Senior Technical Director, Land Use Planner

This Opportunity

As a world-wide leader of environmental and transportation planning and consulting services, we invite you to be a part of our vision. Our Planning group in Seattle, Washington, is looking for a Senior Technical Director, Land Use Planner to support our large program delivery and add to our wide and diverse range of land use planning services that enables future-ready growth. The Senior Technical Director, Land Use Planner will coordinate and work with a multidisciplinary team and provide strategic and technical input (including code consistency, permit application content, and quality control reviews) relating to land use permitting materials completeness, technical accuracy, and consistency for a program of complex infrastructure improvements. 
 

In addition, the Senior Technical Director, Land Use Planner will support a variety of professional planning services such as long-range planning and policy development, Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessments and documentation, and development review or entitlement planning for public and private clients. Experience with meeting facilitation, board and commission presentations, and community outreach is desired. This position requires the ability to lead tasks with limited oversight and supervise the work of other staff and subconsultants. The ideal candidate will consider and incorporate into their work long-term risks and future ready solutions. They will provide task and project leadership, ensuring that responsibilities are delivered and adhered to with a level of quality that meets or exceeds acceptable client and industry standards. They will develop and foster client relationships and identify and pursue new projects.
 

It is widely stated—and supported by studies—that candidates, especially women, are less likely to apply for a job unless they believe they meet 100% of the hiring criteria. WSP's talent acquisition goals include hiring the candidate who is best able to meet the performance objectives of the role. We therefore encourage persons with non-traditional skill sets and experiences to apply, even if you believe you do not meet 100% of the qualifications and hiring criteria described. 
 

Your Impact

• Serve as land use permit lead for complex infrastructure programs, planning project manager, deputy project manager, and major task lead. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to provide future ready solutions for clients.
• Develop and oversee development of land use-related permits and planning documents, including City of Seattle Master Use Permits (MUP).
• Coordinate permit applications and planning documents for other types of permits including building and demolition permits, grading permits, City of Seattle Street Use permits, City of Seattle Revocable Use Permits, and others.
• Coordinate with clients, resource/regulatory agencies, subcontractors, and technical staff in a confident and professional manner.
• Plan, organize, and execute a broad range of permitting and planning projects, including project budgets, tracking hours and expenses, and task completion.
• Lead a variety of planning projects including comprehensive plan updates, code amendments, shoreline master program updates, on-call planning for local agencies, and entitlement planning for private clients. 
• Lead land use analysis tasks related to environmental planning, including NEPA and SEPA documentation.
• Manage client relationships and lead business development activities, including proposal writing.
• Mentor staff and review the work of staff.
• Manage time and effort effectively on multiple projects.
   

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Environmental Planning, Geography, Biology, or Civil Engineering or a related field.
• 15+ years of experience in the planning field.
• Experienced project manager, deputy project manager, and major task lead.
• Extensive knowledge of relevant land use laws and permitting requirements, environmental laws and permitting requirements, notification and compliance practices, and applicable Regional/State/Federal regulatory framework.
• Demonstrated technical competence leading permitting and planning projects within business sector (e.g. commercial, infrastructure, transportation, energy, etc.)
• Advanced expertise with consulting practices, conducting land use analysis and preparation of associated documentation.
• Experienced working on planning projects, including long-range plans, policy development, and entitlement.
• Ability to work independently and provide guidance, mentorship, and leadership to team or project members (including subconsult