Planning Director

About Our People

Excellent outcomes cannot happen without exceptional innovative people.  We hire talented people, give them the tools to succeed, and get out of the way which results in a trusting and close knit team. 

About Our Goals & Needs

The ACSW goal is to enhance the communities in which our projects are located and create a meaningful sense of place as well as to promote social interaction with and enhance the wellness of our neighbors.

Therefore, we are seeking a passionate, design-oriented professional to be our Planning Director who is a seller-doer to join our planning studio.  Our planning portfolio ranges from neighborhood/town planning and streetscape design to urban and higher education campus planning.  We are seeking the person who will continue to grow the ACSW Planning Studio utilizing the Firm’s portfolio and reputation while introducing their own personal unique approaches and vision to planning. 

The ACSW Planning Director is the top management level position of the ACSW Planning Studio specializing in all matters of planning and will collaborate with the Firm’s Principals on specific projects.  The ACSW Planning Director will work closely with the Firm’s Principal in Charge of Business Development and would ultimately be responsible for the development and implementation of the Firm’s business development strategies for the ACSW Planning Studio. The ACSW Planning Director will direct all operations and initiatives of the ACSW Planning Studio.  The ACSW Planning Director will report to the Firm’s Leadership and Ownership Teams, with a performance expectation which would put them on the track to be on the Firm’s leadership team.

About the Position

• Create new planning services and/or intellectual capital.
• Build relationships with prospective clients and various other stakeholders of both public and private planning projects.
• Represent the Firm at planning industry and professional events.
• Lead interviews for new planning work.
• Represent the Firm on select local/regional organization/planning boards.
• Assume leadership role on planning project(s).
• Assume leadership and ownership on both planning and firm-wide initiatives.
• Participate in the attraction, selection and development of new planning staff.
• Mentor and train planning staff.
• Participate in negotiating client and consultant planning project budgets and contracts.
• Direct planning staff resource scheduling and assignments.
• Provide input on planning project work assignments and staff resource scheduling.
• Develop and implement planning project budgets.
• Maintain contact with planning project key client representatives.
• Collaborate with Firm’s management, marketing and business development staff.
• Establish and oversee planning design and project delivery standards.
• Serve as resource for solving complex planning project client problems.

About You

• Possesses strong knowledge of new urbanism, smart growth, neighborhood development, and higher education campus development.
• Shows diversity in planning experience working with private developers, higher education, and governmental clients.
• Is nimble enough to transition from one type of planning to another quickly.
• Has proven experience that allows you to execute quickly and understand what success looks like for each planning project/client.
• Creates meaningful relationships with our planning clients and builds on those relationships.
• Experience writing codes specific to transect guidelines for neighborhoods and campus guidelines. (Having the ability to write architectural typology codes would be a plus.)
• Is a great communicator and listener. Mediates and resolves complex planning project conflicts.
• Has the ability to think strategically about the future.
• Is able to balance and prioritize multiple planning projects competing for your time.
• Possesses proven management and delegation skills.
• Models effective leadership behaviors for others to emulate.
• Contributes to Firm culture and professional initiatives.
• Effectively delegates while retaining responsibility for planning assignments.

Qualifications

• A master’s degree in planning, urban planning, architecture or landscape architecture.
• Certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP and/or AICP-CUD), Architect or Landscape Architect professional licensure.
• 10 or more years of relevant professional experience.
• Generally, four years of experience in a supervisory capacity.
• Demonstrated leadership in at least one supplemental organization.
• On a path for an applicable second credential.

About Our Culture

At ACSW we believe in helping everyone succeed in everything we do.  This focus of helping first leads to building lifelong relationships both inside and outside of the office.  This true team approach is the source of our strength.  We are looking for people who are confident enough in their abilities to not have to be the center of attention but hungry enough to aggressively pursue an objective and overcome obstacles.  Lastly and most importantly, we want people that thrive in working with others, sharing credit and responsibility, and having a positive impact on everyone they meet.

Compensation

Commensurate with Experience

Location

We would prefer the ACSW Planning Director to (eventually) office in and work out of our Lafayette, Louisiana location. However, we are open to discuss this further on a candidate by candidate basis. In short, the most important thing to us is hiring the right person and fit for the position, regardless.

Application

If you are interested in joining our Firm, please send a cover letter, your resume, and portfolio of your work that demonstrate the ability to meet the above expectations to the attention of our Administrative Assistant Skye Miller.  Please do not mail hard copies or send links to portfolio websites.