Senior Planner New Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States

McAdams Co; Winston-Salem (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

McAdams in Winston-Salem, NC seeks a Senior Planner to lead entitlement projects and coordinate across design teams from due diligence to site development. You will manage proposals, budgets, client relationships, and staff development while driving best practices in planning.

The role requires licensure (RLA or AICP) and 5–8 years of planning experience, with strong communication and regulatory knowledge. We value collaboration and client-focused outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Landscape Architecture, City/Community/Regional Planning, Urban Planning.
• RLA or AICP licensure.
• 5–8 years’ experience in planning or design.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and planning standards.
• Organizational and time management skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee entitlement applications and ensure documentation is complete.
• Lead planning projects through review processes and approvals.
• Maintain quality control across planning deliverables.
• Assist Project Manager with scoping, proposals, and tasks.
• Track timelines, budgets, and risk, reporting to stakeholders.
• Draft proposals or contracts aligned with schedules and fees.
• Collaborate with Accounting, Admin, and HR to improve processes.
• Manage client relationships from initial meeting to delivery.
• Engage in business development and identify project leads.
• Develop community engagement plans and summarize outcomes.
• Mentor junior planning staff and support professional growth.

Skills

Communication

Project management

Budgeting

Proposal writing

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Landscape Architecture, City/Community/Regional Planning, Urban Planning

Job description

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States

McAdams is a full‑service land planning, landscape architecture, civil engineering, transportation, and geomatics firm located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Florida. We seek to partner with our clients to create meaningful experiences through inspired design. Our employees are what make McAdams different. We bring experiences to the forefront of everything we do, and to do that takes special people.

Position Overview

The Senior Planner is an experienced, certified planning professional responsible for helping to strengthen and grow the entitlement group. This person will collaborate with clients and internal teams to lead projects through all phases of design, due diligence, planning, entitlement and site development. Responsibilities will include proposal writing, budget management, staff development and managing client relationships. This person and their team will provide valuable entitlement guidance to internal project teams in all market sectors as well as directly to clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the preparation and submission of entitlement applications, including zoning amendments, conditional use permits, and variances, ensuring that all necessary documentation is accurate and complete.
• Successfully manage planning or entitlement projects through the review process; respond to comments, clearly communicate issues and potential solutions to clients, and obtain project / staff / council approval according to the client's schedule.
• Implement and uphold rigorous quality control measures throughout the planning process by reviewing project deliverables for accuracy, consistency, and adherence to regulatory standards.
• Assist Project Manager with or independently lead the project team with the review and input of project design and development review process as applicable to the entitlement process.
• Assist Project Manager with scoping projects and development of tasks on proposals or change orders.
• Track project progress, timelines, and budgets, providing regular updates to project managers and stakeholders, and identifying any potential risks or challenges that may impact project outcomes.
• Draft proposals or contracts in accordance with project entitlement and construction schedules and fees.
• Foster effective partnerships with corporate services including Accounting, Admin Services, and HR among others, to streamline processes, ensure compliance, and enhance operational efficiency.
• Prepare, review and approve project billing with accounting/admin team and collect accounts receivable in accordance with company collection policy.
• Maintain client relationships from initial meeting through final deliverable to ensure client satisfaction, including monitoring of the Firm's interactions throughout project duration.
• Actively participate in business development initiatives by identifying and pursuing potential project leads, while collaborating with the client management team to effectively relay insights and strategic opportunities that align with organizational goals and client needs.
• Develop community engagement plans and supporting materials / graphics, collaborate with staff and community partners, facilitate engagement meetings / events and prepare community engagement summaries.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior planning staff, fostering their professional development and ensuring the application of best practices in planning processes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills + Experience

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited program in Landscape Architecture, City/Community /Regional Planning, Urban Planning, or related field required.
• Must possess RLA or AICP licensure.
• 5 – 8 years’ experience in planning or design required.
• Display advanced oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of regulatory requirements and planning standards.
• Excellent communication, critical thinking, collaboration and problem‑solving skills.
• Self‑starter with strong drive for personal growth and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills to facilitate accurate, efficient, and quality project deliverables.

Work Environment + Physical Demands

• Work will primarily be in an office setting with limited opportunities to be exposed to adverse environmental conditions.
• Work will primarily involve using fingers by picking, pinching, typing, and grasping often with repetitive motion.
• Must have visual acuity for viewing a computer screen, the ability to talk, hear and sit for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to carry, lift and push/pull up to 5 pounds frequently and up to 30 pounds occasionally.
• Additional physical duties may be required as necessary.

Equal Employment Opportunity

McAdams is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard for race, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy, sexual orientation or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran's status, or any other legally protected status.

As set forth in McAdams’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows: a “disabled veteran” is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who, but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability; a “recently separated veteran” means any veteran during the three‑year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service; an “active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran” means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense; an “armed forces service medal veteran” means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

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