Director of Planning and Development Jobs
Director of Planning and Development jobs are open across local government, real estate, construction, and nonprofit sectors, at levels from manager to vice president, with specializations in land use, community development, and urban planning. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Job Title
Senior Planning Analyst, Project Controls, Project & Development Services
Job Description Summary
Job Description
- Independently lead project-level cost or schedule management
- Prepare forecasts, variance analysis, and risk assessments
- Support earned value, change management, and scenario analysis
- Serve as a key contributor in client meetings
- Review work products prepared by junior staff
- Support development of project controls plans and procedures
Education/Experience/Training:
- Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or related field.
- Five or more years of related experience in working as a cost or schedule management expert on capital projects, including design, construction and testing phases.
- Direct experience working on teams within a complex, matrixed environment.
- Expertise using cost and schedule management software.
- Experience within one or more of the following industries required: construction, life sciences, data centers, industrial or related technical field.
- Must possess exemplary communication skills – both oral and written.
Cushman & Wakefield also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life, and disability insurance programs, and paid and unpaid time away from work. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, Cushman and Wakefield provide eligible employees with competitive pay, which may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, total hours worked, job type, business line, and applicability of collective bargaining agreements.
The compensation that will be offered to the successful candidate will depend on factors such as whether the position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the geographic area in which the work will be performed, market pay rates in that area, and the candidate’s experience and qualifications.
The company will not pay less than minimum wage for this role.
The compensation for the position is: $ 119,000.00 - $140,000.00 Cushman & Wakefield is an Equal Opportunity employer to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. Discrimination of any type will not be tolerated.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position at Cushman & Wakefield, please call the ADA line at 1-888-365-5406 or email Accommodations@cushwake.com. Please refer to the job title and job location when you contact us.
INCO: “Cushman & Wakefield”Job Title
Senior Planning Analyst, Project Controls, Project & Development Services
Job Description Summary
Job Description
- Independently lead project-level cost or schedule management
- Prepare forecasts, variance analysis, and risk assessments
- Support earned value, change management, and scenario analysis
- Serve as a key contributor in client meetings
- Review work products prepared by junior staff
- Support development of project controls plans and procedures
Education/Experience/Training:
- Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or related field.
- Five or more years of related experience in working as a cost or schedule management expert on capital projects, including design, construction and testing phases.
- Direct experience working on teams within a complex, matrixed environment.
- Expertise using cost and schedule management software.
- Experience within one or more of the following industries required: construction, life sciences, data centers, industrial or related technical field.
- Must possess exemplary communication skills – both oral and written.
Cushman & Wakefield also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life, and disability insurance programs, and paid and unpaid time away from work. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, Cushman and Wakefield provide eligible employees with competitive pay, which may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, total hours worked, job type, business line, and applicability of collective bargaining agreements.
The compensation that will be offered to the successful candidate will depend on factors such as whether the position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the geographic area in which the work will be performed, market pay rates in that area, and the candidate’s experience and qualifications.
The company will not pay less than minimum wage for this role.
The compensation for the position is: $ 119,000.00 - $140,000.00 Cushman & Wakefield is an Equal Opportunity employer to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. Discrimination of any type will not be tolerated.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position at Cushman & Wakefield, please call the ADA line at 1-888-365-5406 or email Accommodations@cushwake.com. Please refer to the job title and job location when you contact us.
INCO: “Cushman & Wakefield”See All 133+ Director of Planning and Development Jobs
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Find JobsDirector of Planning and Development Job Market
Who's Hiring
- BKF Engineers12
- Cushman & Wakefield6
- PARKHILL5
- National Grid5
- City of Phoenix5
Top Industries Hiring
- Construction & Real Estate
- Medical Devices
- Electronics & Hardware
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in director of planning and development jobs.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in urban planning, public administration, or a related field
- AICP certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners
- Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in planning or community development
- Demonstrated experience managing staff and overseeing departmental budgets
- Knowledge of federal and state land use, zoning, and environmental review regulations
- Experience presenting to elected officials, planning commissions, or public stakeholders
Tips for Your Director of Planning and Development Job Search
Tailor your resume to jurisdictional context
Hiring managers in this role care whether you've worked in a comparable regulatory environment. Call out specific zoning codes, general plan amendments, or development review processes you've managed, not just generic project management language.
Highlight cross-department coordination wins
Directors of planning and development are evaluated on their ability to align public works, legal, finance, and community stakeholders. Your resume should name the departments you coordinated with and describe what that collaboration produced.
Get your AICP certification if you lack it
Many government and municipal postings list AICP certification as a requirement or strong preference. If you don't hold it yet, note your eligibility status or exam date so hiring managers don't screen you out before the interview.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists director of planning and development openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a portfolio of approved development projects
Bring documented examples of projects that moved through entitlement, environmental review, or council approval under your leadership. Decision-makers want evidence you can shepherd complex approvals to completion, not just oversee teams.
Ask about planning commission structure in interviews
Questions about how the organization structures its relationship with planning commissions or elected bodies signal strategic thinking. It also helps you assess whether the role has real decision-making authority or is mostly staff support.
Director of Planning and Development Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most director of planning and developments?
BKF Engineers, Cushman & Wakefield, and PARKHILL are hiring the most director of planning and developments right now, with openings concentrated in California, Texas, and Massachusetts, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Municipal governments and regional development authorities tend to post the most consistently throughout the year.
How many director of planning and development jobs are remote?
About 76% of director of planning and development openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the in-person nature of most planning and community engagement work. Sub-areas like long-range planning, grant writing, and policy development tend to offer more remote flexibility than current planning or permitting oversight roles.
How do you become a director of planning and development?
Start by earning a degree in urban planning, public administration, or a related field, then build experience as a planner, project manager, or program coordinator. Pursue AICP certification to meet the standard that most employer postings require. Progress into supervisory roles managing staff and budgets before moving into director-level positions, which typically require leading major development reviews, coordinating across departments, and presenting to elected bodies.
Can you get hired as a director of planning and development with limited experience?
Breaking into a director of planning and development role with limited experience is difficult because most postings require several years of progressively responsible planning work. A realistic path is to target smaller municipalities or nonprofits where the director role is more hands-on, combine a strong graduate degree with direct project experience, and document any work involving land use decisions, public meetings, or regulatory approvals to demonstrate readiness beyond your years.
What does the director of planning and development interview process look like?
The process typically starts with a screening call, followed by a panel interview that often includes department heads, HR, and sometimes elected officials or commission members. Finalists are frequently asked to give a presentation on a current planning challenge or their management philosophy. Reference checks are thorough, and the full process from application to offer commonly takes several weeks given the public-sector nature of most roles.
Where can I find and apply to director of planning and development jobs?
You can find and apply to director of planning and development jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your background, then apply directly to each listing that fits your experience and location preferences.
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