Senior Campus Planner

McGill Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; Sherbrooke; On-site; CAD 82,000 - 123,000; Full time

Job summary

McGill University is seeking a Senior Campus Planner to lead complex planning initiatives across multiple campuses. The role focuses on feasibility studies, master planning, site planning, and project development while representing programmatic needs to executive leadership.

The incumbent will collaborate with internal departments and external agencies, ensuring alignment with the University Master Plan, budgets, and regulatory requirements. English and French skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and 5+ years related experience in campus planning or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Provides senior professional expertise on university real estate matters including property acquisition and disposal.
• Collaborates on long-range facility plans and oversees feasibility studies, master plans, reports, and presentations.
• Leads planning initiatives, space programming, and prioritization aligned with the University Master Plan.
• Communicates findings to Senior Management and negotiates with departments on space allocation and relocation.
• Liaises with external governments and agencies to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Develops business cases, budgets, and submissions for external agencies.
• Directs site plans, facility siting, orientation, height and massing studies, and circulation analyses.
• Ensures high-quality graphic production using Adobe Design Suite and standard software.

Skills

Senior professional expertise

Stakeholder liaison

Project planning

Space programming

Presentation skills

Bilingual English/French

Education

Bachelor's degree

Architect/urbanist certification

Tools

Adobe Design Suite

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Position Summary

The Senior Campus Planner reports to the Associate Director, Campus Planning and Development. The incumbent will lead project planning initiatives and develop recommendations relating to feasibility, options and conceptual design development. The incumbent will liaise with external and internal stakeholders and multiple complex groups in order to communicate, resolve issues, and negotiate consensus. The incumbent is responsible for leading planning efforts and representing programmatic needs as well as providing planning consultation to a broad diversity of stakeholders both internal and external to the University. The incumbent acts as a critical resource for executive-level decision-making about campus master planning, site planning and project planning initiatives. The incumbent operates as a system-wide consultant for multiple units and University entities seeking campus planning and project development for a diverse and complex set of initiatives and programs. The incumbent provides leadership to peer professional and academic staff.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provides senior professional expertise on University real estate matters, to include property acquisition and property disposal.


• Collaborate in the development of long-range facility plans for all academic and administrative departments. This includes developing and overseeing feasibility studies, master plans, reports, and presentations to assist in the strategic long-range planning and facility development required.


• Plans and controls initiatives by identifying needs including space programming.


• Analyzes and prioritizes in support to the strategic plan to the University and the University Master Plan.


• Develops a program of requirements for specific initiatives and assist in the project initiation from a planning perspective.


• Responsible for achieving tasks by respecting detailed calendars and budgets.


• Communicates and makes presentations to Senior Management in terms of space allocation and report findings as well as negotiates with University departments on matters of space allocation, exchange or relocation.


• Negotiates with clients, being faculties and departments and other administrative units as well as external agencies on confirming feasibility parameters of projects and outlines program’s needs.


• Liaises with external clients particularly with the provincial and municipal Governments to ensure projects comply with regulations.


• Prepares all reports detailing the processes and recommendations for the projects.


• Develops and presents business cases and feasibility studies including budget for approval from Senior Management.


• Prepares and negotiates submissions to external agencies.


• Establishes and develops partnership with other institutions and external agencies and represents the University in official meetings.


• Consults with internal and external stakeholders and reviews proposed changes associated with landscape, circulation, land use, wayfinding and infrastructure.


• Leads development of site plans and business cases, including facility sitting, orientation, height and massing and circulation studies.


• Leads project planning initiatives to improve quality of the campus environment.


• Evaluates development proposals for consistency with the University Master Plan.


• Leads site selection and land use analysis for Master Planning efforts for all campuses.


• Develops and presents planning documents, reports, presentations and studies.


• Collaborates with external parties or jurisdictions when plans are intertwined, coordinates review and interaction with these entities for issues that have wide significance.


• Performs research and collects data from multiple sources to address planning needs.


• Gather various sources of information, analyzes, and consistently reports in different formats (verbal, written) to variety of audiences and levels (internal and external to the University) that are involved in decision-making processes.


• Ensures quality graphic production capacity, including overseeing others’ work, using software (Adobe Design Suite, Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign) to achieve and maintain consistent graphic standards in all planning material.

Other Qualifying Skills and/or Abilities

• Demonstrated experience in all phases of development project planning and proven ability to manage architects and engineers in the planning phase.


• Experience managing initiatives in higher education setting is an asset.


• Academic planning and scenario development experience.


• Extensive knowledge of and experience in macro project financial analysis and interpretation.


• Professional certification as architect and/or urbanist is required.


• Strong analytical background and project development skills.


• Ability to manage multiple development initiatives and prioritize appropriately.


• Ability to work in a PC environment and advanced level of proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.


• Exceptional communication skills with internal stakeholders at all levels of the organization, as well with external stakeholders and authorities.


• Experience in higher education in a related field, an asset.


• Strong writing and presentation skills and oral fluency in English and French essential mandatory.


• Knowledge of French and English: McGill University is an English-language university where day to day duties may require English communication both verbally and in writing.


• The level of English required for this position has been assessed at a level 4 on a scale of 0-4.

Minimum Education and Experience

Bachelor\'s Degree 5 Years Related Experience / Annual Salary: (MPEX Grade 06) $82,280.00 - $102,850.00 - $123,420.00

Job Profile

MPEX-LOG3C - Planning & Design - Senior Professional/Manager

Hours per Week

33.75 (Full time)

Supervisor

Associate Director Planning

Position End Date (If applicable)

2028-08-04

Deadline to Apply

2026-10-16

McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, [e-mail].

Located in one of the world’s great multicultural and multilingual cities, McGill University is internationally recognized for its excellence as a leading institution of higher education and research. For nearly 200 years, through the work of dedicated people, McGill has been breaking ground in diverse fields and contributing solutions to some of the world’s most significant issues. McGillians are proud to be part of a community that is both global and local, inspired by challenge and committed to shaping a better future. McGill received a Platinum STARS rating in sustainability, is among Canada’s greenest employers, and is a top Montreal Employer. Grandescunt Aucta Labore. By work, all things increase and grow. Find a sense of purpose. Develop your future. Join us today.