work with us!

Organization: Nexus Planning Services, https://www.nexusplanningservices.com/

Location: 25 W. Main Ave. Spokane, WA 99201

Salary: Competitive. Depending on Experience (DOE)  

Reports to: Principal of Nexus Planning Services 

Send Resume/CV, Cover Letter, and writing sample (see below) to: info@nexusplanningservices.com

Here is your opportunity to join a growing community planning and consulting services firm! 

Nexus Planning Services is seeking to employ a versatile, hard-working, responsible, and passionate community planning professional to help successfully manage an ever-increasing portfolio of projects. The ideal candidate will have experience working on a diverse variety of planning tasks and the ability to adapt to a range of client and project needs.

The Planner’s day-to-day responsibilities include managing multiple projects and project development tasks in both current and long-range planning. The Planner performs a variety of independent and multi-disciplinary team activities. Doing so, the Planner must be able to provide leadership and organization, balancing and prioritizing multiple projects and deadlines.

Work associated with current planning. Providing planning support for small-to-medium sized community clients, including land use administration, permit reviews, meeting facilitation, code enforcement, developing ordinances, code amendments and updates, reporting to planning commissions and city councils. Tasks may also include performing technical and/or environmental review on behalf of clients, preparing application materials, and conducting feasibility analysis of code requirements.

Work associated with comprehensive planning. Developing long-range planning products including comprehensive plan updates, supporting community engagement, climate planning associated with WA House Bill 1181, sub-area planning, master plans, transportation, parks, recreational, and open space plans, housing action plans, economic development, capital facilities plan updates, and others.

The ideal candidate will be located in the Pacific / Inland Northwest (WA, ID, OR). Preference for candidates located in the Spokane area. 

Frequent in-person team and client meetings are required. Some infrequent overnight and multiple day travel may be necessary. 

• A passion for serving others and a commitment to high-quality work. 

• A Bachelor’s degree in planning or related field or equivalent experience.

• 0.5 - 2 years professional experience in a planning related field.

• Proven ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Ability to lead projects and team members, providing positive and productive communication, creativity, and adding value to a collaborative process. 

• Experience working with local governments in the NW (WA, ID, OR).

• Experience with city and county comprehensive plans, zoning codes, development standards, and their relationship to development administration and design. 

• Experience reviewing land-use and building permits for compliance with city, county, state or other rules and regulations. 

• Experience with federal, state, and tribal laws and legislation related to planning  

• Excellent policy analysis, research, writing and communication skills. Report preparation. 

• Experience and comfort in presenting findings internally and to clients (written and oral).

• Data analysis and use of GIS-generated mapping, geographic layers analysis, analytical charts and tables, info graphics, and other types of graphic support to a variety of projects.

• Valid driver’s license.

• Specific planning skillsets including Climate Planning, Master Planning, Transportation / Transit Planning, Urban Design, etc. 

• Graphic design, layouts, and report formatting. Advanced use of Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign and Illustrator in particular). 

• Familiarity with other software including ArcGIS, Sketchup, business intelligence, or others. 

• Experience in organizing, preparing and presenting visually rich planning documents and presentations.

• Willing to contribute and pitch in, wherever there is a need, without being specifically asked to do so.

• AICP Certification. 

Nexus Planning Services was born in 2020 out of a passion to support communities, agencies and organizations with technical expertise and a greater sensitivity to local needs and local aspirations. We believe in the pride of place, and genuinely love the communities where we work. We believe that advancing the community attributes unique to every place is what planning is all about. In doing this, we partner with local staff, stakeholders, and community leadership to supplement their urban and regional planning efforts, adding value, efficiency and capacity to serve their constituents.

We believe that relationships are built on mutual trust, dignity, and respect, and strive to exemplify these traits to one another and to our clients. We are looking to grow our small team to build greater capacity for the clients we serve. See www.nexusplanningservices.com for more info.

To apply:

• Please email your resume and cover letter, clearly stating your professional objectives and interest in our firm, to info@nexusplanningservices.com. 

• Include in your letter any experience managing planning related projects and the management tools you’ve utilized successfully.

• Provide an approximately 100-word written response to the following: How does climate change affect historically marginalized groups, and how can land use planning mitigate adverse impacts?

If you have additional skills, experience, or qualifications beyond those listed above, please tell us about them.