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Associate or Senior Planner with Community Engagement Focus
PlaceWorks / Los Angeles or Santa Ana
Posted on: November 10, 2021
Application Deadline: Open until Filled
Job Description
PlaceWorks has an immediate need for a full-time, Associate or Senior Planner to join our Planning team. The candidate selected for this position would ideally be based in our Santa Ana or Los Angeles office locations. We are looking for an individual with at least 5 years of professional experience related to planning (including through an internship or fellowship) and who is creative, outgoing, self-starting, and passionate about public engagement and helping shape and improve communities through their work. We work in a wide array of communities throughout California, and we encourage diverse candidates from non-traditional backgrounds (e.g., community engagement, public relations) to apply.
Working in a collaborative and casual work environment under the guidance of PlaceWorks’ outreach practice area leader, this planner would be expected to work jointly on planning projects but would have a primary focus on helping to develop and execute several outreach initiatives companywide and serve as outreach support to all practice areas and office locations. Typical projects of our planning practice include general and specific plans, master plans, zoning, housing policy, urban revitalization/infill, and local/regional transportation plans, as well as community engagement.
This planner would likely be involved in the following:
- Preparing Public Participation Plans
- Facilitating community workshops at various scales (small and large group)
- Working with or coordinating with CBO’s
- Setting up/facilitating digital and in person meetings sometimes in multiple languages (with translation)
- Becoming a member of, actively participating in, and obtaining a Certificate in Foundations Course with the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2 USA). (All of these would be funded by PlaceWorks.)
You’re most likely a fit if:
- You love planning for the future of communities and making a difference with your work.
- You can work both independently and in a highly collaborative environment, including a virtual, work from home environment when needed.
- You have strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills and aren’t afraid to ask questions.
- You are familiar with IAP2 USA’s Spectrum of Participation and tools that are associated with each level of engagement.
- Supporting authentic engagement with diverse communities excites you, and you’re willing to jump in to help with high profile and often sensitive outreach efforts. You may be asked to coordinate events or meetings, prepare and assemble materials/supplies, and talk to community members both virtually and in person.
- You can support and be part of virtual engagement events through platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and similar.
- You are familiar with or have a desire to learn more about online engagement tools such as Social Pinpoint, Mentimeter, and other online tools that help to support our in-person outreach efforts.
- You’re able to attend and travel to client meetings and community workshops which may occur on weekday nights and weekends .
- You have professional acumen to cultivate working relationships with clients, community-based organizations, and other firms.
- You can manage your time to produce final project documents and products by stated deadlines and can work effectively on multiple projects at once.
- You’re interested in assisting with marketing, business development, and proposal efforts for planning and outreach work.
- You have experience working with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint).
- Not required, but a huge plus! — You are fluent in Spanish and can translate at community workshops/public meetings as well as for documents.
Required Experience / Skills / Education
See job description above.
Application Instructions
To be considered for this opportunity, submit your cover letter, resume, and writing samples and/or design portfolio as a single PDF (no greater than 10MB) with the email subject line, “Planner – Community Engagement Focus” to careers@placeworks.com. In your email or cover letter, please specify which office location you are interested in.
