Senior Planner / Urban Designer

Description

Under general direction, the Senior Planner leads planning workstreams on complex projects, translating client goals into clear strategies, concepts, and deliverables. This role provides design leadership from analysis through documentation, coordinates closely with multi-disciplinary teams, and ensures planning outputs are accurate, compelling, and aligned with scope, schedule, and budget. The Senior Planner leads key client meetings, guides consultant coordination, and mentors junior staff in planning methods and quality standards. They contribute to proposals and interviews, support business development with Principals, and model a service-focused approach that strengthens long-term client relationships. They champion design excellence and professional growth within the firm.

Requirements

Responsibilities:

• Provide design leadership by originating innovative, high-level planning/design solutions and coordinating across the larger project team through development and presentation.
• Lead internal coordination efforts and help reinforce the studio culture of design excellence across functions and departments.
• Lead client meetings and support project-level client management with demonstrated ability to satisfy clients.
• Lead coordination with consultants on planning projects and integrate consultant inputs into cohesive deliverables.
• Mentor planning staff to support development and growth, including coaching on planning processes, methods, and quality standards.
• Maintain familiarity with project finances; help balance scope, project tasks, and fee, including assisting with staffing decisions as needed.
• Work effectively across multiple projects simultaneously, including large and complex efforts with diverse project types.
• Contribute to proposal development to win new work; participate in interviews as required and support internal business development efforts.
• Actively participate in at least one firmwide initiative and engage in relevant external professional organizations/industry activities.

Requirements:

• Approximately 5-7 years of experience recommended; graduate in a related field or equivalent experience.
• Studio-wide influence and demonstrated ability to collaborate across functions and departments.
• Excellent organization/time management skills and ability to lead workstreams with minimal oversight.
• Excellent verbal, written, and graphic communication skills; ability to produce and review client-ready deliverables.
• Proven capability leading planning core competencies (e.g., space planning/programming and/or campus/urban planning) and synthesizing analysis into recommendations.
• Service-focused mindset dedicated to meeting client requirements, expectations, and budget.
• Software: Excel and InDesign (expert); Adobe Suite (proficient–expert); GIS/AutoCAD and other tools as recommended.

Pay/Benefits

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life, short- and long-term disability, paid PTO and holidays, as well as 401(k) matching, profit sharing and annual performance bonus opportunities.

Steinberg Hart is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability, genetics, or arrest/conviction records.