Join Our Team

Location: Rockford, Illinois 

THE OPPORTUNITY 

Place Foundry seeks a skilled Place Planner to coordinate comprehensive planning processes that transform analytical insights into implementable strategies for both public and private sector clients. You'll serve as the planning professional bridge between our Place Analyst's research and our Place Strategist's project delivery, utilizing urban planning expertise and development planning methodologies to create master development plans, community policy frameworks, and regulatory strategies that create lasting change. This role combines technical planning knowledge with private sector development coordination and stakeholder facilitation, offering the unique opportunity to see your planning work directly guide community transformation and private development success across the Midwest. 

Working with established planning methodologies, you'll translate Place Foundry's analytical findings into actionable planning documents while coordinating the community engagement and regulatory processes needed to turn planning concepts into thriving destinations. 

YOUR ROLE 

As a Place Planner, you'll serve as the planning coordination professional within our Planning & Development Studio, transforming analytical research from our Place Analyst into comprehensive planning initiatives for public sector comprehensive planning and private sector master development projects. You'll coordinate with our Place Strategist for seamless project delivery across municipal clients and private developers. You'll follow a complete planning workflow from data interpretation through policy creation and development programming to regulatory coordination, ensuring our planning recommendations are both professionally sound and implementable. Your expertise in urban planning processes, master development planning, and team coordination will directly support our integrated approach to place transformation. 

WHAT YOU WILL DO 

Team Coordination & Planning Integration 

• Coordinate with the Place Analyst to interpret market research, demographic data, and spatial analysis, and develop planning recommendations and policy frameworks. 

• Guide Place Analyst work quality and provide planning context for analytical outputs, ensuring research aligns with planning best practices and regulatory requirements 

• Collaborate with the Place Strategist to integrate planning deliverables into project coordination and client delivery, ensuring seamless handoffs and consistent messaging. 

• Review and approve planning documentation from the Place Analyst before advancing to the Place Strategist for client presentation and project implementation. 

Planning Process & Development Coordination 

• Develop comprehensive planning processes using established planning methodologies to create master plans, comprehensive plans, and policy frameworks for public sector clients based on Place Analyst research. 

• Create master development plans for private sector clients, including site programming, land use coordination, development phasing strategies, and infrastructure planning that optimize development potential and market positioning. 

• Transform analytical findings into professional planning documents and development programs, including background research synthesis, scenario development, and implementation strategies for both public policy and private development. 

• Navigate regulatory frameworks, zoning requirements, entitlement processes, and development approvals to create compliant and implementable planning recommendations for municipal and private sector projects. 

• Coordinate entitlement processes and development approvals with regulatory agencies on behalf of private developers, including site plan reviews, variance applications, and development agreement negotiations. 

Community Engagement & Client Coordination 

• Coordinate community engagement processes with Place Strategist to ensure consistent stakeholder communication and project messaging for both public planning initiatives and private development projects. 

• Support private sector clients through public approval processes, including site plan presentations, community meetings, and regulatory hearings to advance development entitlements. 

• Facilitate technical planning discussions with regulatory agencies, planning commissions, and municipal staff to advance both public policy adoption and private project approval processes. 

• Prepare planning presentations and technical documentation for Place Strategist's client meetings with municipal leaders and private developers, ensuring the technical depth is appropriate for diverse audiences. 

• Coordinate with the Place Strategist to provide planning expertise and regulatory guidance for the development and implementation of public-private partnership strategies. 

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Geography, or related planning field (Master's degree in Urban Planning strongly preferred) 

• 3-5 years of experience in urban planning, community development, or private sector development consulting, with demonstrated experience coordinating planning teams or multidisciplinary projects 

• Professional knowledge of planning processes, zoning regulations, development entitlements, and community engagement methodologies, with experience mentoring junior planning staff 

• Experience with comprehensive planning, master development planning, regulatory analysis, and coordinating between public sector policy development and private sector development projects 

• Strong coordination and communication skills with experience working in team-based planning environments and presenting technical planning information to both public officials and private clients 

YOUR TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

• Proficiency in GIS software (ArcGIS Pro), planning analysis tools, and presentation software for professional planning deliverables and team coordination across public and private sector projects 

• Experience with planning document production, including comprehensive plans, master development plans, site development programs, and entitlement documentation that integrate multiple analytical inputs 

• Knowledge of planning regulations, zoning processes, development review procedures, entitlement processes, and regulatory compliance requirements, with ability to guide team members through complex approval processes 

• Skilled in team coordination, project workflow management, and translating analytical findings into implementable planning recommendations for both public policy development and private sector master development planning 

• Understanding of development economics, public-private partnerships, planning implementation strategies, and ability to coordinate between analytical research and strategic project delivery for diverse client types within integrated planning teams 

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: Commensurate with Experience

• Classification: Full Time

• FLSA Status: Exempt 

• Travel Requirements: Moderate (25-50%)

• Health, dental, and vision coverage 

• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer Days) 

• 401K plan

• Professional development opportunities 

ABOUT PLACE FOUNDRY

Place Foundry transforms underutilized spaces into vibrant, thriving communities by combining strategy, design, and storytelling expertise. We partner with clients across the public, private, and non-profit sectors to unlock the full potential of their assets, creating places that inspire pride, foster connection, and catalyze economic growth. 

Our integrated, multi-disciplinary approach ensures that every project is economically viable, socially impactful, and environmentally sustainable. We believe in creating plans that get built, generate magnetic destination experiences, and increase the bottom line. 

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in your potential and are here to help you achieve it.   All information provided will be kept confidential in accordance with EEO guidelines.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Please use the button below to submit your application, including a cover letter and resume. Highlight any additional relevant skills, experience, or qualifications.