Senior Community Planner

Bolton & Menk, Inc.; Saint Cloud (MN); On-site; USD 94,000 - 167,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP - Employee ownership (ESOP)

401(k) Match Program

Paid time off (PTO)

Health insurance

Flexible scheduling

Job summary

Bolton & Menk, Inc. seeks a Senior Planner to lead complex urban planning projects, work with clients, and guide strategy from concept to implementation. You will shape project direction and provide advisory support across planning disciplines.

Based in Minnesota with potential Duluth or St.Cloud locations, the role emphasizes mentoring staff, collaborating with engineers and landscape architects, and growing within an ESOP-driven, employee-owned firm that serves communities across the Midwest.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university.
• Approximately 8-10+ years of progressive planning experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• AICP certification strongly preferred, but not required.
• Experience leading planning projects, client relationships, and stakeholder engagement efforts.
• Strong knowledge of land use planning, community development, zoning, entitlement processes, and planning best practices.
• Experience preparing planning studies, technical reports, development reviews, and public-facing documents
• Strong communication, facilitation, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Valid driver's license and willingness to travel to project sites and client meetings as needed.

Responsibilities

• As a Senior Planner, you'll take a leadership role in managing planning projects from concept through implementation while serving as a key resource for clients and project teams.
• You'll lead and manage a variety of planning initiatives, including land use planning, comprehensive planning, development review, entitlement support, policy development, community engagement, and other community planning efforts.
• You'll analyze complex planning issues, evaluate trends and regulations, and provide strategic recommendations that help clients make informed decisions.
• You'll serve as a trusted advisor to communities, developers, public officials, and stakeholders by leading presentations, facilitating meetings, and guiding public engagement efforts.
• From community workshops and planning commission meetings to client strategy sessions, you'll help build consensus and move projects forward.
• In addition to project leadership, you'll play an important role in strengthening our practice by mentoring staff, reviewing technical work, contributing to business development efforts, and assisting with proposals and client pursuits.
• Most importantly, you'll enjoy the variety that comes with consulting. One day you may be leading a comprehensive planning effort, while the next you're helping a growing community evaluate development opportunities, facilitating public engagement, or collaborating with engineers and landscape architects on transformative community projects.

Skills

Leadership

Client relationships

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Public speaking

Mentoring staff

Education

Urban Planning or related degree

AICP Certification (preferred)

Job description

Ready to take the next step as a planning leader or bring your public-sector experience into a collaborative consulting environment?

Bolton & Menk is seeking a Senior Planner to join our growing Urban & Community Planning team. In this role, you'll help shape the future of communities by leading complex planning projects, serving as a trusted advisor to clients, and mentoring the next generation of planning professionals.

Whether you're looking for greater responsibility and leadership opportunities or seeking more variety and multidisciplinary collaboration, this role offers the chance to expand your impact while helping advance our mission that all people should live in safe, sustainable, and beautiful communities.

As a Top Workplace, this is a unique opportunity to collaborate with a talented, supportive team and make a lasting difference in the communities we serve. With over 75 years of experience, Bolton & Menk specializes in providing community infrastructure solutions across the Midwest, Southeast, and beyond.

At Bolton & Menk, planners are empowered to do more than write reports. You'll have a seat at the table with clients, opportunities to shape project strategy, and the ability to collaborate across disciplines to solve complex community challenges.

Our employee‑owned culture means your voice matters, your contributions are recognized, and your success contributes to the long‑term success of the firm. We invest in our people, provide opportunities for continued professional growth, and foster an environment where collaboration, innovation, and community impact go hand in hand.

This position may be located in Duluth or St.Cloud, MN

What You Will Be Doing:

As a Senior Planner, you'll take a leadership role in managing planning projects from concept through implementation while serving as a key resource for clients and project teams.

