Job Details
Planning Manager
2025-12-16 Travis County TX Austin,TX
Description:
Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Planning, Engineering, Public Policy/Administration, Government, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Business Administration or a directly related field AND six (6) years increasingly responsible experience with strategic planning, planning, coordinating, research, project management, policy research, and program development, including two (2) years of mid- to senior level supervisory or management experience;
OR,
Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
None required.
Preferred:
Master's degree in Planning, Engineering, Public Policy/Administration, Government, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Business Administration or a directly related field.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of:
Work Environment & Other Information
Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 5-20 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, occasional indoor/outdoor activities, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.
Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.
Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday.
Location: 509 W 11th Austin TX Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center
Department: Criminal Courts
Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.
This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.
Benefits
Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.
FY2026 Travis County Benefit Guide
In this valuable you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.
Credit Union
Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.
Deferred Compensation
Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.
Direct Deposit
Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.
Employee Assistance Program
Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.
Employee Organizations
Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.
Employee Health & Wellness Clinic
Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.
Holidays
An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.
Insurance
Employees may select from four plans: an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County's current policy is to pay 100% of the employee's health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.
The following benefits are employee paid:
New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.
Longevity
Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.
On the regular payday on or after the employee's fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.
Parking
A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.
Personal Holidays
Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he/she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins:
January - March
3 personal holidays
April - June
2 personal holidays
July - September
1 personal holiday
October - December
None
New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.
Retirement
Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.
Sick Leave
Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.
Parental Leave
Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.
Tuition Refund
Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.
Vacation
Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates:
0 to 5 years
4.0 hours per pay period
6 to 10 years
4.5 hours per pay period
11 to 15 years
5.0 hours per pay period
16 to 20 years
5.5 hours per pay period
21 plus years
6.0 hours per pay period
Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.
Workers' Compensation
The county provides all employees workers' compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.
Salary: $80,758.30 - $104,985.80 Annually
Location : Austin, TX
Job Type: Full Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 26-10380
Department: Criminal Courts
Opening Date: 12/02/2025
Closing Date: 1/2/2026 11:59 PM Central
Job Summary
This position is primarily responsible for Mental Health (MH) initiatives in the Criminal Courts and serves as central liaison to all the criminal County and District Judges. Supervises a MH judicial aide and oversees the MH dockets, handles contracts with MH providers, and processes MH invoices. Accompanies Director of Criminal Court Administration to Judges' Meetings and other high-level planning meetings. Helps develop departmental policies and procedures. Coordinates with multiple County departments, public officials, and other stakeholders in the criminal justice system.
Manages and develops short-range and/or long-range functions and activities, including project scoping, planning, management analysis, research, work plans, grant/fund proposals, evaluation, budget, policies and procedures.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
This is the third in a series of three planner-related job classifications within the Planning and Research job family. This classification is distinguished by that the incumbents typically performing broad and diverse planning, management analysis, and research project and program management responsibilities, complex tasks, a role of a project manager and a supervisor, and required additional experience.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Plans, develops, oversees and manages broad and diverse planning, management analysis, research for short-range and/or long-range functions and activities that are of a wide range of facts and conditions for complex advanced and major projects and programs.
- Coordinates the written preparation of proposals for grants/funds and/or grants/funds continuation from outside sponsors. Reviews applications and related documents. Monitors and identifies future grants/funds sponsors and develops strategies for accessing funding. Serves as point of negotiator and/or makes decisions pertaining to approval for grant/funds submissions.
- Monitors contracts for contract compliance. Investigates non-compliance/vendor complaints. Conducts vendor site visits. Develops and implements standardized vendor reporting and monitoring procedures. Supervises production of site visit reports. Monitors vendor action plans to address service delivery deficiencies.
- Develops and manages the planning and programming of work plans, including annual or multi-year, of a unit or department group. Schedules multiple components. Oversees projects or programs for fulfilling the established missions, initiatives, goals and objectives. Develops training curriculums and conducts technical training.
- Plans, researches and prepares annual budget proposals and recommendations. Establishes budget control systems. Performs projections for staffing requirements.
- Organizes information on problems or procedures. Solves complex problems or issues regarding management or administrative issues or systems. Counsels management and other related staff.
- Directs technical quantitative and qualitative analysis studies. Manages the complex project and program research and effectiveness. Performs on-line data searches using Internet. Accesses data from various sources. Drafts the writing of policy documents and presents alternatives analysis for the decision and policy-makers.
