Senior Urban Planner

Joining Arup

Arup’s purpose, shared values, and collaborative approach has set us apart for over 80 years, guiding how we shape a better world. We are a global collective of designers, consultants, and experts dedicated to sustainable development, working across every aspect of the built environment.

Arup is seeking a Senior Urban Planner to join our growing team in our Calgary office.

This role offers the opportunity to lead and contribute to a wide range of innovative and high-impact urban planning and design projects in Calgary, across Canada and around the globe. As a Senior Urban Planner, you will collaborate with other members of Arup’s multidisciplinary Cities, Planning and Design group, as well as with our in-house teams of transportation planners, civil and structural engineers, and others to lead and coordinate the delivery of ambitious, technically informed development concepts and masterplans that balance urgent and often competing challenges.

This job posting represents an active vacancy within our organization and is open for immediate recruitment.

The Opportunity

Arup is helping clients across both the public and private sectors to plan and design projects at the site, transit-station-area, and neighbourhood scale, working on everything from concept plans to fulsome development applications. We are seeking a Senior Urban Planner who has demonstrated experience leading and managing projects, completing design-oriented planning work, securing development approvals and supporting large-scale real-estate projects with the capacity to transform the places Canadians live, work and play. The ideal candidate will have the ability to pragmatically deploy a solid understanding of development economics and municipal and provincial context to craft practical approaches to improving existing communities and shaping new ones.

At Arup, you belong to an extraordinary collective in which we encourage individuality to thrive. Our strength comes from how we respect, share and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas. You will have the opportunity to help grow our urban planning business, contributing to the continued growth of the Calgary office by supporting a diverse portfolio of projects and expanding our local presence, while doing socially useful work that has meaning to Arup, to your career, to our members, and to the clients and communities we serve.

Responsibilities

• Lead a mix of small, medium and large multidisciplinary urban planning and design projects under the guidance of project leadership from inception to delivery. This includes actively participating in conceptual design and managing schedules, logistics, and resource allocation.
• Act as a trusted adviser to public and private clients working to realize planning projects, speaking from experience and the collective expertise of Arup’s broad-ranging interdisciplinary teams.
• Facilitate and lead meetings with clients, interest holders and the general public, including presenting at public events and maintaining strong communication with interest holders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Lead contract and budget management, support invoicing and collections and report key project issues, risks and updates to project leadership and business development teams.
• Lead the preparation of responses to requests for proposals, including drafting proposed methodologies that address real client needs and good planning principles, while actively supporting business development.
• Lead the production of planning reports, panels, proposals, presentations, visual materials and other collateral for clients and interest holders. Lead and oversee the analysis of policy documents, zoning-by-laws and evidence studies.
• Work independently in managing projects and delegating tasks to support overall project teams.
• Contribute to business development initiatives that expand the Calgary office, diversify the client base, and enhance Arup’s profile and competitive position in the market.
• Mentor and train junior and intermediate staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in urban planning or a related field with a minimum of 7-10 years of professional experience in urban planning or a related discipline.
• Full membership with the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) and Alberta Professional Planners Institute (APPI), and/or another Canadian provincial planning institute, as a Registered Professional Planner (RPP).
• Strong knowledge of and experience in applying provincial and municipal planning policy and regulations in Alberta and/or other Canadian provinces including Municipal Development Plans/Official Plans, Local Area Plans/Secondary Plans, and Land Use/Zoning By-Law amendments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including expertise in presenting information effectively at public, client and interest holder meetings, including City Council meetings and Planning Commissions. Experience with the SDAB is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience leading and supporting complex planning projects, including knowledge of financial proformas and municipal finance.
• Experience in preparing public and private bids for planning and development projects, including developing fee proposals and overall project management.
• Proficiency in planning tools and software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Rhino, etc.) to directly supervise teams working with this software and to directly assist in production when necessary.
• Proven knowledge and/or experience working with GIS, data mapping, management and analysis.

Please note that all applicants must apply directly via the job portal. If this role is not quite what you are looking for but you are interested in other opportunities for a future with purpose, please sign up to our Talent Community where you will be kept up to date with roles suitable for you to shape a better world.

Why Arup?

• Work on transformative projects that shape cities and communities.
• Join a purpose-driven organization committed to sustainability and innovation.
• Enjoy a flexible, inclusive and collaborative work environment.
• Access to professional development and global mobility opportunities.

What we offer you

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together.

Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognizes the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

Benefits at Work - At Arup, we have a comprehensive and valuable benefits program that works for our employees and their families. These are 100% paid for by Arup except for optional life insurance. These benefits provide health and welfare security for you as well as paid time off for rest and renewal. Our Global Profit Share Plan (paid bi-annually) provides an opportunity for you to share in the success of the Firm. As a valued employee of Arup, you can also choose to participate in our GRRSP 5% company match to help you save for your future.

Flexible Working - We believe that flexible arrangements create a more inclusive way of working that supports our diversity and the wellbeing of our people. Options for alternative schedules and the ability to work outside of the office for a portion of your workweek are available.

Calgary Hiring Range – The good faith base salary hiring range for this job if performed in Calgary is $120,000 to $155,000 per year. This range is commensurate with experience, educational background, and skill level. Benefits are not included in the base salary. Please note, hiring ranges for candidates performing work outside of Calgary will differ.