Senior Program Manager - Tennessee Urban Programs

Trust for Public Land•Chattanooga, TN

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is seeking a Senior Program Manager, TN Urban Programs to advance equitable access to parks, public spaces, trails, schoolyards, and welcoming community places in Tennessee's urban and growing communities. This role will lead a portfolio of urban initiatives, translate statewide priorities into workplans, cultivate municipal partnerships, and provide subject-matter expertise. The Senior Program Manager will serve as a primary relationship manager for municipal and community partners, engaging local governments and organizations to leverage TPL's expertise and resources. The position will work across Tennessee's major metropolitan regions and emerging urban centers, engaging various stakeholders to identify opportunities and advance community goals. Collaboration with other TPL staff will be crucial for delivering integrated support to local partners. The role involves identifying risks, recommending process improvements, and considering the impact of project decisions on the broader program. While guiding projects from concept to implementation, technical design and construction oversight will be handled by dedicated staff and consultants. Success will be measured by the delivery of new public spaces and by stronger civic participation, belonging, trust, and community influence.

Requirements

Strong commitment to TPL's shared values (Belonging, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Hope) and demonstrated ability to work effectively across the organization.
Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred in urban planning, public administration, community development, landscape architecture, public policy, geography, natural resources, or a related field.
7+ years of experience in urban planning, community development, municipal relations, public sector partnerships, parks and recreation, nonprofit leadership, or related fields.
Demonstrated success leading multiple projects, partnerships, or community initiatives simultaneously, including accountability for workplans, budgets, timelines, and competing stakeholder interests.
Experience independently working with municipal governments, public agencies, elected officials, nonprofit partners, and other external stakeholders to advance project outcomes.
Advanced facilitation, coalition-building, and community engagement skills, with the ability to serve as a technical lead in areas of subject-matter expertise.
Knowledge of public funding programs, grant opportunities, community development strategies, and the interdependencies among program, philanthropy, conservation, and project delivery processes.
Demonstrated ability to identify non-routine risks, recommend process improvements, inform program design decisions, and implement innovative approaches to program execution.
Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to travel throughout Tennessee, including occasional evening and weekend commitments.
Experience mentoring or supervising staff, consultants, or partners is a plus.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in urban planning, public administration, community development, landscape architecture, public policy, geography, natural resources, or a related field.
Experience mentoring or supervising staff, consultants, or partners.

Responsibilities

Lead a portfolio of urban community development, park, schoolyard, trail, and public space initiatives across Tennessee, aligning work with the direction and priorities established by the Tennessee State Director.
Coordinate multiple concurrent projects and partnerships, with accountability for workplans, project financial goals, timelines, partner commitments, and measurable outcomes.
Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned municipal and community partners, independently managing day-to-day relationships and advancing agreed-upon project tasks.
Apply subject-matter knowledge at a high level of complexity and serve as a technical lead on urban parks, public space, schoolyards, and community development strategies.
Identify risks outside the norm, opportunities for greater efficiency, and innovations in program execution; communicate recommendations and implications across the Tennessee team.
Develop and maintain productive working relationships with municipal staff, department directors, city managers, elected officials, school district leadership, nonprofit partners, and community stakeholders.
Build and strengthen partnerships with local governments, public agencies, community organizations, and civic leaders to expand access to parks, public spaces, schoolyards, trails, and welcoming places that improve health and wellness, strengthen historic and cultural connections, grow social cohesion and civic engagement, and increase climate resilience.
Independently represent TPL at municipal meetings, public events, conferences, and community planning discussions, communicating program goals and advancing project outcomes.
Support local partners in identifying opportunities and structuring public-private partnerships that strengthen communities and align with TPL priorities.
Serve as a trusted advisor and connector, helping partners navigate complex opportunities and access relevant TPL resources and expertise.
Implement Tennessee's urban parks, public space, and community development priorities by translating statewide direction into actionable project strategies, workplans, and partnerships.
Lead engagement activities in partnership with TPL's Community Strategies team and Tennessee Welcoming Places Program for community visioning, planning, and public space implementation.
Coordinate with TPL's national technical assistance teams to integrate planning, policy, GIS, research, funding, and implementation support for local partners.
Build local leadership and community capacity to turn community priorities into actionable projects, while identifying approaches that can strengthen program execution across Tennessee.
Lead equitable community engagement processes grounded in accessibility, trust-building, cultural responsiveness, and clear feedback loops that show how community input shapes project development and implementation.
Collaborate closely with Tennessee philanthropy staff to identify and steward opportunities that grow local and enterprise-wide donor pipelines; contribute to proposal development, donor engagement, and funder stewardship in support of program goals.
Coordinate with Tennessee land protection staff to identify conservation, public access, park acquisition, and trail opportunities and ensure urban program work connects effectively with land protection strategies.
Work alongside capital project management staff and consultants to transition projects from planning and partnership development into implementation and construction, with clear roles, handoffs, and accountability.
Partner with Tennessee staff to align community engagement, conservation, public funding, philanthropy, and project delivery strategies, anticipating cross-functional impacts and resolving coordination challenges.
Inform program design decisions for the Tennessee State Director and contribute innovative approaches that strengthen statewide and regional program execution.
Serve as an advocate for equitable access to parks, public spaces, outdoor recreation, and welcoming community environments.
Communicate the health, economic, environmental, and community benefits of parks and public spaces to diverse audiences.
Act as a spokesperson for TPL with municipal leaders, community organizations, donors, media, and other stakeholders, representing program priorities with sound judgment and professionalism.
Promote TPL's mission and role as a trusted partner helping Tennessee communities create vibrant, healthy, connected, and welcoming places.