Regional Planner Jobs in Illinois
Regional Planner jobs in Illinois are consistently active, driven by demand in transportation infrastructure, land use policy, environmental planning, and metropolitan growth management. Chicago, Springfield, and Rockford anchor most of the hiring, with major employers such as the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Illinois Department of Transportation, and Cook County anchoring long-term demand. The most sought-after specialties are transportation and transit planning, zoning and comprehensive plan development, and environmental impact analysis, at experience levels from entry-level associate to senior principal. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Location: Arcola, IL
Starting Pay for position: $25 - $30 / per hour
Travel: 5%
JOIN OUR TEAM!
About Herff Jones:
Indianapolis-based Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. Herff Jones’ products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, diplomas and announcements as well as motivation and recognition programs. Focused on building long-term relationships through a nationwide network of over 1,400 employees and sales partners, the professionals at Herff Jones have been helping elevate the student experience throughout the lifelong journey of education for more than 100 years. For more information about Herff Jones, please visit www.herffjones.com.
Your Opportunity:
- The production Planner will be responsible for multiple work centers within a production area to achieve on-time delivery targets while positioning the production departments to achieve maximum production efficiencies.
- Manage inventory and workflow from initiation to completion from raw material to final product being shipped to the customer.
- Responsible for planning, scheduling, coordinating, and monitoring products throughout the entire production cycle.
- Reviews, refines, and develops scheduling rules and SOP’s to achieve plant service level commitments.
- Work cross functionally with all plant departments to maintain accountability.
- Directly oversees all production control and outsourcing coordination employees/activities.
- Works with operations to monitor production output against customer requirements.
- Attends daily Gemba walks with production floor leaders.
- Maintains top level customer requirements to drive total manufacturing requirements
- Conducts regular business and performance reviews with demand planning, sales and operations, including participation in S&OP processes.
- Monitor supply and demand through delivery season status against the master schedule and take action to protect both the internal build plan and the customer ship/delivery plan against stockouts, downtime, and other impediments to the schedule.
- Take lead to involve appropriate personnel to resolve material and capacity issues; calling out significant conflicts to management’s attention when master scheduling issues are likely to impact the internal build plan or customer delivery.
- Responsible for overall master data maintenance in systems associated with supply planning such as lead times, transportation times, sourcing information, safety stocks, min/max levels, etc.
- Prior experience in scheduling and planning without ERP and MRP systems.
- Experience with ERP systems is highly preferred, specifically Microsoft Dynamics AX or D365, as well as Microsoft Excel.
- Moderate to advanced skills with Microsoft Office (specifically Excel) and learning new systems/technology with understanding some work is processed manually.
- American Production Inventory Control Systems (APICS) and or Six Sigma certification is preferred.
- Proven success to effectively communicate (listening, writing, and verbal) to multiple teams, ensuring the delivery of the message stays consistent.
- Well-organized, be able to multi-task and have a high level of attention to detail.
- Customer service driven, able to understand and support the business goals and objectives.
- Interface and interact well with all departments of the company and is an ambassador for planning in a seasonal environment.
- Proven ability to manage inventory levels and adjust goals due to time and cost constraints.
- Multiple examples of lean projects, initiated successfully, that resulted in cost and time savings.
- A strong sense of urgency and desire to exceed expectations.
- Ability to maintain a positive attitude in an extremely fast-paced environment.
- Demonstrated success managing multiple processes and tasks.
- Bachelor’s or associate’s degree in related field preferred
- Daily activity includes but is not limited to lifting, carrying, sitting, grasping, reaching, standing, kneeling, walking, bending, twisting.
- Reading, communication, math.
- Moving around the production floor for a 10+ hour shift
- Sitting at a computer for long periods of time
- Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to above average
Any employment agency, person or entity that submits a résumé into this career site or to a hiring manager does so with the understanding that the applicant's résumé will become the property of Herff Jones. Herff Jones will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.
See All 138+ Regional Planner Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Regional Planner JobsRegional Planner Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Regional Planner Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Food & Beverage
- Investment & Asset Management
- Energy
- Retail
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in regional planner jobs across Illinois.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in urban planning, public policy, or related field
- American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification preferred or required for senior roles
- Experience with GIS platforms such as ArcGIS for spatial analysis and mapping
- Knowledge of Illinois land use law, zoning ordinances, and municipal code compliance
- Demonstrated experience preparing comprehensive plans, environmental assessments, or zoning analyses
- Strong public engagement skills including facilitating community meetings and presenting to elected bodies
Regional Planner Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a regional planner in Illinois?
Most regional planner positions in Illinois require at minimum a bachelor's degree in urban or regional planning, though a master's degree from an accredited Planning Accreditation Board program is increasingly expected for public agency roles. Illinois does not issue a state planning license, but the American Institute of Certified Planners credential is the recognized professional standard. Candidates earn AICP certification through the American Planning Association after meeting experience and education thresholds and passing a national examination.
Which companies hire regional planners in Illinois?
Employers hiring regional planners in Illinois right now include Xylem, Martin Brower, and Constellation Energy, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Public agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and large engineering and consulting firms with Illinois offices represent the most consistent sources of ongoing openings across the state.
Which Illinois cities have the most regional planner jobs?
The cities with the most regional planner openings in Illinois are Chicago, Cary, and Rockford. Chicago dominates due to the concentration of county government, transit authorities, and regional planning agencies headquartered there, while Springfield draws demand as the state capital where Illinois Department of Transportation and state policy offices are based, and Rockford and other mid-size metros generate openings through municipal comprehensive planning and infrastructure projects.
Are there remote regional planner jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they are less common than in purely analytical fields because regional planning regularly requires site visits, public hearings, and in-person collaboration with municipal clients. About 41% of regional planner openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, with remote arrangements more typical for research, grant writing, and document preparation roles than for project management positions requiring frequent community engagement.
How can I get hired as a regional planner in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an internship or graduate assistantship with a metropolitan planning organization, county planning department, or the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, which regularly brings on students and recent graduates. Entry-level titles such as planning technician, zoning analyst, or assistant planner at Illinois municipalities or county offices are common starting points. A GIS portfolio, coursework in Illinois land use law, and AICP candidate membership all strengthen an application when professional experience is limited.
Where can I find and apply to regional planner jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to regional planner jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings. Search the listings, find the roles that fit your background and location preferences, and apply directly to each one.
See All 138+ Regional Planner Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Regional Planner Jobs