About Our Job

Who We Are

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills, and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive, and talented workforce of more than 1,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR) provides a broad range of programs, services, facilities, and park amenities within the City and County of Denver. The City’s park system encompasses more than 290 urban parks, parkways, and natural areas, totaling over 7,000 acres. The Department boasts more than 14,000 acres of pristine mountain parks, eight golf courses, 24 lakes, more than 87,000 park trees, 187,000 right-of-way trees, over 90 miles of off-street trails, 14 off-leash dog parks, and over 300 athletic fields. The recreation system serves approximately 2.25 million visitors annually. It includes 30 active recreation centers, 16 outdoor pools, and 16 current indoor pools. Recreation activities include arts and cultural classes and events, aquatics, sports and fitness opportunities, and youth programming. In addition, the Department offers programs focused on outdoor education, youth and adult sports leagues, and out of school programs offered in conjunction with Denver Public Schools. DPR comprises four divisions: Administration, Recreation, Parks, and Planning, Design and Construction.

What We Offer

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The salary range for this position is $95,000.00 - $120,000.00/year, based on experience and education.

We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which includes but is not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 457B Retirement Plan
• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 13 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 Wellness Day and 1 volunteer day per year
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

Location

The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model. In this position, you will work roughly Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with some evenings and weekends as needed to attend City Council, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and Public Engagement Events related to DPR planning or capital projects. You will report to the Denver Post Building at 101 West Colfax, 80202.

What You’ll Do

Denver's Planning, Design and Construction Division consists of a team of highly knowledgeable professionals dedicated to the development and improvement of the City & County of Denver's network of parks, parkways, and recreation facilities. The Division's efforts in planning, design and construction management ensure that Denver's valuable system of parks and recreation facilities fosters Denver's development as a world-class city and enriches the lives of Denver's citizens and guests for years to come.

Are you seeking an impactful job opportunity to increase quality of life for Denver residents? Are you interested in helping to grow, plan and improve Denver’s parks and recreation system?  Denver Parks and Recreation’s Planning, Design and Construction Division is excited to announce we are accepting applications for Principal Planner.

This position sits on the Citywide Planning Team, which leads complicated park and system-wide planning efforts, engages with the City’s development review program, participates on inter-agency teams to advance parks and open space in development projects, develops DPR’s Capital Improvement Program, and stewards our tremendous system through policy and process improvements. Examples of recent projects that are representative of the duties of a planner at this level include the Outdoor Adventure and Alternative Sports Strategic Plan, Ball Arena Infrastructure Master Plan, Design Standards for Open Space in Large Developments, Pickleball Analysis and Strategy, and the Park Hill Park visioning process. This position will have a focus on continuing the planning for Park Hill Park, planning activities to support bond-funded project delivery, representing DPR on CCD- and CPD-led interagency plans in neighborhoods around Denver, and supporting DPR’s role in CCD’s development review processes.

With dedicated funding resources, sound visionary direction and exciting projects across the city – there is no better time to be a part of Denver’s Planning, Design and Construction team!

Responsibilities

Planning Project Management

• Applies best practice planning methodology to lead and manage highly complex and multi-faceted planning projects (including scope, schedule and bu