Urban Designer - Planner II

City of Vancouver - CA; Vancouver; Hybrid; Full time

Job summary

The City of Vancouver is seeking a dedicated urban design professional to join their City Design Studio. This role involves developing public realm strategies, leading teams, and engaging with the community to enhance Vancouver's built environments. The ideal candidate will possess strong design abilities, project management skills, and a commitment to sustainability and community engagement.

Qualifications

• Minimum two years professional experience in planning field.
• Experience in urban design and landscape architecture preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop holistic public realm strategies and streetscape designs.
• Lead interdepartmental teams on public realm projects.
• Document and present urban design themes and analysis.

Skills

Design Ability

Graphic Visualization

Public Engagement

Project Management

Communication Skills

Education

Post-secondary degree in urban design

Tools

GIS

AutoCAD

Sketchup

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

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Located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, Vancouver has a commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation. Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the world’s most liveable and environmentally sustainable cities. Named among Canada's Top 100 Employers, BC's Top Employers, and Canada's Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver seeks colleagues who can help shape and embody our core commitments to sustainability, reconciliation, equity and outstanding quality of life for all residents.

Consider joining our committed team of staff and being part of an innovative, inclusive and engaging workplace. Working at the City of Vancouver and within the public service can be a rewarding career where you play a key role in ensuring impartial and equitable access to services, upholding ethical governance, and addressing the needs of citizens with integrity and dedication.

Main Purpose and Function

The City Design Studio is a multi-disciplinary urban design group within the Department of Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability that provides direction, guidance, and support in the physical design of Vancouver's built environments.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Work in partnership with the Engineering Department and Parks Board and to develop holistic public realm strategies on large scale area planning programs and streetscape designs.
• Conceptualize, develop, evaluate and refine public realm plans.
• Lead an interdepartmental team of junior staff engaged in public realm projects.
• Document and present complex urban design themes and analysis, including illustrative work, report writing, meeting facilitation, and presentations to other staff, management, Council and stakeholders.
• Provide professional public realm input for selected major projects and area plans, as well as expertise on special projects involving city-building issues or projects of public interest.
• Provide direction and guidance to professional urban design and landscape architecture consultants engaged by the City and/or development proponents.
• Apply skill and versatility in design, sound judgement and independent action within the parameters of work assignments, planning policies, by-laws, and design guidelines.
• Collaborate with other members of the City Design Studio, the Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability Department, and other City Departments
  • Support and facilitate public consultation processes, including community events, workshops, and meetings

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• A post-secondary degree in urban design, landscape architecture or planning, recognized by the Canadian Institute of Planners and a minimum of two years professional experience in the planning field, preferably supplemented by supervisory experience, or an equivalent combination of post-secondary education and experience.

Experience in urban design with demonstrated experience in landscape architecture, and the planning and design of the public realm ispreferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated design ability with an emphasis on public realm plans and design guidelines.
• Strong graphic visualization and representation capabilities in a variety of mediums.
• Considerable familiarity with the City's process for planning and designing the public realm including the integration of Engineering, Parks, and Planning considerations and requirements.
• Considerable knowledge of public consultation, land use issues, site planning, urban design, transportation, and sustainable design practices is essential.
• Strong interpersonal, public engagement and communications skills while engaging with other planning staff and members of the community.
• Ability to lead and collaborate on project teams and be accountable for developing work plans and completing deliverables on time in a high-pressure environment.
• Demonstrated project management and superior communications skills.
• Considerable skill in collaborative decision making, negotiation, conflict resolution, interest-based problem solving.
• Ability to develop planning policies, regulations and guidelines.
• Ability to facilitate public consultation processes.
• Ability to clearly communicate complex issues through Council reports and presentations, or comparable documentation and presentations.
• Full working knowledge of GIS, AutoCAD, Sketchup, and the Adobe Creative Suite is desirable. Experience in Revit, Dynamo, Rhino, and Grasshopper is an asset.

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work a hybrid work week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite. At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.

Business Unit/Department:Planning, Urban Design & Sustainability (1275)

Affiliation:CUPE 15 Non Pks

Employment Type:Temporary Full Time

Position Start Date: July, 2025

Position End Date:December, 2026

Salary Information: Pay Grade GR-031: $56.27to $66.55per hour

Application Close: May 25, 2025

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve . Indigenous peoples, people of colour, 2SLGBTQ+ persons including all genders and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process.Learn more aboutour commitment to diversity and inclusion .

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Once you start your application you can save your work and leave the applications page, however please remember to submit your profile to the specific job requisition before the posting closing date.

In addition to uploading your cover letter and resume, part of the application process may include answering application questions related to the preferred requirements of the role which may take approx. 5-10 minutes. Cover letters should express interest and highlight additional information relevant to the position and resumes should include a summary of skills and experience related to the position.