Campus Planning Leader

Perkins&Will; San Francisco, Seattle (CA, WA); Hybrid; USD 154,000 - 207,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan and paid time •

Professional development stipend

Performance-based bonuses

Leadership development programs

Studio initiatives and team events

Job summary

Perkins&Will seeks a visionary Campus Planning Leader to grow our higher education campus planning practice within Urban Design. Partner with institutional leaders to translate mission and priorities into transformative campus strategies that inspire innovation and resilience.

You’ll lead planning initiatives, guide decision-making, and build a strong practice through business development, while mentoring multidisciplinary teams in a hybrid work environment in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in architecture, urban planning, urban design, landscape architecture, or related field required.
• Master's degree preferred and relevant professional credentials encouraged.
• Architectural license or equivalent credentials preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead transformative campus planning initiatives for colleges and universities to advance sustainability, resilience, mobility, and equity.
• Serve as trusted advisor to institutional leadership and guide strategic decision-making.
• Grow the campus planning practice through business development and client relationship management.
• Lead high-performing teams, manage scope, budget, quality, and risk.

Skills

Leadership

Design facilitation

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Mentoring teams

Education

Bachelor's degree in architecture/urban planning/urban design

Master's degree preferred

Architectural license preferred

LEED GA within 6 months

Living Design credentials (e.g., LEED AP, WELL AP, SITES, etc.)

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

SketchUp

Rhino

GIS

Job description

• Posted on November 3, 2026

Locations

Showing 1 location

San Francisco
San Francisco, CA 94105, USA

• Hybrid
• Full-Time
• Requisition #: CAMPU006133

Description

Colleges and universities are reimagining how their campuses support learning, research, community, and long-term resilience. Perkins&Will is seeking a visionary Campus Planning Leader to build and grow our higher education campus planning practice within our Urban Design group. In this role, you will partner with institutional leaders to translate academic mission, strategic priorities, and data-driven insights into transformative campus strategies, shaping environments that inspire innovation, strengthen community, and create lasting impact. Guided by our Living Design principles, you'll help define the future of higher education through planning solutions that are sustainable, equitable, and visionary.

What You’ll Do

• Lead transformative campus planning initiatives for colleges and universities, translating institutional vision, academic priorities, and data-informed insights into campus, district, and site strategies that advance sustainability, resilience, mobility, and equity.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to institutional leadership, facilitating engagement processes, building consensus among stakeholders, and guiding strategic decision-making.
• Build and grow the campus planning practice through business development, client relationship management, thought leadership, industry engagement, and pursuit leadership.
• Lead high-performing teams and project delivery, mentoring planners and designers while overseeing scope, financial performance, quality, and risk management.

What You’ll Bring

• 15+ years of experience leading higher education campus planning and master planning efforts on the West Coast, and particularly California, with a strong understanding of enrollment, space utilization, capital planning, research, housing, and student life.
• Strong design, facilitation, and communication skills, with the ability to convey ideas across scales through sketches, diagrams, presentations, and digital tools.
• Established relationships within the higher education sector, preferably with major research universities and public systems.
• Demonstrated success in business development, practice building, and leading, mentoring, and developing multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in design and visualization tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, Rhino, GIS, and related platforms.

Education and Credentials

• Bachelor's degree in architecture, urban planning, urban design, landscape architecture, or a related field required. Master's degree preferred.
• Architectural license, AICP, PLA, or equivalent credential preferred.
• LEED GA within 6 months of hire, and professional accreditation in one area of Living Design (e.g., LEED AP with Specialty, WELL AP, SITES AP, CPHC/CPHD, or ILFI Living Future Accreditation).

Location and Travel

Bay Area residence preferred, West Coast residence required. Hybrid work flexibility is available and relocation will be considered. Occasional travel as required by projects.

What You’ll Get
Salary range: $154,400–$207,300, commensurate with experience, education and skillset.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan and paid time off
• Professional development stipend and dedicated continuing education time
• Performance-based bonuses
• Access to firmwide affinity groups and leadership development programs
• Studio initiatives and events; a team that actually likes each other

Our Commitment

Our culture is grounded in a firmwide commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) — not as a tagline, but as how we hire, promote, and build teams. We conduct annual pay equity audits and train all managers on pay practices. We believe inclusion drives creativity.

Perkins&Will is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, genetic information, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Pay Transparency: We are committed to pay equity. Compensation decisions are based on qualifications, skillset, and experience. Employees may discuss their own compensation without fear of retaliation. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

#LI-DB1

Qualifications

Behaviors

Preferred

Leader : Inspires teammates to follow them

Functional Expert : Considered a thought leader on a subject

Motivations

Preferred

Self-Starter : Inspired to perform without outside help

Entrepreneurial Spirit : Inspired to perform well by an ability to drive new ventures within the business

Licenses & Certifications

Preferred

Certified Planner

Licensed Landscape Arch

Licensed Architect

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.