If you’re seeking an exciting opportunity to advance the practice of urban planning and higher education services in a way that allows you to consistently provide innovative and sustainable solutions, work side-by-side with a team of the brightest minds in the industry and know that you’re part of a team that strives to make the world a better place, Freese and Nichols is where you should be. Our multidisciplinary group and firm overall support growth of this position with creative urban planners/ designers, expert engineers, skilled GIS analysts, talented transportation planners, architects, landscape architects, and resilience and hazard mitigation experts.
Located within the Urban Planning and Design Group, this senior planning manager position will focus on leading and growing higher education services, campus master planning and similar design-forward planning projects. While based in Texas, the market extends across multiple offices across the Southeast U.S. and beyond.
The ideal candidate is not only passionate about higher education planning and design and design-forward planning, but is also excited to thoughtfully engage the public and stakeholders, incorporate systems-thinking and resilience into a wide variety of other projects reaching across multiple design disciplines. This is a great opportunity to help build a national higher education practice.
Responsibilities/Accountabilities
Work in a collaborative environment as part of a multi-discipline team.Demonstrate ability to produce and QC well-written reports and highly visual documents.Manage personal timeliness and technical correctness of a project to ensure high-quality work that fits within a client’s budget and expectations.Be willing to travel as needed to meet project commitments, including overnight travel and evening client meeting obligations.Direct and facilitate public involvement and consensus-building meetings and workshops.Assist the group manager with related marketing and client development for planning assignments and help support/identify strategic direction to advance practices.Represent the company at conferences, seminars, meetings; make presentations to clients, government officials, and industry representatives.Serve as project manager and technical director on projects, focusing primarily on Campus Master Plans, Small Area/Downtown Plans, and potentially other types of planning pursuits. Plan, schedule, conduct and coordinate detailed phases of planning work.Support other types of plans and projects beyond planning-related plans such as resiliency, policy, facilities/architecture, transportation, and parks/placemaking as needed based on workload.Draft proposals and statements of qualification within the directives of company policy relating to marketing.Supervise technicians and other planners when performing project tasks.Maintain liaisons with individuals inside and outside of the company.Develop relationships with identified key clients. Conduct client-facing interactions to include identifying and pursuing desired projects. QualificationsRequired Skills and Qualifications
10+ years of higher education planning-related work experienceAmerican Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification or licensure in architecture or landscape architecture.Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or a related field to planning.Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Creative Suite. Knowledge in GIS and engagement tools.Experience in cross-sector planning (community and economic development, resilience, etc.), project management of multiple and complex projects, facilitation and engagement, project and scope development, GIS and other skills necessary to be successful in a government-client focused, high-paced firm.Client relationships in the higher education market.Preferred Skills and Qualifications
Involvement in professional organizations such as the American Planning Association (APA), Urban Land Institute (ULI), and other similar client-rich organizations.Background with local government or consultant serving municipalities/ counties.At Freese and Nichols, everyone on our team gets to make a meaningful difference in our communities. For 130 years, we have been planning and designing the infrastructure our society needs: developing water supplies, designing roadways and bridges, preparing for natural disasters, and much more. We’ve built our business on long-term relationships with clients and employees alike, resulting in financial stability, career opportunities, and a nationally recognized workplace culture.
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, paid time off, 401(k) matching, paid overtime for salaried employees, tuition reimbursement, and much more. Our unique culture creates an environment for professional growth where we focus on caring for our clients, coworkers, and the communities where we work. Join our team of 1,000 employees as we continue to expand our services throughout the United States. Learn more about working here at freese.com/careers.
Freese and Nichols is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because he or she is an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.
We recognize that our workforce reflects the increasingly diverse nature of our society, and we strive to take advantage of that diversity with both our external and internal customers. As a Federal Contractor, Freese and Nichols is an equal employment, affirmative action employer.