Project Manager II - Planning

About the role

Project Manager II – Planning - Buffalo, NY Buffalo, NY presents a strong setting for planning and community design work, with projects tied to neighborhood revitalization, downtown and waterfront development, land use, transportation, economic development, and community investment. As a Project Manager II, you will help clients turn complex community priorities into practical strategies and implementable projects. With our client, you will lead multidisciplinary planning and placemaking assignments for public- and private-sector clients. You will guide projects from pursuit through completion, coordinate technical teams, manage client relationships, and bring together planning, transportation, landscape architecture, engineering, environmental, and other disciplines as project needs require. You will have the opportunity to influence projects at both the strategic and implementation levels. From facilitating community conversations to developing scopes and pursuing new work, you will help clients make informed decisions while building strong teams, developing staff, and expanding our client's planning and community design practice. What You'll Do - Lead planning, placemaking, and community design projects from proposal and contracting through completion. - Develop and manage project scopes, schedules, budgets, work plans, contracts, deliverables, and project resources. - Serve as the primary project contact and day-to-day advisor for assigned clients while managing expectations, risks, changes, subconsultants, and project quality. - Lead comprehensive plans, downtown plans, corridor studies, waterfront revitalization plans, neighborhood plans, land-use studies, zoning initiatives, and community development strategies. - Develop land-use, zoning, urban design, placemaking, transportation, economic development, and community development recommendations and implementation frameworks. - Lead client, stakeholder, and public engagement activities, including meetings, workshops, presentations, and facilitation with elected officials, agencies, community organizations, property owners, developers, and other stakeholders. - Develop client relationships, pursue new opportunities, lead or support RFQs, RFPs, proposals, interviews, and presentations, and mentor planners and project managers. What We're Looking For - Bachelor's degree in urban planning, Community Planning, Regional Planning, Urban Design, or a related field. - 8-12 years of progressively responsible experience in planning, urban design, placemaking, community development, or a related field. - Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary projects, including scope, schedule, budget, and client relationships. - Demonstrated experience working directly with municipal clients, public agencies, community stakeholders, and/or private-sector clients. - Strong understanding of land use, zoning, development regulations, community planning, and public-sector processes. - Experience with public engagement, facilitation, and presentation to diverse audiences. - Experience preparing proposals, scopes of work, schedules, and project fees. - AICP certification. - Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, ArcGIS, Microsoft Office, and other planning and presentation software. - Excellent written, verbal, presentation, facilitation, and interpersonal skills. - Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, deadlines, and competing client needs. Preferred Qualifications - Master's degree in planning, Urban Design, or a related field. - Experience with SketchUp, visualization, or other design/presentation tools. Know someone? Share with a friend!