Planner - Community Engagement

Toole Design Group; Oakland (CA); Hybrid; USD 102,000 - 118,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedule

Paid holidays

PTO

Transportation perks

Employee ownership

Job summary

Toole Design Group in Oakland, CA seeks a Planner to join an employee-owned, mission-driven team of engineers, planners, landscape architects, and urban designers. You will lead analyses, manage projects, and engage with clients and communities to move visions into implementation across multimodal, Complete Streets, and Safe Routes projects.

The role emphasizes equity, climate, safety, and health in design.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in planning or related field
• 5+ years of experience in planning, engineering, design, public health, or related fields
• Fluent in Spanish for engaging with Spanish-speaking communities
• Experience with multimodal transportation planning and public engagement
• Strong project management and written communication skills
• Proficient in Excel and descriptive statistics
• Local knowledge and professional network (bonus)
• Experience with visual communication (maps/graphics) (bonus)
• Marketing or business development interest (bonus)

Responsibilities

• Lead analyses and manage projects and tasks
• Engage with clients and communities to move plans from vision to implementation
• Conduct fieldwork and face-to-face community outreach
• Travel occasionally around the region
• Support equity, climate, safety, and health in design through collaboration

Skills

5+ years planning

Spanish language

Active transportation

Public engagement

Project management

Excel

Local knowledge

Visual communication

Marketing & BD interest

Education

Bachelor's degree in planning or related field

Tools

ArcGIS

Adobe

GIS

Job description

Why You'll Love Working Here

We are an employee-owned, purpose-driven team of engineers, planners, landscape architects, and urban designers who believe streets and public spaces should work for everyone. At Toole Design, you’ll work alongside thought leaders and industry experts who are committed to mentoring and helping you grow your expertise. We offer:

• A collaborative, inclusive culture that supports your growth and advancement
• A flexible hybrid schedule with in-office team days (Tuesday–Thursday) and two days optional to work from home
• 8 paid holidays; and at least 16 days of PTO accrual annually
• Competitive salary, excellent benefits, and transportation perks: Benefits and Supports
• Projects that truly improve lives through safe, inclusive design rooted in ethics, empathy, and equity
• Employee-ownership, so we all share in the success we build together—and the financial security that comes with it

What You’ll Do

As a Planner at Toole Design, you’ll be part of a collaborative, interdisciplinary team working on projects that make travel safer, more accessible, and more equitable for everyone. From urban streetscapes to rural trail systems, you’ll lead analyses, manage projects/tasks, and engage directly with clients and communities to create plans that move from vision to implementation. You’ll do fieldwork and face-to-face community outreach, travelling occasionally around the region. Our work spans all scales—local to national—and covers everything from multimodal corridor studies and Safe Routes to School, active transportation plans, micromobility planning, and Complete Streets. We never take on a project that doesn’t align with our values, and we empower ourselves and our clients to center equity, climate, safety, and health in everything we do.

We are targeting a salary range of $102,000 to $118,000 for this position.

Join us. Make an impact.
We’re proud to be an ENR Top 500 design firm with one of the lowest turnover rates in the industry. If you’re ready to do meaningful work with a supportive, talented team—

Questions, assistance or accommodations? Contact [e-mail] or call 301-927-1900, press 5.

At Toole Design, we foster a collaborative culture and welcome people of all backgrounds to help build more inclusive communities. We strongly encourage women and applicants from underrepresented communities – people of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, first-generation college students/graduates, those with disabilities and people at all the intersections in between – to apply. We're proud that about half our managers are women and we are committed to diverse leadership that reflects the communities we serve. Toole Design is a woman-owned, equal opportunity employer (EO/AA/VEV/Disabled employer).

Requirements

• Relevant background: 5+ years experience in planning, engineering, design, public health, or related fields—including advocacy, outreach, program management, or policy work. Bachelor’s degree in planning or a related field. Additional years may be substituted in lieu of a degree
• Fluent in Spanish: Communications with Spanish-speaking community members to gather input, answer questions, and support inclusive public engagement
• Transportation & engagement skills: Passion for active transportation and travel options for all ages and abilities. Experience with multimodal transportation planning, virtual and/or in-person public engagement, and fieldwork
• Project & communication skills: Able to manage projects/tasks, collaborate on teams, and clearly communicate technical ideas in writing
• Technical tools: Skilled in Excel and comfortable with descriptive statistics
• Bonus: Local knowledge and professional network
• Bonus: Experienced with visual communication (e.g., maps, graphics, or design tools like Adobe or ArcGIS)
• Bonus: Marketing and business development experience or interest