Senior Project Manager - Planning

WSP•South Jordan, UT

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

As a global leader in transportation and planning, WSP invites you to be part of shaping future-ready communities. Our Planning team in Salt Lake City, Utah is seeking a Senior Project Manager – Planning to support a diverse portfolio of land use and multimodal planning projects. This role will provide a range of professional planning services, including long-range planning, policy development, and development review for both public and private clients. Experience with stakeholder engagement, public outreach, and board or commission presentations is highly valued. We are seeking a leader with deep experience across the full spectrum of land use planning—from visioning and master planning through implementation and delivery. This includes translating high-level plans into actionable strategies such as zoning and code updates, capital improvement planning, development review, and partnerships that enable projects to move forward. The ideal candidate also brings experience identifying and advancing funding and financing strategies, including grants, public-private partnerships, and other tools to support plan implementation and infrastructure delivery. The Senior Project Manager will lead projects and major tasks with limited oversight, mentor junior staff, and coordinate multidisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate brings a forward-looking perspective, integrating long-term risks and opportunities into planning solutions while delivering high-quality work that meets or exceeds client expectations. This individual will also actively support client relationships and business development. This role includes active participation in business development, with an expectation to support and help lead pursuits that align with WSP’s planning practice in Utah and Colorado. The Senior Project Manager will cultivate and maintain client relationships, identify new opportunities, and collaborate with internal teams to position the firm for success. Responsibilities include contributing to proposal development, including strategy, scope, and fee development, as well as participating in interviews and presentations. The ideal candidate brings a thoughtful, relationship-driven approach to business development, with an ability to align client needs with WSP’s capabilities and to translate emerging opportunities into actionable pursuits.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning or a related field (or equivalent experience).
10+ years of experience in working in the land/urban planning field, actively engaging in general plans, specific/master plans, zoning code updates, public involvement, and regulatory compliance for a variety of client projects relating to development, construction, infrastructure, transportation, environment, resiliency, revitalization, and/or adaptation.
Demonstrated experience managing projects and leading multidisciplinary teams.
Strong understanding of planning processes, zoning regulations, and development review practices in Utah and/or Colorado.
Demonstrated experience advancing projects from planning and visioning through implementation, including policy, regulatory, and capital program alignment.
Familiarity with funding and financing strategies to support plan implementation.
Proven ability to lead complex planning efforts, including long-range planning, policy development, and entitlement.
Strong technical writing, communication, and facilitation skills.
Ability to work independently while mentoring and guiding team members and subconsultants.
Experience reviewing and producing high-quality technical deliverables.
Strong organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Proficiency with standard business and communication tools.
Flexibility to manage changing priorities and multiple assignments.
Willingness to travel periodically for project needs.
The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Planning or related field.
AICP or other relevant professional certification.
Active participation in professional organizations (e.g., APA).
Experience with GIS (e.g., ESRI ArcGIS).
Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite or similar visualization tools.
Experience working with public agencies in Utah and/or Colorado.

Responsibilities

Serve as Project Manager, Deputy Project Manager, or Task Lead on a variety of planning projects.
Lead and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including planning, engineering, and transportation professionals.
Manage project scope, schedule, and budget, including tracking progress and financial performance.
Lead land use planning efforts and supporting analyses.
Deliver a range of planning services, such as: Comprehensive and subarea plans, Zoning and development code updates, Corridor and multimodal plans, On-call planning services for local agencies, Entitlement planning for private-sector clients.
Translate planning concepts into implementable strategies, including regulatory updates, capital improvement recommendations, and development frameworks.
Identify and support funding and financing approaches (e.g., grants, funding programs, partnerships) to advance planning recommendations into implementation.
Oversee preparation of high-quality deliverables, including plans, reports, public engagement materials, and technical documentation.
Coordinate with clients, agencies, subconsultants, and internal teams.
Develop and maintain client relationships and support business development efforts, including proposal writing.
Mentor staff and provide guidance, including QA/QC review of deliverables.
Effectively manage workload across multiple projects and priorities.