Director, Community Planning & Econ. Dev.

WSB and Associates; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401K with match

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

WSB seeks a Director of Community Planning & Economic Development (CPED) to provide strategic and operational leadership for the CPED group. The role guides staff, drives growth initiatives, tracks budgets, and ensures successful delivery of complex planning projects and key client relationships.

The Director leads public engagement efforts, coordinates cross-functional teams, and oversees workforce planning, project delivery, and business development priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning or closely related field required; Master’s preferred.
• AICP certification or ability to obtain within one year.
• 5+ years of leadership experience; 10–15 years planning experience overall.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple leadership levels and oversee staff performance and development.
• Translate growth strategy into annual goals and plans.
• Secure resources and budget for the team.
• Oversee financial performance and revenue targets for the area.
• Manage complex, multidisciplinary planning projects and client relationships.
• Lead public engagement processes ensuring equitable involvement.
• Represent WSB and CPED at conferences and with clients.
• Use AI and digital tools to elevate project quality while ensuring ethics and accuracy.
• Utilize Salesforce to identify market trends and collaboration opportunities.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Client relationships

Public engagement

Strategic planning

Budgeting

Team coaching

Education

Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning

Master's in Urban/Regional Planning

AICP certification

Tools

Salesforce

AI tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Director, Community Planning & Econ. Dev.

Forge ahead with WSB. We are seeking a Director, Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED).

The Director provides strategic and operational leadership for an assigned Group or service area, overseeing multiple levels of staff and ensuring strong performance, collaboration, and delivery excellence. This role translates organizational growth strategies into actionable plans, manages financial and operational outcomes, and ensures the team is resourced and aligned for success. The Director leads complex projects and key client relationships while tasked with short-, mid-, and long-range planning to support group workforce needs, project delivery, and business development priorities.

WSB was founded on the understanding that culture drives results, and we've dedicated ourselves to the value of strong relationships, collaboration, and forward-thinking ideas. We've inspired each other to discover thoughtful and creative solutions that look beyond the needs of today to the opportunities of tomorrow. We invite you to forge ahead with us.

What you will do:

• Lead multiple leadership levels, including mid-level leaders, first-level leaders, and/or individual contributors within assigned operational group.
• Lead the scaling of regional, functional, and/or client operations.
• Translate overall growth strategy into specific team goals and annual operational plans.
• Secure needed resources and budget for the team.
• Manage high-level policies and builds a collaborative culture.
• Oversee financial performance of assigned area and responsible for revenue targets.
• Coach, develop, and mentor staff.
• Manage staff performance, sets individual performance goals, conducts performance reviews, and oversees performance improvement plans.
• Responsible for workforce planning, hiring and compensation administration of staff in assigned group.
• Lead complex and multidisciplinary planning initiatives, including comprehensive plans, smallarea and corridor studies, zoning code updates, policy development, and special projects.
• Oversee advanced research and analysis in areas such as land use, demographics, transportation, housing, economic development, and environmental conditions.
• Review and evaluate complex land use, zoning, and development proposals for consistency with ordinances, design standards, and longrange community goals.
• Prepare, oversee, and deliver highlevel reports, policy memos, planning analyses, and presentations to Planning Commissions, City Councils, boards, and community groups.
• Design, supervise, and participate in inclusive public engagement processes, ensuring equitable awareness and involvement from diverse community populations.
• Lead and facilitate public meetings, workshops, open houses, charrettes, and stakeholder engagement activities; ensure production of highquality engagement materials.
• Interpret and synthesize community feedback into actionable planning recommendations and strategic implementation pathways.
• Professionally represent WSB and CPED group at professional conferences, seminars, or workshops, highlighting firm services and projects
• May serve as Project Principal, managing other Project Managers, Master Service Agreements (MSA), and overseeing program delivery. May serve as Project Manager on several projects simultaneously.
• Oversee multiple projects, applying technical expertise as needed.
• Uses AI and digital tools to elevate the quality and speed of projects, double-checking its outputs, and making sure information presented meets technical and ethical standards.
• Expected to achieve a personal and team target utilization rate for each project (typically 70% for Directors).
• Collaborate with staff from multiple offices and across regions, to deliver projects and programs.
• Set standards for delivery excellence across a department or region.
• Leads complex, multidisciplinary projects aligned to strategic goals.
• Own and lead client relationships and key accounts, ensuring strong partnerships, retention, and growth.
• Develop and execute account strategies to expand services and strengthen client engagement.
• Identify and drive cross-selling opportunities through internal collaboration.
• Leads or supports pursuit strategies to win new work and new clients.
• Proactively manages client risk across projects and teams to ensure consistent delivery and experience.
• Uses AI and digital tools to elevate the quality and speed of our client insights, ensuring clients feel confident that technology enhances expertise but doesnt replace it.
• Use Salesforce to identify market trends and collaboration opportunities.

What you will bring:

• Bachelors degree in Urban Planning, Community Planning, or a closely related field required.
• Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning or similar field preferred.
• 10-15 years of progressively responsible professional planning experience in local government, regional planning agencies, or private planning/engineering consulting.
• 5+ years of people leadership experience.
• AICP certification or ability to obtain certification within one year.
• Possession of a valid drivers license with acleandriving record and the ability tooperate motor vehicleisrequired.
• Microsoft Suite Products (e.g. Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive, etc).
• Work is primarily performed in an office environment with standard office equipment.
• Required to work onsite at a WSB office, as needed, up to five days per week, as required by the project, client, or hiring manager.
• Travel or field visits may be required to support project needs or stakeholder collaboration.
• Travel may be required.

Who We Are:

WSB is a design and consulting firm specializing in Transportation, Community Planning, Environmental, Energy, Municipal, and Construction services. We provide solutions for the places, spaces and systems that support our lives. We offer services in more than 50 complementary areas across the nation.

Full time WSB employees qualify for competitive compensation and benefits package, including medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, company paid short-and long-term disability, 401K with match, paid time off, paid holidays, tuition reimbursement, and opportunities for professional growth and development. Part time employees can participate in the 401K plan and applicable earned paid leave.

As an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or disability status.

WSB strives to ensure that its careers website is accessible to all. If you need assistance completing your online application, please email [e-mail].

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, WSB is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, please e-mail us at [e-mail]. In your e-mail, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.