Senior Planner - Lacey

We are seeking an energetic and skilled senior-level planning professional to provide municipal and environmental planning, permitting, and project management expertise as we develop and execute a wide variety of projects out of our Lacey offices. Our planning work is varied, and we frequently delve into unfamiliar terrain with new opportunities and challenges. Most of our work is tailored to the individual needs of our clients and their communities; it often entails inquiry and exploration to identify optimal strategies, recommendations, and outcomes.

Who we are

Our mission is to serve our clients, communities, and each other with creativity, knowledge, insight, and perspective. As a 100% employee-owned company, at SCJ we value trust, compassion, freedom, stewardship, and integrity. We routinely and easily cross job description lines in order to be part of getting something done. Our fast-paced, fun, and flexible atmosphere offers the opportunity for meaningful work that challenges you, makes a difference, and improves communities. We specialize in civil engineering, transportation planning & design, environmental & urban planning, landscape architecture & design, and public outreach. With great projects and a fun-loving team, our firm has been named as both one of the nation’s fastest-growing and best places to work multiple times.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate independence and initiative and be able to work with our diverse clientele. They will be able to cultivate new relationships while sustaining and strengthening existing relationships.  Problem solving and consensus-building come naturally to them, along with an appreciation for pragmatic solutions even while stretching to reach aspirational goals. 

What our planning projects may include

• Current planning support for small town clients
• Town center planning and redevelopment
• Comprehensive Plan updates
• Housing Action Plans
• Land use planning and permitting
• Parks and Trails planning
• Environmental analysis
• Private development proposals

What you’ll be doing

• Valuing relationships both within and outside of SCJ. You will build professional relationships with clients, agencies, colleagues, and the public, communicate opportunities by sharing potential new business or resource information and competitive situations, create and deliver engaging, informative, and well-organized presentations, and resolve issues or request assistance in achieving resolution in a timely manner.
• Leading project work. You will lead the planning and permitting work for a variety of land use, permitting, environmental, and transportation planning projects, assume responsibility for special tasks or projects and tasks, prioritize multiple projects and deadlines and communicate regularly with principals and clients, manage day-to-day aspects of project and scope, supervise team members on project work, troubleshoot non-routine problems, monitor financial status of projects and contracts, and develop strategies to address client budgets and needs.
  
• Providing on-call planning support for municipal clients.
• Developing and implementing stakeholder outreach plans and processes. To support planning efforts, facilitation of regular stakeholder meetings, design and execution of public events, and briefings with decision-makers may be necessary. These may entail the development of presentations, newsletters, and content for social media, websites, press releases, and other forms of engagement.
• Research, analysis, and writing. We’re looking for someone who can develop policies and recommendations, write project reports and plans in collaboration with other team members as well as independently, complete comprehensive project and/or process documentation, design and/or conduct data collection, analysis, and documentation, write grants, and facilitate project evolution and transition from planning to engineering to design.
• Leading business development. You will look for new work opportunities with existing clients, suggesting relevant ideas or listening for upcoming projects or by identifying add-on opportunities for existing projects, establish new clients and, where practical, work to form an on-going relationship, seek opportunities to increase client satisfaction and deepen client relationships, including building a knowledge base of each client’s business, organization, and objectives, participate in the development of proposals for new projects, and participate in interviews and presentations.
• Growing as a professional. Your planning work will be varied, and you’ll frequently delve into unfamiliar terrain with new opportunities and challenges. Most of our work is tailored to the individual needs of our clients and their communities; it often entails inquiry and exploration to identify optimal strategies, recommendations, and outcomes.
• Site visits and observations. We want you to get out of the office on occasion to walk and photograph the sites you’re working on.
• Support. SCJ’s planning team has completed a wide array of successful projects. As you work alongside your SCJ planning colleagues, you’ll have support from some of the best in the business!

What you bring

• A passion for serving others, communication, creativity, and a commitment to high-quality work.
• A Bachelor’s degree in planning or related field or equivalent.
• Experience and proficiency in planning and permitting work on behalf of private and public clients.
• Experience presenting to elected officials and facilitating public meetings.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Generally, at least 10 or more years of progressively more responsible planning experience. 
  

What we bring 

• An unbeatable culture: An autonomous and collaborative work environment, exceptional operational support, creative and supportive co-workers, and a compassionate leadership team. Plus other fun stuff including firmwide parties, mugshots, gold-medal virtual baking classes, fitness challenges, fantasy football league, trivia nights…and a variety of other creative ways we have found to come together and hang out. 
• Quality projects: We pursue work that improves communities, challenges us, and makes a difference.
• Community involvement opportunities and a charitable matching program. 
• Paid time off: vacation/sick time, holidays, personal floating holiday 
• Retirement benefits: 401(k) plan & employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).
• Health, disability, and other insurance plan options to fit your needs. Including HSA & FSA.

This is not a remote position. Though there is some flexibility, in-person office time will be necessary.