You'll lead and manage a variety of planning initiatives, including land use planning, comprehensive planning, development review, entitlement support, policy development, community engagement, and other community planning efforts. You'll analyze complex planning issues, evaluate trends and regulations, and provide strategic recommendations that help clients make informed decisions.

You'll serve as a trusted advisor to communities, developers, public officials, and stakeholders by leading presentations, facilitating meetings, and guiding public engagement efforts. From community workshops and planning commission meetings to client strategy sessions, you'll help build consensus and move projects forward.

In addition to project leadership, you'll play an important role in strengthening our practice by mentoring staff, reviewing technical work, contributing to business development efforts, and assisting with proposals and client pursuits. You'll have the opportunity to influence both project outcomes and the continued growth of our planning team.

Most importantly, you'll enjoy the variety that comes with consulting. One day you may be leading a comprehensive planning effort, while the next you're helping a growing community evaluate development opportunities, facilitating public engagement, or collaborating with engineers and landscape architects on transformative community projects.

What We Are Looking For:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university.
• Approximately 8-10+ years of progressive planning experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• AICP certification strongly preferred, but not required.
• Experience leading planning projects, client relationships, and stakeholder engagement efforts.
• Strong knowledge of land use planning, community development, zoning, entitlement processes, and planning best practices.
• Experience preparing planning studies, technical reports, development reviews, and public-facing documents
• Strong communication, facilitation, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Valid driver's license and willingness to travel to project sites and client meetings as needed.

Bolton & Menk will currently not be providing visa sponsorship or Optional Practical Training Extensions for STEM Students. Individuals must be legally authorized to work in the US at the start of employment without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

Salary Range: $93,960 - $167,400 depending on years of experience and credentials

Bolton & Menk is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to specific geographic location. Bolton & Menk reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant's sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.

Supporting Our Employees

There's life at work and life outside of work. Bolton & Menk has a number of benefit programs and amenities to support you and your family throughout whatever stage of life you are in.

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation plan - overtime compensation available to most employees
• Discretionary bonuses available to most employees
• ESOP - Employee ownership (ESOP); 100% company-paid contributions
• 401(k) Match Program
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
• Six paid company holidays
• Two floating personal holidays for events that are important in your life
• Tuition reimbursement
• Parental leave
• Short term and Long-term disability
• Dependent care reimbursement
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Life insurance
• Vision insurance

WHY BOLTON & MENK?

Bolton & Menk, Inc. specializes in providing community infrastructure solutions. Since 1949, we have been committed to improving quality of life through engineering excellence and client satisfaction. From advocating for our communities to designing their dreams to finding funding; we take pride in our work because we live in these same communities. Today, Bolton & Menk has more than 1,000 employees throughout more than 35 locations in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Colorado providing services to more than 400 communities and agencies. Learn more about our history here: https://www.bolton-menk.com/about-us/

OUR BENEFITS

At Bolton & Menk, we value our people and provide an exceptional Total Compensation and Benefits Package to protect our most valuable asset. We are committed to the well‑being of our employees and their families. Perks of being a Bolton & Menk employee include peace of mind with our benefits package and competitive compensation plan, flexible schedules, and career development opportunities. Learn more here: https://www.bolton-menk.com/careers

We thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Bolton & Menk does not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third-party agencies in response to Bolton & Menk job postings. No fee will be paid to third parties who submit unsolicited candidates directly to our hiring managers. Pre-approval from the Bolton & Menk Talent Acquisition team is required before any external candidate can be submitted and such candidate must be submitted to the Bolton & Menk Talent Acquisition team.

It is our responsibility and privilege to embrace the diversity of people, thoughts, and experiences necessary to develop infrastructure systems that serve all people. Bolton & Menk, Inc., is an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affinity / Inclusion Employer including disability and vets.

Qualifications

Education

Masters of Urban Planning (preferred)

Licenses & Certifications

AICP - Certified Planner (required)

Skills

• Microsoft Excel (preferred)
• Microsoft Word (preferred)

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.