Job Description
CANDIDATE MUST BE SERVING PERMANENTLY IN THE TITLE OF CITY PLANNER OR REACHABLE ON THE CITY PLANNER CIVIL SERVICE LIST
THE AGENCY
The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide, and sharing its perspectives on growth and community needs with sister agencies in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
DCP is a great place to work – cultivating intellectual inspiration, professional development, and creativity. Visit our website at www.nyc.gov/planning to access the full listing of job opportunities and to learn more about our great agency.
THE DIVISION
The Capital Planning team works to foster more collaborative and equitable capital planning through strategic coordination with agency partners, data analysis, and technology.
City agencies are planning to invest over $159 billion in New York City’s infrastructure and buildings over the next decade. The Capital Planning team supports City agencies as they strategically plan their facility siting and
infrastructure investment. We do this by reforming existing processes, developing capital investment programs, and disseminating data-driven planning analytics. We are responsible for integrating planning perspectives into the City’s capital budget planning and decision-making processes.
Our work supports the City’s capital investment in a variety of ways:
We work alongside planners in the City’s capital agencies and DCP’s borough offices to shape specific projects that complement neighborhood plans, including the Strategy for Equity and Economic Development (SEED) Fund, which integrates capital investments into neighborhood-scale plans.
We support citywide planning initiatives through a capital lens, particularly surrounding housing and industrial planning.
We inform capital budget priorities by jointly developing the City’s Ten-Year Capital Strategy with the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and evaluating the effect that capital investments can have on neighborhoods and citywide planning priorities with an eye towards growth and equity.
We inform and support how partner agencies approach facilities planning, such as ensuring that we use the relevant community facilities data in DCP’s environmental review process, and compiling agency needs for inclusion in the Citywide Statement of Needs.
We build and maintain data sets to share information about capital budgeting and spending, city facilities, capital needs and more – in order to bring transparency to the capital planning process.
We foster the use of data and technology tools in integrated capital planning decisions, including the Capital Planning Explorer, to improve collaboration and outcomes.
We are a diverse, tight-knit team operating to radically improve capital planning, budget prioritization, and decision-making in support of City priorities.
THE ROLE
We are seeking an Associate Analyst to support and expand our impact in several areas. The Associate Analyst role will be particularly focused on ensuring that the city is planning strategically for growth and equity in capital planning, both short-term and long-term, and both citywide and at the neighborhood level. This will require strong project management and analytical work to serve as the foundation for much of our ability to create change.
The Associate Analyst will be expected to collaborate with a wide range of subject matter experts. They will work closely with multiple divisions at DCP, including the five borough offices, Population, Housing and Economic Development, Waterfront & Open Space, and Information Technology; with other City agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Transportation, Department of Parks & Recreation, Department of Housing Preservation & Development, the Economic Development Corporation, and the School Construction Authority; and with City Hall.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
Our work program evolves to maximize impact and ensure our team members are learning and growing. Potential projects the Associate Analyst could work on include the following:
Data Modeling and Spatial Analysis - Our team uses data to inform decision-making and process improvement, and a drive to advance an analytical skillset in support of these goals. The Analyst will support:
Creation of Excel and Python data models of demographic, financial, facility and other capital data sets
Create dynamic data products to share DCP’s analyses and findings
Build maps and conduct spatial analyses to support physical planning for city facilities and amenities.
Report publication – Our team publishes essential and charter-mandated reports. The Ten-Year Capital Strategy articulates the Principles and Priorities that inform capital investment across the city. The Citywide Statement of Needs provides details on agency space needs and facility plans, and is used as a planning tool that can inform the fair distribution of facilities and efficient and cost-effective service delivery. The Associate Analyst will be integral to the creation of such reports, helping to execute on items such as:
Conducting outreach to agencies to gather inputs and examples for reports
Collaborating on outlines drafting report language
Assembling processes to extract, transform, and analyze data in an efficient and effective way
Preparing report inputs including spatial data, non-spatial data, and report language; Identifying opportunities to streamline report production through mapping, data visualizations, and data management
Soliciting, tracking, and integrating feedback from core stakeholders at other agencies, DCP, and City Hall
Assisting with publicity and helping maintain any relevant websites
Project management and inter-agency coordination – We drive change through strong relationships with borough offices, other agencies, City Hall, and DCP divisions. Our work at the neighborhood scale, through the Neighborhood Development Fund and the Strategy for Equity and Economic Development (SEED), facilitates comprehensive capital investment packages that meet the needs of neighborhoods today and in the future. The Associate Analyst will contribute to these workstreams by:
Using data and DCP tools to compile neighborhood-level capital needs, understanding existing capital projects, and drafting capital packages for neighborhoods
Working closely with borough offices materials on existing conditions and opportunities for capital projects and facilities, translating data and metrics into persuasive arguments, and considering internal and public audiences
Liaising with agency partners to scope projects that respond to neighborhood needs, rightsizing project scopes and timelines based on funding, agency prioritization, and political considerations, and tracking project implementation
Identifying and mitigating potential issues, and maintaining a proactive approach to executing on key initiatives and next steps
REQUIRED SKILLS
Passion to help cities operate more strategically, equitably, and efficiently, and an understanding of how good facilities and infrastructure planning can support a successful neighborhood
Ability to work on a team and an enthusiasm for learning and collaboration
Leadership experience in an academic, extracurricular, or professional environment, with experience applying independent judgment on complex issues
Strong written and interpersonal communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to explain complex issues in clear and direct language
A keen attention to detail, organization, and time management
Demonstrated interest in the use of data to inform decision-making and process improvement, and a drive to advance an analytical skillset in support of these goals
Firm foundation in data analytics, strong modelling and data analysis skills in Excel and Python (i.e. pandas, matplotlib, ArcPy, etc) and/or R.
Knowledge and familiarity with Business Intelligence or data science tools to create dynamic data products (i.e. Tableau, ESRI Experience Builder)
Experience with SQL is a plus
Experience with spatial analysis and mapping using ArcGIS or other geospatial tools (i.e. QGIS, Carto)
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with experience creating presentations and data visualizations to effectively communicate complex ideas
Ability to work effectively with people at all levels in city government, including subject matter experts and agency partners
Qualifications
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of satisfactory full-time experience in city planning; or
A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience that is equivalent to “1"" above. Graduate
education in city planning, urban planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, transportation engineering, public administration, economic development or related fields may be substituted for experience on the basis of 30 graduate semester credits from an accredited college for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree.
Special Qualification Requirements
Assignment Level III
To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level III, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, one additional year of professional experience as described in "2" above.
Assignment Level IV
To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level IV, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, two additional years of professional experience as described in "2" above.
Additional Information
The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.
