PLANNING PROGRAM MANAGER - DOWNTOWN, OAHU

About the role

Recruitment Number DBEDT-2026-0000 - This vacancy is with the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

THIS JOB POSTING WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 30 APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED. PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY AS THIS RECRUITMENT MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME.

Salary

$10,267 to $15,711 per month (EM-05, Minimum to Maximum) - Salary includes Shortage Category Differential

Note: Hiring rates will be based on availability of funds, the applicant's qualifications, and other relevant factors.The primary responsibility of the position is to formulate, manage and direct the State Transit Oriented Development program to perform and advance the program responsibilities in HRS § 225M-2(b)(10).

A major portion of this work is directing, organizing, and coordinating the work of the 24-member TOD Council, its co-chairs and members, and the State and county TOD agencies in planning and strategy implementation to advance State TOD.

Importantly, the TOD Manager is responsible for formulating budget requests for TOD operating funds and CIP requests in the Executive Budget, including seeking and managing CIP funds from the Legislature to seed TOD projects in the State TOD Strategic Plan, which funds have averaged over $1 million annually since the Program’s inception. The solicitation of proposals, award and management of grants are associated responsibilities.

The position also formulates and recommends policy for the OPSD and the State in carrying out its responsibilities for Smart Growth and TOD pursuant to HRS § 225M-2(b)(10): “Smart growth and transit-oriented development. Acting as the lead agency to coordinate and advance smart growth and transit-oriented development within the State as follows:

(A) Identify TOD opportunities shared between state and county agencies, including relevant initiatives such as the department of health’s healthy Hawaii initiative and the Hawaii clean energy initiative.

(B) Refine the definition of “transit-oriented development” in the context of Hawaii, while recognizing the potential for smart growth development patterns in all locations;

(C) Clarify state goals for TOD and smart growth that support the principles of the Hawaii State Planning Act by preserving non-urbanized land, improving worker access to jobs, and reducing fuel consumption;

(D) Target TOD areas for significant increase in affordable housing and rental units;

(E) Conduct outreach to state agencies to help educate state employees about the ways they can support and benefit from TOD and the State’s smart growth goals;

(F) Publicize coordinated state efforts that support smart growth, walkable neighborhoods, and TOD;

(G) Review state land use decision-making processes to identify ways to make TOD a higher priority and facilitate better and more proactive leadership in creating walkable communities and employment districts,…

(H) Approve all state agencies’ development plans for parcels along the rail transit corridor….”

Education: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

Specialized Experience: Four and one-half years (4-1/2) of progressively responsible professional planning experience which included the collection and evaluation of an extensive variety of physical, social, economic and environmental data, determination of public opinion and general community objectives and policies to obtain a comprehensive prospective of conditions, and identify problems and opportunities in the area(s) of concern.

The experience must also show actual involvement in and responsibility for (1) the integration of such information including: the consideration of relationships among resources, facilities, services needs and values for the development of policy options, alternatives for action, programs and priorities to meet goals and objectives for a given geographic area of concern; (2) advising and assisting agencies and administrators on planning concepts and methods, providing technical information and analyses for the formation of plans and programming of plans; and (3) formulation and presentation of plans, and policy recommendations including alternatives and consequences of alternative actions to decision makers and at public hearings.

Such experience should demonstrate possession of the knowledge and general research sources and sources of environmental socioeconomic information, practices of public planning, and the ability to analyze facts and develop sound conclusions therefrom.

For all levels, at least one (1) year of the experience must have been comparable to the fully independent Planner V level in the state.

Supervisory Experience: Professional planning experience which included: (1) planning and directing the work of others (including professional planners); (2) assigning and reviewing their work; (3) advising them on difficult problem or potential problem areas; (4) training and developing subordinates; and (5) evaluating their work performance.

Recommended Qualifications

Knowledge: The purposes, principles and practices of public planning; sources of planning information; trends in public planning; governmental organization programs and functions; research and statistical methods and techniques used in public planning; public relations; principles and practices of supervision; principles and practices of public administration.

Skills/Abilities: Ability to: Plan, direct, and coordinate public planning; speak and write effectively; establish and maintain effective program controls and procedures; conduct the continuous review and improvement of operations; coordinate programs with other jurisdictions; speak effectively before groups.

Administrative Experience: Experience in the field of planning which involved active participation in and major responsibility for the development, management, evaluation, execution, and coordination of planning policies, activities and programs.

*For the planning program manager, administrative aptitude, rather than actual administrative experience may be accepted. Administrative aptitude will be considered to have been met when there is strong affirmative evidence of the necessary administrative aptitudes and abilities.

Substitutions Allowed: Relevant substitutions as described in the complete Minimum Qualification Requirements, will apply.The information provided above represents a summary of the complete Minimum Qualification Requirements. To view the Requirements in their entirety, including prerequisite knowledges and abilities required, please CLICK HERE (Download Reader).

17153:10122011:35:BN

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (Pslf) Program

The PSLF Program is a federal program that is intended to encourage individuals to work in public service by forgiving the balance of their federal student loans. To qualify, the individual must have made 120 qualifying payments while employed by a qualifying employer.

Electronic Notification to Applicants

The Department of Human Resources Development (HRD) will use electronic mail (email) to notify applicants of important information relating to the status and processing of their applications as part of our ongoing efforts to increase operational efficiency, promote the conservation of green resources, and minimize delays and costs.

Please ensure that the email address and contact information you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our emails or fail to check your email-box in a timely manner. In addition, please be aware that you may no longer receive notification about applications submitted if you choose to disable the Job Application Emails feature in your Account Settings.

Testing Information

The examination for this recruitment will be conducted on an unassembled basis where the examination score is based on an evaluation and rating of your education and experience. It is therefore important that your employment application provide a clear and detailed description of the duties and responsibilities of each position you held.

In-person interviews and/or further testing in Hawaii may be required at the discretion of the hiring agency. If in-person interviews and/or further testing is a requirement, applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are referred to the vacancy must be available to participate in person and at their own expense in this required phase of the selection process.

• Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible. In addition to employment availability and score, the referral of qualified applicants may be based upon other factors including date of receipt of application.
• Review.