Planning Associate Jobs
Planning Associate jobs are open across urban planning, transportation, and land use sectors, in government agencies, consulting firms, and real estate developers, from entry-level to senior associate positions. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Reporting to the Executive Director of Finance, the Associate Director, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) leads the planning and analysis function for the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) within the Financial Affairs Unit of the Dean’s Office. The position is responsible for DGSOM’s annual all-funds budget, rolling forecasts, and long-range financial plan, and for the financial models and analyses that inform decisions at the School’s executive level.
The Associate Director performs and oversees sophisticated financial and managerial analysis, including institutional resource planning, capital and space planning, funds flow modeling and feasibility studies, faculty productivity and operational benchmarking, debt financing strategies, and emerging strategic issues, and serves as a key resource for the UCLA Health economic model redesign.
The position leads a team of Finance Business Partners and an FP&A Analyst who provide FP&A services to department leadership (Chairs, CAOs, and CFOs), and works closely with Dean’s Office leadership, department chairs and directors, UCLA Health System leadership, and Campus leadership.
About DGSOM:
DGSOM is a complex organization composed of 25 academic departments, 5 organized research units, and 5 interdisciplinary research centers. It is the academic home to approximately 3,700 faculty and 2,900 trainees, students, and fellows, and employs approximately 5,400 staff and non-faculty academics. DGSOM’s annual revenue totals approximately $3.1 billion, with expendable net assets of approximately $1.3 billion and endowments and quasi-endowments of approximately $3 billion.
Annual Salary Range: $108,900 - $241,500
Pay range: $108900.00 - $241500.00 a year
Qualifications
Required:
- Minimum of 7 years of Financial Planning & Analysis experience in a related field.
- Strong knowledge of financial and accounting concepts, including basic framework of the P&L, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a desire to understand the issues and drivers.
- Creative problem solver that can identify sources of information from disparate sources and deliver comprehensive, balanced, and actionable insights.
- Experience with financial analysis programs and building financial projection models.
- Knowledge of and experience in implementing Business Intelligence concepts.
- Experience informing change management and process improvement efforts in a complex organization.
- Excellent customer service interpersonal skills and ability to develop and maintain excellent working relationships with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
- Experience in helping teams improve their approach to enable more frequent delivery and feedback loops.
- Advanced knowledge of Excel, PowerPoint, Business intelligence tools.
- Experience as a “leader” able to influence and motivate individuals to achieve outcomes even when they do not have a direct reporting relationship.
- High level of ethics, integrity, discretion and confidentiality; Supports the Cultural North Star principles through demonstrated behaviors and interactions.
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent in business administration with an emphasis in accounting or finance or an equivalent combination of education and experience. CMA or MBA.
- Expertise in fund accounting and performance metrics of research-intensive health systems.
Reporting to the Executive Director of Finance, the Associate Director, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) leads the planning and analysis function for the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) within the Financial Affairs Unit of the Dean’s Office. The position is responsible for DGSOM’s annual all-funds budget, rolling forecasts, and long-range financial plan, and for the financial models and analyses that inform decisions at the School’s executive level.
The Associate Director performs and oversees sophisticated financial and managerial analysis, including institutional resource planning, capital and space planning, funds flow modeling and feasibility studies, faculty productivity and operational benchmarking, debt financing strategies, and emerging strategic issues, and serves as a key resource for the UCLA Health economic model redesign.
The position leads a team of Finance Business Partners and an FP&A Analyst who provide FP&A services to department leadership (Chairs, CAOs, and CFOs), and works closely with Dean’s Office leadership, department chairs and directors, UCLA Health System leadership, and Campus leadership.
About DGSOM:
DGSOM is a complex organization composed of 25 academic departments, 5 organized research units, and 5 interdisciplinary research centers. It is the academic home to approximately 3,700 faculty and 2,900 trainees, students, and fellows, and employs approximately 5,400 staff and non-faculty academics. DGSOM’s annual revenue totals approximately $3.1 billion, with expendable net assets of approximately $1.3 billion and endowments and quasi-endowments of approximately $3 billion.
Annual Salary Range: $108,900 - $241,500
Pay range: $108900.00 - $241500.00 a year
Qualifications
Required:
- Minimum of 7 years of Financial Planning & Analysis experience in a related field.
- Strong knowledge of financial and accounting concepts, including basic framework of the P&L, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a desire to understand the issues and drivers.
- Creative problem solver that can identify sources of information from disparate sources and deliver comprehensive, balanced, and actionable insights.
