650-947-2759

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