Senior Project Manager - Community Planning

Alta Planning + Design; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Benefits

Dental & Vision

Life Insurance

401(k) Match

PTO 21 days

Holidays 11

Parental Leave

Wellness Reimbursement

Travel Award

Professional Development

Job summary

Alta Planning + Design in Los Angeles is seeking a Senior Project Manager for the Community Planning team. You will lead multiple concurrent general plans, specific plans, and housing elements, coordinating with subconsultants and engaging diverse communities to advance equity and resilience.

This role emphasizes client relationship management, new project development, and managing scopes, schedules, and budgets across multi-year planning efforts in a hybrid work environment in Los Angeles.

Qualifications

• This position requires 10+ years of experience in urban planning in the public or private sector, including managing general plans, specific plans, housing elements, and related documents.
• Experience developing community engagement plans and leading public outreach in diverse communities.
• Commitment to sustainability, health, and equity in planning and design.
• Experience with proposals and advanced marketing to win new projects and cultivate client relationships.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, flexible consulting environment.

Responsibilities

• Managing large community planning efforts, such as general plans and housing elements, and updating related planning documents.
• Developing scopes of work, schedules, and budgets for multi-year planning processes.
• Nurturing client relationships and overseeing communication and management.
• Leading teams of subconsultants and technical experts.
• Leading inclusive public engagement efforts.
• Preparing proposals and supporting advanced marketing.

Skills

Urban planning

Public engagement

Client relationship management

Business development

Job description

Compensation: $120,000 - $140,000 / year

Department: Community Planning

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Compensation: $120,000 - $140,000 / year

Description

Alta is seeking a Senior Project Manager to join our Community Planning team in Los Angeles. In this role, you will lead multiple concurrent general plans, specific plans, housing elements, and related planning projects as part of our expanding planning and urban design practice

About Alta

Alta Planning + Design is a climate-friendly community planning and design firm that prioritizes people, advances equity, and creates a safer, more resilient future. Alta acquired Raimi+Associates in 2026. As an Alta company, the R+A team offers expanded services to plan futures, shape places, and design movement. We are dedicated to creating active, healthy communities through planning, landscape architecture, engineering, and education/encouragement programs.

Since its founding in 2006, R+A has served dozens of communities in California and across the nation as trusted advisors, skilled practitioners, imaginative problem solvers, and effective communicators. The R+A team now comprises Alta’s Community Planning business line, specializing in helping communities achieve their long-term visions by listening to and learning from ordinary people, partnering closely with our clients, and relying on our keen eye for place.

Alta’s core values and work bring about positive change by creating places geared toward moving people rather than cars, connecting community, and empowering every person to live an active healthy life. As a national leader in creating healthy communities for 30 years, we are dedicated to connecting people to places by working across disciplines and scale to address social justice, safety, sustainability, and environmental resilience.

Day to Day

• Managing large community planning efforts, such as general plans, specific plans, housing elements, and other related planning documents updates.
• Developing project scopes of work, schedules, and budgets, and managing these effectively over the course of multi-year planning processes.
• Nurturing client relationships, overseeing client communication and management.
• Managing teams of subconsultants and technical experts.
• Leading inclusive public engagement efforts.
• Preparing proposals and supporting advanced marketing.

Qualifications

Required

This position requires a combination of skills, experience and education including, but not limited to

• 10+ years of experience in urban planning in the public or private sector including demonstrated experience managing general plan, specific plan, housing element, and/or other planning documents.
• Experience preparing community engagement plans and leading successful public outreach and participation programs, especially in diverse communities.
• Commitment to incorporating sustainability, health, and equity into planning and design.
• Experience with business development including proposal writing and advanced marketing for new projects. Ability to cultivate lasting relationships with clients.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and flexible environment, while remaining organized and focused within the demands of consulting.

What We Offer

Flexible Schedule

Alta offers a flexible, hybrid work schedule where most employees work from home three days per week. In-office days support our collaborative culture, one of our core values.

Compensation

The pay range for this job in Los Angelesis $120,000-$140,000 annually. Placement within the range is based upon experience, skill-sets, and qualifications.

Benefits

Alta offers comprehensive benefits to all full-time employees:

• Medical: PPO or HSA medical plans, Alta pays 75% of the cost
• Dental/Vision: PPO, Alta pays 90% of the cost
• Life Insurance: Alta pays 100% of the premium for life and AD&D, equal to your base compensation
• 401(k): Alta provides a match up to 3%
• PTO: 21 days accrued annually to start
• Holidays: 11 total company paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave/Short-Term Disability
• Additional Benefits: Wellness reimbursement up to $800 annually, Alta Gets Around benefit of up to $900 annually, 5-year travel award, and professional development opportunities