Senior Planner

City of St Joseph; Northville (MI); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

McKenna seeks a Senior Planner to join its Midwest planning team. The role focuses on municipal projects such as zoning, master planning, economic development, and placemaking, with public engagement and presentations to stakeholders.

The Senior Planner will collaborate with Principal Planners and leadership on projects across Michigan and nearby states, supporting hybrid work from multiple offices. Ideal candidates bring a master's degree in a related field and 5+ years in municipal planning,

Qualifications

• Master's degree in urban planning, Urban Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or related field or equivalent experience.
• Five plus years of experience in municipal consulting or planning for municipal government or private-sector organization.
• Experience in public engagement and excellent public speaking skills.
• Advanced knowledge of zoning.
• Ability to multi-task in ever changing, client-focused environment.
• AICP, NCI and/or other complimentary professional certifications a plus.
• Ability to function as a productive team member under leadership.
• Superior communication skills supported by interpersonal connections, speaking, and writing.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Apps and TEAMS.

Responsibilities

• Serve on multiple projects, delivering creative solutions for Midwest clients, primarily local governments.
• Work on harmonious teams with planners, designers, and staff.
• Assist leaders in preparing for and delivering public presentations and facilitating meetings.
• Deliver graphically rich work products in collaboration with the team.
• Build relationships with current and future clients to increase awareness of McKenna.
• Support night meetings as needed related to planning and zoning activities.

Skills

Public engagement

Public speaking

Communication

Team collaboration

Multi-tasking

Client-focused

Education

Master's degree in urban planning / Urban Design / Architecture / Landscape Architecture

5+ years municipal planning experience

AICP / NCI certifications a plus

Tools

Microsoft Office

TEAMS

Job description

Senior Planner

MCKENNA

Join the talented team at McKenna. McKenna's planning, design, and building professionals help municipal leaders develop and maintain communities for real life. From downtowns, neighborhood parks, and storefronts, to parking spots, coffee shops, and farmers' markets, we want your community to thrive. McKenna provides planning, zoning, building, landscape architecture, community and economic development, and urban design assistance to cities, villages, townships, counties, and regional agencies, as well as select private clients, based on skilled and effective public engagement.

SENIOR PLANNER

McKenna's Senior Planners are passionate, talented, and creative professionals who want to make a difference and see their work efforts result in tangible, inspirational outcomes. Our work is purposeful and impacts people by influencing the state of the environment; ultimately, we take pride in helping to improve quality of life in our great Midwestern communities. McKenna's team members enjoy the benefits of our practice, from the diversity of projects in a diverse range of communities, to our fast-paced, creative, and collaborative team culture.

MCKENNA TEAM

McKenna team members inspire those around them by displaying their positive individual approaches to solving difficult problems. Our Senior Planners work with Principal Planners and Firm Leadership in producing creative work products of the highest technical and graphic excellence and are responsible for demonstrating continuous professional development. McKenna Senior Planners are given responsibility as Project Managers for some projects, while acting in a support role for others.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Planner is committed to providing on-time, on-budget planning and design work that is of the highest technical and creative quality. This position supports new and ongoing business in either southeastern Michigan, western Michigan or Columbus, Ohio. Accordingly, ideal candidates will be able to work a hybrid schedule based out one of our offices in Detroit, Northville, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo or Columbus.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Serve on a multitude of projects, helping to deliver creative solutions to our clients throughout the Midwest, primarily local units of government. Projects range from providing ongoing and continuing service in the areas of zoning, form-based coding, master planning, economic development, and placemaking, to special projects in planning, design, economic development, transportation, etc.
• Work on harmonious teams of other planners and designers, mapping specialists, graphic designers, and administrative staff
• Assist Principal Planners and Firm Leaders in preparing for and delivering public presentations and facilitating public meetings, including in front of municipal boards and commissions, concerned and engage stakeholder groups, and professional peer organizations
• Deliver graphically rich work products, regardless of individual graphic skills (i.e., work with team).
• Build relationships with current and future McKenna clients to increase awareness of McKenna
• Support night meetings as needed as it relates to planning, development, and zoning activities within client communities

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Members of McKenna's professional planning and design team are evaluated on specific performance standards, as follows:

1. Ability to effectively collaborate with clients and other McKenna professionals
2. Capability to multi-task and set priorities
3. Work Habits
4. Initiative
5. Billable Rate Achievement
6. Profitability
7. Achievement of key measurable "vital signs":

a. Client Satisfaction

b. Career Development

c. Giving Back

d. Innovation

e. New Work

f. Productivity

g. Project Manager Billings

h. Project Variance

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The successful Senior Planner will possess the following knowledge and skills:

1. A master's degree in urban planning, Urban Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or related field or equivalent experience

2. Five plus years of experience in municipal consulting or compelling and directly relatable experience planning for a municipal government or private-sector organization

3. Experience in public engagement and excellent public speaking skills

4. Advanced knowledge of zoning

5. Ability to multi-task in ever changing, client-focused environment

6. AICP, NCI and/or other complimentary professional certifications a plus

7. Ability to respectfully function as a productive and enthusiastic member of a team, under the direction of McKenna's Leadership Team, Project Directors, and Project Managers

8. Superior communication skills supported by interpersonal connections, speaking, and writing.

9. Proficiency and experience in utilizing Microsoft Office Apps and TEAMS