Senior Urban Designer, Housing Innovation Lab

Job Description:

Senior Urban Designer, Housing Innovation Lab

Description

Salary range ($80,127.63 to $106,801.1325) commensurate with experience.

Position open until filled

General Description and Classification Standards

The Housing Innovation Lab is a special policy, initiative, and implementation team located in the City of Atlanta tasked with developing policies and programs to promote equitable growth and development of Atlanta. The Housing Innovation Lab team currently plays two key roles: cutting-edge policy development and implementation of impactful programs and initiatives.

The Housing Innovation Lab, located within the Mayor Office of the Chief Policy Officer, consists of designers, architects, finance, and housing professionals tasked with building innovative housing solutions to increase sustainable and affordable housing in Atlanta. The Housing Innovation Lab will work alongside the other members of the Mayor’s policy team to ensure that new design innovations are enabled through legislation and supported through programs that stimulate their usage throughout the city.

The City of Atlanta is pursuing the ambitious goal of building or preserving 20,000 units of affordable housing by 2029. The City intends to achieve this goal by aggressively redeveloping our public land portfolio for new mixed-income housing. The Housing Innovation Lab is playing an important role in this effort, leading identification of sites available for redevelopment, organizing cross-departmental collaboration, and managing the disposition process to activate these properties.

The Housing Innovation Lab Senior Urban Designer will work alongside the Housing Lab Director to implement and lead planning and design-related initiatives for public land development, including:

• Take on a variety of affordable housing real estate projects and policy initiatives, including legislative drafting, housing policy development and execution, event planning and organizing, and other tasks as part of the larger Mayoral housing team,
• conceptual site design for publicly owned land designated for mixed-income housing,
• neighborhood and small area planning and reporting, including managing a small area planning and rezoning process and team,
• exploring innovative housing design such as Accessory Dwelling Units,
• developing graphics and narratives that visually communicate development concepts to partners and the larger community,
• directing community engagement for planning or entitlement related projects,
• leading the acquisition and conveyance of public land to our public, private, and non-profit partners,
• and coordinating with developers on ways to improve site and housing design and increase affordability.

Housed within the Mayor’s Office and reporting to the City’s Chief Policy Officer, the Office of the Chief Policy Officer is charged with driving meaningful progress and tangible results on the Administration’s top priorities, in partnership with City departments and external partners. Mayor Andre Dickens recently announced the creation of a new team to lead implementation of the Mayor’s policy agenda under the leadership of Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Chief Policy Officer, Courtney English. This team will utilize its unique position within City government to address Atlanta’s most pressing equity challenges swiftly, strategically, and proactively. The Office includes teams focused on affordable housing, youth development and education, neighborhood empowerment and place-based change, and strategic partnerships and strategic initiatives.

The position will work closely with other public agencies like Atlanta BeltLine Inc., Invest Atlanta, Metro Atlanta Land Bank, and Atlanta Housing to advance housing innovation in publicly supported projects. Alongside the Director, the Senior Urban Designer will serve as a representative of the office in various public meetings and will serve as project lead on planning and designer related initiatives.

Supervision Received

This position reports to the Director of the Housing Innovation Lab within the Mayor’s Office larger housing team. Direction received is general and focuses on end results and the implementation of the vision, goals, and objectives of the Office of the Chief Policy Officer team. This is a fully seasoned professional capable of independently carrying out most of assignments typical of urban planning and community development.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

These are typical responsibilities for this position and should not be construed as exclusive or all inclusive. May perform other duties as assigned.

The Housing Innovation Lab Senior Urban Designer will work collaboratively with internal/external stakeholders to achieve the following:

• Serve as development and design lead on team of designers, architects, and housing professionals to pursue innovative housing techniques and work alongside partners and developers to implement new solutions in housing and community development in the City of Atlanta.
• Lead the development of toolkits to help guide new development practices and make new innovations more accessible and approachable for homeowners and developers alike.
• Support the Director in developing relationships with public and private developers in Atlanta to foster innovation in new housing development throughout the city.
• Lead design efforts for publicly owned land for affordable housing development.
• Engage communities and neighborhoods in the design process in a meaningful way that productively informs design decisions through presentations, workshops, design charrettes, etc.
• Convene a team across the City to develop implementation strategies for new policies that prioritizes ease of use and high implementation rates for new initiatives.
• Partner with permitting offices to improve permitting experience for new housing types, implementing new initiatives (i.e. express ADU permitting day) and proposing procedural changes to improve applicant experience.
• Coordinate with Policy Team to support policy solutions to increase and diversify the city’s housing stock with a focus on land-use and zoning, building code innovation, and introducing new housing types to the Atlanta market.

Decision Making

Analyzes complex challenges and applies sound judgment. Selects from multiple procedures and methods to accomplish tasks. Establishes work methods, timetables, performance standards, etc.

Leadership Provided

Routinely provides work group leadership, guidance, and/or training to less experienced staff. May act as team lead on large projects.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

This is a partial listing of necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job successfully. It is not an exhaustive list.

• Knowledge of urban planning, urban design, housing policy, neighborhood development, and economic development principles.
• Knowledge of innovative practices for housing development.
• Ability to develop and review design and construction documents.
• Demonstrated creative ability, including urban, architectural, landscape architectural and/or graphic design.
• Familiarity with the regulatory systems governing housing design including building codes and zoning/land use requirements.
• Ability to manage complex projects and work with a team to achieve results.
• Strong verbal, written and presentation skills. Ability to work collaboratively to arrive at constructive solutions.
• Strong sense of graphic design in layout, color palette, organization, and communication of design ideas
• Strong ability to communicate verbally, in writing, and through drawing
• Community engagement capabilities
• Knowledge of design software, such as AutoCAD, ArcMap, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and SketchUp.

Minimum Qualifications - Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, urban design, public administration, or related field (Equivalent professional experience may be considered for substitution for the required degree on an exception basis).

2-4 years of progressive experience in a related field.

Preferred Education & Experience

Master’s degree in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, urban design, public administration, or related field (Equivalent professional experience may be considered for substitution for the required degree on an exception basis).

5+ years of progressive experience in a related field.

Licensures and Certifications

Valid Georgia driver’s license required.

Essential Capabilities and Work Environment

Required physical, lifting, and sensory capabilities are requirements to perform the job successfully. Typical environmental conditions associated with job.