Job Opening: Practice Leader for Central/Western NY for Highland Planning

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Founded in 2007, Highland Planning is a planning + design studio known for our commitment to community, innovation, and quality. A certified women-owned business with offices and staff in Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany, NY, we are driven by a passion for social good to implement creative public engagement, planning, and design strategies through collaborative partnerships across the northeastern United States. 

We are seeking a talented Central/Western New York Practice Leader to join and help lead our growing planning and design practice. As the Practice Leader, you will work collaboratively with our clients, which include government and public-sector agencies and our partners, to deliver high-quality planning and design processes. Reporting to and working closely with the Director of Planning + Design, you will oversee the firm's planning + design consulting services in the Central/Western NY region. This role will allow you to leverage your design, planning, communication, project management, and business development skills as a project manager, team mentor, and client partner, embodying our values of honoring people, making it sparkle, and embracing change. 

Join our team and become a part of a studio that is dedicated to making a significant impact through our work. As a Practice Leader, you will not only play a crucial role in our mission to listen, design, and transform Central and Western New York communities and beyond, leaving a lasting positive influence, but you will also have the opportunity to grow and develop your own skills and career. We are committed to supporting our team members in their professional growth, and we believe that your success is our success. 

What You'll Do: 

Urban Design and Planning Projects 

  • Oversee the firm's Planning + Design practice in Central/Western NY. 

  • Manage up to ten (10) projects or approximately $600,000 of contracts.  

  • Oversee and support the successful execution of each project's scope of work in a manner that exceeds clients' expectations. 

  • Set project direction and define the objectives, approaches, and deliverables needed to deliver a high-quality product.  

  • Manage the workload for staff in Western/Central NY, with the support of the Director of Planning + Design. 

  • Mentor and supervise staff. 

  • Seek professional development opportunities for yourself, your staff, and our team. 

  • Set weekly priorities for yourself and your staff and proactively ensure commitments are met. 

  • Provide constructive feedback on work products and mentor junior team members. 

  • Leverage your planning and design skills to develop or oversee the development of: urban and regional planning documents, corridor studies, and other related studies for municipalities; conceptual design alternatives to help clients clearly understand the pros and cons of different approaches and lead to informed decision-making; and, illustrative plans, sections, 3D renderings, infographics, maps, and other graphics to help clients visualize proposed changes. 

  • Design and implement public engagement strategies that meet the needs and objectives of projects and clients. 

  • Develop innovative deliverables that are tailored to the local community and represent the excellence of Highland Planning. 

  • Test, refine, and implement new planning and design processes to keep Highland Planning at the forefront of best practices. 

  • Engage proactively with clients and team members to drive progress and decision-making. 

  • Lead regular meetings with clients, partners, and the public to make sure deliverables are submitted on schedule, are grounded in local community needs and desires, and meet the overall objectives of the project. 

  • Identify and understand client needs and priorities and proactively recommend relevant approaches and deliverables. 

  • Identify and shape follow-on opportunities for yourself and the firm through your exceptional delivery and gaining client trust as a strategic advisor. 

Business Development 

  • In collaboration with the Director Planning + Design, lead the development and implementation of the annual strategic plan for the Planning + Design business line. 

  • Leverage your existing relationships to bring in new work to the firm. 

  • Develop new relationships with clients and consultant partners to expand urban design and planning opportunities for Highland Planning. 

  • Work closely with the Director of Marketing and Business Development to proactively bring in work aligned with Highland Planning's vision and support and grow the Western / Central NY consulting team and practice. This includes leading the development of proposals and representing the firm at project interviews. 

Who You Are: 

Leader of self: 

  • You are curious and a lifelong learner. 

  • You lead by example. 

  • You take pride and ownership in your work and see things through to completion with excellence. 

  • You remove immediate roadblocks and solve strategic challenges, and you know when to ask for help. 

  • You thrive in a fast-paced environment and can successfully re-prioritize tasks as project and team needs change/emerge. 

  • You are a self-starter.  

  • You are disciplined in tracking details.  

  • You possess core project management capabilities. 

  • You anticipate complex problems, understand constraints, provide multiple solutions, and play an active role in decision-making. 

Leader of others: 

  • You treat others with kindness and compassion. 

  • You are an expert in urban Design and urban and regional planning and can advise clients on best practices to meet the needs of their local community. 

  • You are a strategic thinker capable of researching, developing, and implementing new innovative ideas and strategies. 

  • You are an effective communicator – visually, verbally, and in writing. 

  • You take appropriate action and make decisions using logic and available resources to achieve necessary outcomes. 

  • You effectively interact with people at all levels in a variety of situations. 

  • You work collaboratively with other team members and mentor and motivate others to produce their best work and achieve their professional goals. 

Requirements: 

  • Master's degree in landscape architecture, urban design, and/or planning. Other related fields, such as geography and architecture, will also be considered. 

  • 8+ years of professional consulting experience serving municipal clients, with at least five years of project management experience at a consulting firm, including budget and client management. 

  • A passion for public projects, high quality and innovative design, and public engagement. 

  • Demonstrated ability to distill complex topics into deliverables (e.g., infographics, reports, presentations, etc.) that are accessible to the public. 

  • Strong relationship management and interpersonal skills. 

  • Good business acumen and awareness of business, marketing, and technology trends. 

  • Exceptional communication skills, project planning and management skills, and attention to detail. 

  • Positive attitude and strong willingness to learn from mentors and team members. 

  • Desire to mentor staff and other young professionals. 

  • Advanced experience with design and analysis tools, including Adobe Creative Suite, ArcGIS Pro, AutoCAD, and SketchUp. 

  • AICP and/or landscape architecture license is a plus. 

Why You Should Join Us: 

  • We are a company that lives and breathes our values every single day. We are committed to our values, our clients, our communities, and our team. If you share our commitment and passion for making a difference, we want you to be a part of our journey. Our values are: 

  • Honor People. We treat others with respect, kindness, and empathy. We listen to and consider the thoughts and feelings of those around us and strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment.      

  • Make it Sparkle: We infuse passion and care into everything we do. We pay attention to the details and exceed expectations.      

  • Embrace Change. We are flexible in our approach to challenges and obstacles, welcoming new ideas and perspectives. We are always evolving.    

  • You will have the opportunity to deliver high-quality, impactful projects that create lasting, positive change in the communities we serve across the Northeast United States. Our tagline, "Listen. Design. Transform." encapsulates our approach to our work and the impact we aim to create. 

  • We offer health benefits, 401k matching, a staff bonus pool, and unlimited paid time off. We believe in taking care of our employees and providing them with the support they need to thrive personally and professionally. We offer the flexibility to work remotely part of each week as we trust our team and want to create a work environment that promotes work-life balance. 

This position is open to all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. 

Full-Time 

Syracuse, Rochester, or Buffalo, New York  

Salary Range: $105,000-$115,000 / year 

How to Apply 

To apply, send a cover letter, resume, portfolio of work samples, and three references to Liz Podowski King, AICP, PLA at liz@highland-planning.com.