- Experience with financial analysis programs and building financial projection models.
- Knowledge of and experience in implementing Business Intelligence concepts.
- Experience informing change management and process improvement efforts in a complex organization.
- Excellent customer service interpersonal skills and ability to develop and maintain excellent working relationships with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
- Experience in helping teams improve their approach to enable more frequent delivery and feedback loops.
- Advanced knowledge of Excel, PowerPoint, Business intelligence tools.
- Experience as a “leader” able to influence and motivate individuals to achieve outcomes even when they do not have a direct reporting relationship.
- High level of ethics, integrity, discretion and confidentiality; Supports the Cultural North Star principles through demonstrated behaviors and interactions.
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent in business administration with an emphasis in accounting or finance or an equivalent combination of education and experience. CMA or MBA.
- Expertise in fund accounting and performance metrics of research-intensive health systems.
Planning Associate Jobs by Experience Level
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Find Planning Associate JobsPlanning Associate Job Market
Who's Hiring
- L3Harris12
- National Grid6
- ZS Associates6
- Kestra Financial5
- Capital One4
Top Industries Hiring
- Investment & Asset Management
- Banking & Financial Services
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Education
- Insurance
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in planning associate jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in urban planning, geography, public policy, or a related field
- Proficiency with GIS software such as ArcGIS or QGIS for spatial analysis and mapping
- Experience preparing planning reports, staff reports, or environmental review documents
- Knowledge of zoning codes, land use regulations, and local government planning processes
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for public meetings and stakeholder engagement
- AICP certification or active candidacy preferred for mid-level and senior planning associate roles
Tips for Your Planning Associate Job Search
Tailor your resume to planning context
Lead with projects where you analyzed zoning regulations, prepared environmental reports, or coordinated community outreach. Hiring managers in planning roles prioritize demonstrated familiarity with planning processes over general project management credentials.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists planning associate openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Highlight your GIS and mapping tools
Many planning associate postings screen applicants by software proficiency. Call out your experience with GIS platforms, CAD tools, or data visualization software in your skills section and reinforce it with specific project examples in your experience bullets.
Target postings by planning specialty
Filter openings by keyword terms like transportation, housing, environmental, or urban design rather than searching the job title alone. Specialized postings attract fewer applicants and are a stronger fit for candidates with focused coursework or internship experience.
Prepare for a case-based interview round
Many planning associate interviews include a scenario question where you evaluate a proposed development or policy change. Practice walking through tradeoffs clearly, citing factors like zoning compliance, community impact, and infrastructure capacity in a structured way.
Negotiate by referencing comparable classifications
Public-sector planning roles often use pay bands tied to classification titles. Before negotiating, check the Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data for your metro area and ask HR which pay band the role sits in so you can anchor your counter to published ranges.
Planning Associate Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most planning associates?
The most active employers for planning associates right now are L3Harris, National Grid, and ZS Associates, and the most openings are in New York, California, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand is strongest in government agencies and planning consulting firms with active public-sector contracts.
How many planning associate jobs are remote?
About 65% of planning associate openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, which is lower than many knowledge-worker roles because site visits, public hearings, and in-person agency coordination are core to the job. Research and policy-focused planning roles tend to offer the most remote flexibility.
How do you become a planning associate?
Start with a bachelor's degree in urban planning, public policy, geography, or environmental studies, as most entry-level postings require a planning-related field of study. Build practical experience through internships with a city planning department, regional agency, or consulting firm. Develop proficiency in GIS software and familiarize yourself with local zoning codes. Pursuing AICP candidacy after graduation strengthens your profile for competitive roles.
Can you get hired as a planning associate without experience?
Yes, entry-level planning associate roles are specifically designed for candidates with limited professional experience. Employers in this space weight your coursework, studio projects, and internships heavily. A strong portfolio that documents a neighborhood analysis, land use study, or policy memo you completed during school can substitute for paid work history in many municipal and consulting hiring processes.
What does the planning associate interview process look like?
Most planning associate interviews involve an initial phone screen with HR, followed by a panel interview with planning staff and a supervisor. Many employers include a written exercise or case scenario asking you to evaluate a development proposal or draft a brief policy recommendation. Some agencies require a presentation of your past work before a final offer is extended.
Where can I find and apply to planning associate jobs?
You can find and apply to planning associate jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Search for roles that match your specialty and experience level, then apply directly to each listing. The platform covers postings from government agencies, consulting firms, nonprofit organizations, and private developers.
See All 217+ Planning Associate Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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