Director, Community Planning & Econ. Dev.

wsb•St. Louis Park, MN

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director provides strategic and operational leadership for an assigned Group or service area, overseeing multiple levels of staff and ensuring strong performance, collaboration, and delivery excellence. This role translates organizational growth strategies into actionable plans, manages financial and operational outcomes, and ensures the team is resourced and aligned for success. The Director leads complex projects and key client relationships while tasked with short-, mid-, and long-range planning to support group workforce needs, project delivery, and business development priorities. WSB was founded on the understanding that culture drives results, and we've dedicated ourselves to the value of strong relationships, collaboration, and forward-thinking ideas. We've inspired each other to discover thoughtful and creative solutions that look beyond the needs of today to the opportunities of tomorrow. We invite you to forge ahead with us.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Community Planning, or a closely related field required.
10-15 years of progressively responsible professional planning experience in local government, regional planning agencies, or private planning/engineering consulting.
5+ years of people leadership experience.
AICP certification or ability to obtain certification within one year.
Possession of a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record and the ability to operate a motor vehicle is required.
Microsoft Suite Products (e.g. Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive, etc).

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning or similar field preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead multiple leadership levels, including mid-level leaders, first-level leaders, and/or individual contributors within assigned operational group.
Lead the scaling of regional, functional, and/or client operations.
Translate overall growth strategy into specific team goals and annual operational plans.
Secure needed resources and budget for the team.
Manage high-level policies and builds a collaborative culture.
Oversee financial performance of assigned area and responsible for revenue targets.
Coach, develop, and mentor staff.
Manage staff performance, sets individual performance goals, conducts performance reviews, and oversees performance improvement plans.
Responsible for workforce planning, hiring and compensation administration of staff in assigned group.
Lead complex and multidisciplinary planning initiatives, including comprehensive plans, small‑area and corridor studies, zoning code updates, policy development, and special projects.
Oversee advanced research and analysis in areas such as land use, demographics, transportation, housing, economic development, and environmental conditions.
Review and evaluate complex land use, zoning, and development proposals for consistency with ordinances, design standards, and long‑range community goals.
Prepare, oversee, and deliver high‑level reports, policy memos, planning analyses, and presentations to Planning Commissions, City Councils, boards, and community groups.
Design, supervise, and participate in inclusive public engagement processes, ensuring equitable awareness and involvement from diverse community populations.
Lead and facilitate public meetings, workshops, open houses, charrettes, and stakeholder engagement activities; ensure production of high‑quality engagement materials.
Interpret and synthesize community feedback into actionable planning recommendations and strategic implementation pathways.
Professionally represent WSB and CPED group at professional conferences, seminars, or workshops, highlighting firm services and projects
May serve as Project Principal, managing other Project Managers, Master Service Agreements (MSA), and overseeing program delivery. May serve as Project Manager on several projects simultaneously.
Oversee multiple projects, applying technical expertise as needed.
Uses AI and digital tools to elevate the quality and speed of projects, double-checking its outputs, and making sure information presented meets technical and ethical standards.
Expected to achieve a personal and team target utilization rate for each project (typically 70% for Directors).
Collaborate with staff from multiple offices and across regions, to deliver projects and programs.
Set standards for delivery excellence across a department or region.
Leads complex, multidisciplinary projects aligned to strategic goals.
Own and lead client relationships and key accounts, ensuring strong partnerships, retention, and growth.
Develop and execute account strategies to expand services and strengthen client engagement.
Identify and drive cross-selling opportunities through internal collaboration.
Leads or supports pursuit strategies to win new work and new clients.
Proactively manages client risk across projects and teams to ensure consistent delivery and experience.
Uses AI and digital tools to elevate the quality and speed of our client insights, ensuring clients feel confident that technology enhances expertise but doesn’t replace it.
Use Salesforce to identify market trends and collaboration opportunities.