Senior Community Planner

Bolton & Menk•Milwaukee, WI

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Bolton & Menk is seeking a Senior Planner to join its Urban & Community Planning team, based out of the Milwaukee office. The Senior Planner leads complex planning projects from concept through implementation, serves as a trusted advisor to clients, and helps mentor planning professionals. The position offers leadership opportunities, varied consulting work, and multidisciplinary collaboration in support of the company’s mission to help all people live in safe, sustainable, and beautiful communities. The role includes leading planning initiatives such as land use and comprehensive planning, development review, entitlement support, policy development, and community engagement. The Senior Planner analyzes complex planning issues, evaluates trends and regulations, and develops strategic recommendations for clients. They work with communities, developers, public officials, stakeholders, and multidisciplinary project teams, and contribute to practice development through staff mentoring, technical review, business development, and proposal support. Travel to project sites and client meetings is required as needed. Bolton & Menk is an employee-owned consulting firm specializing in community infrastructure solutions. The company describes its culture as collaborative and supportive, with opportunities for professional growth and employee contributions to the firm's success.

Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university.
Approximately 8–10+ years of progressive planning experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience leading planning projects, client relationships, and stakeholder engagement efforts.
Strong knowledge of land use planning, community development, zoning, entitlement processes, and planning best practices.
Experience preparing planning studies, technical reports, development reviews, and public-facing documents.
Strong communication, facilitation, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
Valid driver's license and willingness to travel to project sites and client meetings as needed.
Must be currently authorized to work in the United States for any employer without restriction; the company does not provide visa sponsorship or immigration support.

Nice To Haves

AICP certification is strongly preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage planning projects from concept through implementation.
Lead planning initiatives in areas including land use planning, comprehensive planning, development review, entitlement support, policy development, and community engagement.
Analyze complex planning issues and evaluate trends and regulations.
Provide strategic recommendations to help clients make informed decisions.
Serve as a trusted advisor to communities, developers, public officials, and stakeholders.
Lead presentations, facilitate meetings, and guide public engagement efforts, including community workshops and planning commission meetings.
Mentor staff and review technical work.
Contribute to business development efforts and assist with proposals and client pursuits.
Collaborate with engineers, landscape architects, clients, and project teams.