Senior Planner, Project Manager

WSP; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 97,000 - 134,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP is seeking an experienced Senior Planner and Project Manager to lead municipal policy planning and land development projects across eastern and northern Ontario. You will translate policy direction into implementable regulations, manage scope, schedule, and budget, and supervise multidisciplinary teams.

You will drive business development, build client relationships, and mentor junior planners while ensuring high-quality service and compliance with provincial planning policy.

Qualifications

• University degree in Planning.

Responsibilities

• Leading and managing complex policy planning projects from initiation through to Council adoption, including establishing a land use vision, integrating technical studies, and developing implementing policies and regulations.
• Working with a team on land development projects including residential, retail/commercial, industrial, and institutional.
• Leading large, multi-disciplinary project teams, including urban designers, transportation planners, engineers, ecologists, and other technical specialists.
• Directing research and presentation of planning analyses.
• Managing project scope, schedule, budget, and quality in close coordination with our clients.
• Driving business development to grow our Planning Practice, including identifying opportunities, building and maintaining client relationships, and leading proposals.
• Providing senior technical direction on land use policy, regulatory drafting, mapping, and implementation strategies, including testing proposed standards against real-world development scenarios.
• Balancing competing interests among landowners, developers, residents, agencies, and Council to build consensus and advance practical solutions.
• Mentoring and developing junior and intermediate planners.
• Organizing, participating, and facilitating all sizes of stakeholder meetings and public consultation processes.

Skills

Planning leadership

Public consultation

Project management

Business development

Client relationship management

Policy drafting

Stakeholder engagement

Multidisciplinary coordination

Bilingualism

Education

University degree in Planning

Registered Professional Planner (Ontario)

Job description

What if you could redefine what’s possible? With us, you can.

With us, you can. You want Purpose. Growth. Opportunity. People who get it.

We are the home of ambitious, passionate, and innovative world shapers.

With an unmatched breadth and depth of engineering, advisory and science‑based expertise, our global minds unite to power local solutions.

We are pathfinders and impact makers.

We are Visioneers.

We are WSP

The Opportunity

WSP is seeking an experienced Senior Planner and Project Managerto lead and manage a wide range of municipal policy planning and land development projects while playing a key role in growing our Planning Practice. The successful candidate will bring demonstrated expertise in municipal policy planning and land development, providing expert advice and innovative, implementable solutions to a range of clients. This role requires a highly organized, client-focused professional with a strong understanding of planning principles, legislation, and best practices, and a proven ability to build client relationships and win new work. They will work with clients throughout eastern and northern Ontario, from rural to fast‑growing urban contexts, on statutory and non‑statutory planning studies, with particular strength in establishing land use visions for growing communities and translating policy direction into clear, defensible, and implementable regulatory frameworks.

Your Impact

Leading and managing complex policy planning projects from initiation through to Council adoption, including establishing a land use vision, integrating technical studies, and developing implementing policies and regulations

Working with a team on a range of land development projects including residential, retail/commercial, industrial, and institutional

Leading large, multi-disciplinary project teams, including urban designers, transportation planners, engineers, ecologists, and other technical specialists

Directing research and presentation of planning analyses

Managing project scope, schedule, budget, and quality in close coordination with our clients

Driving business development to grow our Planning Practice, including identifying opportunities, building and maintaining client relationships, and leading proposals

Providing senior technical direction on land use policy, regulatory drafting, mapping, and implementation strategies, including testing proposed standards against real-world development scenarios

Balancing competing interests among landowners, developers, residents, agencies, and Council to build consensus and advance practical solutions

Mentoring and developing junior and intermediate planners

Organizing, participating, and facilitating all sizes of stakeholder meetings and public consultation processes

The Skills That Set You Apart

• University degree in Planning;
• Registered Professional Planner in the Province of Ontario;
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in a municipal or consulting environment;

Demonstrated experience preparing land use policy and regulatory frameworks, including writing clear, defensible policy and regulatory language that conforms to provincial and upper-tier direction;

• Strong public consultation experience;

Proven Project Management experience with complex planning projects comprised of multi-disciplinary teams, including managing scope, schedule, and budget;

A track record of successful business development, including proposal writing, client relationship management, and securing new work with municipal clients;

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, query, analyze, and effectively communicate information;
• Experience reviewing and responding to comments from municipalities and other approval authorities;

Experience presenting and defending planning recommendations before Council and the Ontario Land Tribunal;

Excellent understanding of planning legislation, provincial planning policy, and approvals processes in the Province of Ontario;

Ability to synthesize technical inputs (e.g., servicing, transportation, natural heritage, and urban design) into coherent land use strategies, and to translate policy direction into implementable regulations, standards, and mapping;

Highly motivated, organized, and collaborative leader committed to upholding our reputation for delivering high-quality service;

An established network within the Ontario municipal and land development sectors and a strong professional reputation;

• Excellent written and oral communication and time management skills;
• Bilingualism is considered an asset.

CompensationAB, BC, NT, NU, SK & YT: $106 800 – $141 400MB & ON: $97 400 – $134 100NB, NL, NS, PE & QC: $96 400 – $128 100

Disclosure: The final salary awarded for this role may vary from the above range based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs. The wage range provided in this job posting may be subject to change for business purposes.

Job Info

• Job Identification 98818
• Posting Date 11/06/2026, 02:31 PM

About Us

At WSP, we exist to shape communities to advance humanity.

It’s why we bring people together who are wired to solve complex challenges - engineers, scientists, advisors, and technical experts who are driven by a common passion - to redefine what’s possible and shape what comes next. We are Visioneers.

As one of the world’s leading professional services firms, we partner with clients across transportation, infrastructure, environment, buildings, energy, water, mining and metals. We pair deep local knowledge with global insights to pioneer solutions designed to leave a lasting, positive impact.

At WSP, you’ll join a community of brilliant minds that push boundaries every day - applying deep expertise and fuelling innovation to help create a more connected and resilient future. Here, your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and you are encouraged to bring your authentic self to work. We empower our people to collaborate across disciplines, challenge the status quo, and shape a career with purpose.

Join us.

Please Note:

Health and Safety is a core paramount value of WSP. Given the importance of keeping one another safe it is expected that you comply with our Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) policy at all times as well as client HSE policies when working at client locations. Full details here .

Some safety-sensitive positions involve fieldwork and may include work in a variety of environmental conditions, such as remote or isolated areas, working alone, and in inclement weather (within safe and reasonable limits).

WSP welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

WSP is committed to the principles of employment equity. Only the candidates selected will be contacted.

WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Full details here .