Senior Educational Facilities Planner (Bakersfield)

TETER Architects and Engineers; Bakersfield (CA); Hybrid; USD 115,500 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Job summary

TETER Architects and Engineers is looking for a Senior Educational Facilities Planner to lead master planning efforts for K–12 school districts. This role involves advising senior decision-makers, translating educational priorities into actionable strategies, and collaborating with architects and engineers.

With 8-10 years of relevant experience, you will help shape the long-term future of educational facilities, manage multiple complex projects, and drive community impact through effective planning and communication.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years of experience in facilities planning or educational facilities consulting.
• Direct experience with K-12 facilities master planning or capital improvement programs.
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead districtwide facilities master planning efforts.
• Conduct facility assessments and modernization analyses.
• Collaborate closely with architects and engineers.

Skills

Facilities planning

Stakeholder communication

Project management

Data analysis

Education

Degree in planning, architecture, or related field

Job description

Senior Educational Facilities Planner – Facilities Master Planning

K–12 School District Facilities Master Planning & Capital Program Development

About The Opportunity

This is a senior, high‑impact facilities master planning role for professionals who want to shape the long‑term future of K–12 school districts at a districtwide and community scale. As a Senior Educational Facilities Planner, you will lead and influence facilities master plans and capital programs that guide millions of dollars in public investment—helping school districts make confident, defensible decisions about modernization, growth, consolidation, and long‑range infrastructure strategy.

You will work inside an architecture and engineering firm, collaborating directly with architects, engineers, and construction administrators to ensure that planning recommendations are actionable, fundable, and ready to move into design and implementation. Unlike many planning roles, this position allows you to see your strategic work move from vision to plan to project delivery.

This Role Is Ideal For Professionals Who Enjoy

• Advising senior decision‑makers on complex, long‑range facilities challenges
• Translating data (enrollment, capacity, facility condition) into clear planning direction
• Balancing educational priorities with fiscal, operational, and physical realities
• Leading conversations that shape campuses and communities for decades

At TETER, you'll serve as a trusted advisor to Superintendents, executive teams, and governing boards—helping districts navigate some of their most consequential facilities decisions.

How This Role Makes An Impact

In this role, you will:

• Lead districtwide facilities master planning efforts that establish long‑term capital priorities
• Help school districts make informed decisions about modernization vs. replacement, growth, and consolidation
• Align enrollment projections, educational programs, and physical capacity into cohesive facilities strategies
• Shape capital improvement programs that directly influence funding, phasing, and implementation
• Partner closely with architecture and engineering teams so that planning work transitions seamlessly into design
• Communicate complex planning concepts clearly to boards, leadership teams, and community stakeholders

This position focuses on the built environment and capital planning side of K–12 education. It does not involve curriculum development, instructional planning, or academic program management.

Key Responsibilities

Facilities & Capital Planning

• Lead and support districtwide facilities master plans for K–12 school districts
• Conduct facility assessments, modernization analyses, and replacement evaluations
• Translate enrollment projections and educational programs into physical capacity needs
• Develop capital improvement programs, including project prioritization, sequencing, and phasing
• Align facilities strategies with funding pathways, including state programs and local bond planning
• Support long‑range growth planning, consolidation scenarios, and modernization strategies

Collaboration & Integration

• Collaborate closely with architects, engineers, and construction administrators to ensure planning efforts integrate smoothly into design and implementation
• Provide clear planning direction that supports efficient transition from master planning to project delivery
• Work across multidisciplinary teams to deliver cohesive, technically sound recommendations

Client Advisory & Communication

• Advise Superintendents, Chief Business Officials, executive teams, and governing boards with clear, data‑driven recommendations
• Prepare and deliver clear, visually compelling presentations for boards and community stakeholders
• Facilitate workshops and planning sessions that align educational priorities with facilities realities
• Manage planning‑related communication, providing timely updates throughout the planning process

Practice & Leadership

• Contribute to proposals, interviews, and thought leadership that strengthen TETER's educational planning practice
• Mentor emerging planners and support a collaborative, high‑performing team environment

Qualifications

Required

• Eight to ten years of experience in facilities planning, educational facilities consulting, architecture, campus planning, or capital program development
• Direct experience with K–12 facilities master planning, capital improvement programs, or bond‑funded projects
• Experience working within or alongside an architecture, engineering, or facilities planning firm
• Demonstrated ability to translate enrollment data, educational programs, and policy considerations into physical planning solutions
• Strong presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects while collaborating across disciplines

Note: Experience limited solely to instructional leadership, curriculum planning, or academic program management will not meet the requirements of this role.

Preferred

• Experience with California public school facilities, including familiarity with CDE/DSA processes and funding programs
• Background in educational facilities consulting, campus planning, or public‑sector capital programs
• Experience presenting to school boards and executive leadership teams
• Professional licensure or advanced degree in planning, architecture, or a related field (a plus, not required)

Who Tends To Succeed In This Role

This role is well‑suited for professionals with backgrounds in educational facilities planning, architecture or campus planning, public‑sector capital program development, or A/E/C consulting focused on schools or civic facilities. Successful candidates are comfortable operating at both a strategic and technical level, and enjoy advising senior leaders on long‑range planning decisions with lasting community impact.

What It's Like To Work At TETER

At TETER, you'll join a mission‑driven firm committed to Building a Better Valley through thoughtful planning, design, and community leadership. We believe in:

• A culture of collaboration and respect—daily engagement with architects, engineers, planners, and construction professionals who value each other's expertise and work toward shared goals.
• Meaningful community impact—your work shapes the places where thousands of students learn, grow, and thrive, creating lasting value for entire districts and neighborhoods.
• Professional growth and mentorship—senior staff invest in developing others, and you’ll have opportunities to lead initiatives, influence strategy, and continue growing your expertise in educational planning.
• Award‑winning workplace culture—TETER has been recognized for multiple years as one of the Top Firms to Work For in the U.S. and Canada, reflecting our commitment to people and communities.

Compensation

Annual salary range of $115,500–150,000 (actual pay depends on licensure, qualifications, experience, location, and business needs). Candidates with less planning experience may be placed in a lower range: $90,000–105,000 for Educational Planner I, or $105,000–120,000 for Educational Planner II.

Benefits – Full Benefits Package Includes

• Hybrid work schedule (after trial period) based on business needs and work/life balance
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and 401(k)
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Wellness Program
• Paid Time Off
• Professional Licensing Support
• And more!

Additional Details

This is a full‑time, exempt role based primarily in an office setting, with a hybrid schedule requiring in‑office presence Tuesday through Thursday. Travel to school sites, district offices, and community meetings across Central California is expected, and some evening or weekend meetings (such as board presentations) may be required. For exceptional candidates with deep K–12 planning expertise, a fully remote arrangement may be considered.

TETER is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, regardless of background or identity.

Ready to Build a Better Valley for K–12 Students?

If you are an experienced K–12 facilities master planning leader who wants to shape meaningful, long‑term educational environments across Central California, we would love to meet you.