- Evaluates projects and programs. Monitors project and program issues, and reviews plans and strategies for future project and program planning requirements.
- Develops and implements multiple internal plans, systems, documents, schedules, operational work flow, new, improved or revised policies and procedures. Integrates new, improved or revised policies and procedures.
- Prepares periodic statistical and other reports, financial and written summary statements, including conclusion and recommendations. Presents the results of complex analysis before the public, outside agencies, Elected Officials and Commissioners Court.
- Interprets and applies planning standards, principles, policies and procedures, practices, codes, Federal, State and Local applicable laws, codes, rules and regulations.
- Interacts and maintains liaison with community representatives or groups, offices, governmental agencies, other departments, and outside agencies and constituencies to facilitate projects and programs issues, goals and objectives, and implementation. Responds to difficult inquires and complaints.
- Performs database management and general trend, forecast and statistical analysis. Maintains databases and tracking and reporting systems.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Planning, Engineering, Public Policy/Administration, Government, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Business Administration or a directly related field AND six (6) years increasingly responsible experience with strategic planning, planning, coordinating, research, project management, policy research, and program development, including two (2) years of mid- to senior level supervisory or management experience;
OR,
Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
None required.
Preferred:
Master's degree in Planning, Engineering, Public Policy/Administration, Government, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Business Administration or a directly related field.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of:
- Principles of project management, including scheduling, estimating, contracts and budgeting.
- Modern advanced planning research methods, data collection and analysis.
- Principles and techniques of planning.
- Supervisory principles, practices and techniques.
- Advanced mathematical and statistical methods as used in planning.
- Strategic planning techniques.
- Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.
- Legislative process.
- Community issues.
- Public Administration and governmental agencies.
- Sources of information, current literature, and recent developments.
- Administrative and related business principles.
- Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, statistical packages, project scheduling and management, presentation/graphics and related software applications.
- Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
- Advanced planning.
- Economic analysis, including cost/benefit and marginal analysis.
- Developing short-range and long-range comprehensive plans in development of innovative solutions.
- Program planning, developing and implementing.
- Statistical analysis and policy research.
- Problem-solving and technical decision-making for developing effective solutions.
- Analyzing and evaluating data, policies and technical issues.
- Setting up systems for conducting analysis and compiling for reports.
- Coordinating the development and making presentations.
- Coordinating work of others.
- Conducting interviews and group meetings.
- Both verbal and written communication.
- Coordinate, plan, and prioritize programs, projects and activities.
- Plan, assign, supervise, train and review the work of subordinates.
- Initiate and develop projects and programs.
- Apply knowledge to data, policy, and process analysis.
- Perform complex planning, research and analysis.
- Reach sound conclusions and make recommendations.
- Manage time well and perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities.
- Formulate broad perspectives.
- Interpreting planning and program objectives to groups and public.
- Bring together several viewpoints into a balanced position.
- Compile data and to write clear and comprehensive reports.
- Maintenance of appropriate records.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.
Work Environment & Other Information
Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 5-20 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, occasional indoor/outdoor activities, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.
Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.
Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday.
Location: 509 W 11th Austin TX Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center
Department: Criminal Courts
Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.
This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.
Benefits
Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.
FY2026 Travis County Benefit Guide
In this valuable you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.
Credit Union
Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.
Deferred Compensation
Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.
Direct Deposit
Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.
Employee Assistance Program
Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.
Employee Organizations
Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.
Employee Health & Wellness Clinic
Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.
Holidays
An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.
Insurance
Employees may select from four plans: an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County's current policy is to pay 100% of the employee's health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.
The following benefits are employee paid:
- Dental
- Vision
- Supplemental Life, AD&D
- Dependent Life
- Short Term Disability
- Long Term Disability
- Long Term Care
New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.
Longevity
Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.
On the regular payday on or after the employee's fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.
Parking
A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.
Personal Holidays
Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he/she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins:
January - March
3 personal holidays
April - June
2 personal holidays
July - September
1 personal holiday
October - December
None
New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.
Retirement
Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.
Sick Leave
Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.
Parental Leave
Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.
Tuition Refund
Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.
Vacation
Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates:
0 to 5 years
4.0 hours per pay period
6 to 10 years
4.5 hours per pay period
11 to 15 years
5.0 hours per pay period
16 to 20 years
5.5 hours per pay period
21 plus years
6.0 hours per pay period
Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.
Workers' Compensation
The county provides all employees workers' compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.