Staff Planner - Ardurra Group, Inc.

Ardurra is seeking an Staff Planner to join our team in Spokane, WA!

Primary Function
The Staff Planner plays a critical role in planning, scheduling, conducting, and coordinating detailed phases of planning work for large and significant projects, including transportation-related initiatives. This position involves developing comprehensive plans for land use, transportation systems, and physical facilities within cities, counties, and metropolitan areas, utilizing a deep and diverse knowledge of planning principles and practices. The work requires conventional planning expertise while managing complexities such as conflicting transportation and planning requirements, intricate coordination with various stakeholders, and alignment with broader community development goals.

Primary Duties

• Coordinates the gathering, compiling, and analysis of data on economic, social, and physical factors affecting land use.
• Acts as lead worker for teams performing complex planning projects or special assignments, including continuous improvement process teams.
• Provides technical direction for the development and execution of planning research.
• Conducts needs assessments to determine project requirements.
• Develops statistical or baseline performance measures for small projects or segments of larger projects.
• Conducts complex, special analyses in support of planning projects and recommendations.
• As part of a project team, develops planning studies, including feasibility studies, and coordinates Reuse and Redevelopment Master Plans and assessments.
• Confers with local authorities, civic leaders, social scientists, and land planning and development specialists to devise and recommend arrangements of land and physical facilities for residential, commercial, transportation, industrial, and community uses.
• Stays current with industry changes, requirements, policies, procedures, and legislation to provide informed recommendations and practices.
• Makes recommendations on governmental measures affecting land use, public utilities, community facilities, housing, and transportation to guide and control community development and renewal.
• Prepares, coordinates, and facilitates public involvement, including consensus-building meetings, workshops, and charrettes for community engagement.
• Prepares assigned sections of environmental impact reports, ensuring all environmental, legal, and planning aspects are properly addressed.
• Research economic, demographic, fiscal, legal, and technical variables to evaluate project impacts.
• Develops and maintains demographic and planning databases to support project analysis and recommendations.
• Assists with budget preparation and planning strategies for proposals and contracts, ensuring financial soundness and compliance.
• Coordinates the work of Technicians and lower-level Planners, providing mentorship, direction, and ensuring alignment with project goals.

Education and Experience Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in Urban & Regional Planning, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geography, or a related discipline is required.
• 4-7 years of relevant experience in urban planning or design (or equivalent working knowledge/experience) is expected.
• A Master's degree in Planning, Urban Design is strongly preferred.
• Certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) within one year.

Technical & Soft Skills

• Ability to develop strong visuals using various planning and design software such as AutoCAD, ArcGIS, Adobe Creative Suite, and SketchUp.
• Ability to conduct in-depth research and present data effectively for planning proposals and public consumption.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to prepare reports, present at public workshops, and interact with stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead project teams and manage project timelines, budgets, and deliverables.
• Experience in community outreach and public involvement to build consensus on planning projects.
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity in developing planning solutions.
• Ability to manage complex projects with a focus on collaboration, coordination, and attention to detail.

Salary Range

$70,000 to $90,000 (DOE)

Why Ardurra?

While Ardurra offers competitive compensation and rich benefits programs, it is our culture that truly sets us apart from our peers. We nurture a family-like culture, striving to create a work environment that is enjoyable, challenging and rewarding but also fun. We are acutely focused on developing our staff, whether through our internal Ardurra Academy or through our industry-leading Leadership program. We have made a deliberate and focused commitment to nurture a people-centric culture where people are: valued as individuals; supported in their professional and career development with multiple, varied career paths; provided the tools and resources to be successful, engaged, and satisfied in their work; and positive benefits, time-off programs, and flexibility to help maintain a healthy balance between work and home.
Ardurra is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.

NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:

Ardurra does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Agency Agreement, Ardurra will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee. If a resume or candidate is submitted to any hiring manager without a previously signed agreement, Ardurra reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. These candidates will be considered property of Ardurra. We’re not currently looking to add any more agencies to our list of approved vendors, so please do not contact any of our managers or recruitment team with sales calls or details of your candidates.

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Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c) Planning