Senior Associate, Urban Planner

Urban Strategies Inc. is seeking a Senior Associate, Urban Planner for their Vancouver office. This role involves managing multidisciplinary teams on various projects, overseeing client relationships, and providing mentorship. The firm operates in a hybrid work environment, allowing for flexibility. Responsibilities include project management, report writing, client communication, and ensuring quality control. The position requires strong leadership and the ability to adapt to a dynamic work environment.
Position Title: Senior Associate, Urban Planner

VANCOUVER

Urban Strategies Inc.® is an urban design, planning and engagement consultancy with studios in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario, and Vancouver, B.C. We lead complex projects in cities all over the world and have an active practice across Canada and in the US, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. We are problem solvers who can help achieve successful outcomes for the full range of urban opportunities. Urban Strategies is a group of 70+ Planners, Urban Designers and specialized staff. The firm is led by our 16 Partners and 6 Principals and supported by a complement of skilled professionals. We have diverse backgrounds, including architecture, landscape architecture, planning, public administration, engagement, geospatial analysis, graphic design and the visual arts. We combine our diverse perspectives to plan and design welcoming, thriving places – and have fun in the process.

Position Description:

Urban Strategies is looking to hire a Senior Associate, Urban Planner based in our Vancouver office. Senior Associate, Urban Planners are responsible for managing a wide range of assignments on projects large and small across all Urban Strategies offices in Vancouver, Toronto and Hamilton. The successful candidate will play an instrumental role and have strong presence in our Vancouver office and B.C. projects and practice. The Senior Associate, Urban Planner will take a leading role in project management as well as employees’ mentorship and training. Urban Strategies currently operates within a hybrid work environment.

Responsibilities:

Practice Area
• Lead and manage multidisciplinary teams to advance complex projects with support from a Partner or Principal.
• Lead the analysis and summarization of reports, presentations, policy documents, zoning-by-laws and background studies and other materials for communication with clients and project stakeholders.
• Oversee proposal and report writing including conceptual design in collaboration with Partner or Principal.
• Serve as a primary client manager and maintain senior client relationships.
• Lead the work of project team members and sub-consultants.
• Lead the development and administration of work plans, schedules and budgets to advance projects.
• Communicate clearly, professionally, and persuasively, both orally and in writing.
• Adapt and respond to a dynamic and fast-paced work environment.
• Provide quality control and troubleshooting of project work.

Project Management
• Lead and oversee meeting presentation and facilitation with clients and at consultation events in conjunction with Project Leads.
• Lead the presentation of concepts at client and public meetings.
• Lead the preparation and management of client contracts and budgets, oversight of budget utilization and project risk management.
• Lead WIP and write-off management, budget revisions, invoice management and finalization.
• Support optimal resource allocation and utilization for project teams.
• Communicate back to Partner and/or Principal any key issues or concerns regarding project processes, budgets and client or subconsultant relations.
• Ensure the full team, including marketing, is updated as to the project status.

Leadership & Mentoring
• Mentor other team members to support professional growth, embed staff in the firm culture and increase our collective professional knowledgebase.
• Lead other team members in the production of proposal and report writing and editing, including conceptual directions, design guidelines and other narratives describing the vision and intent of a project.
• Facilitate internal training sessions (Academy Sessions) as required.

Marketing and Business Development
• Attend and present at conferences as a representative of Urban Strategies Inc., prepare awards submissions and author articles.
• Actively lead the preparation of responses to RFP’s.
• Contribute to Urban Strategies profile through active participation in professional associations and committees.
• Foster client relationship as a trusted representative of the firm.

Engagement and Communications
• Lead and manage community and stakeholder engagement, including building relationships, creating and communicating engagement materials, while applying an equity lens.
• Develop and maintain a guide for communications processes and best practices for specific projects.

Qualifications:

Essential
• 8-10 years of relevant experience.
• Significant knowledge of City of Vancouver and B.C. development planning processes based on direct experience delivering development projects.
• Bachelor’s degree in planning or a related field.
• Experience in leading, mentoring and management of a team.
• Strong Project Management experience and leading of complex projects.
• Experience in applying planning policy and regulations in British Columbia including the Local Government Act, Official Community Plans and zoning by-laws.
• Able to connect, engage and influence.
• Organized and detail-oriented.
• Travel may be required for this position.

Desirable
• Master’s degree in planning or a related field.
• Membership in PIBC and CIP.
• Ontario-based development planning experience.
• Basic skills in Adobe InDesign and Adobe Creative Suite software (i.e. Photoshop, Illustrator).
• Proven knowledge and/or experience working with GIS, data mapping, management and analysis.
• Fluency in French or Mandarin.

Salary Range: $90,000-$120,000

Urban Strategies is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We believe that success happens when new ideas can flourish in an environment that values diversity, a place where people from various backgrounds and experiences can work productively together to produce great results. Our studios are designed for maximum interaction, across all disciplines and levels of seniority. We cultivate an integrated, collegial workplace both in person and working remotely, with numerous staff committees, social events, and professional development programs. These opportunities to celebrate, learn and have fun together are essential to our philosophy as an organization. We strive to build up each other and the profession. We make space for everyone at the firm to grow, lead, teach and have an impact. We share what we learn and expand opportunities for people to participate in planning, design and engagement.

Please visit our website to learn more about our firm.

Note: This position description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required, and the employee may be required to perform other duties (that they are skilled to perform) as requested.

Please note, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please connect with us if you require accommodation in the interview process.