Senior Associate or Principal Position

Clarion Associates is a nationally recognized consulting firm specializing in community planning and development regulation with offices in Denver and Chapel Hill. We believe in leading projects that provide our client communities with the tools and momentum they need to make important changes. Clarion has assisted hundreds of cities, towns, and counties across the U.S. to plan for their futures. We are highly regarded as a firm that forms strong partnerships with each of our client communities. We tackle complex projects and find creative solutions that lead to adoption and implementation. We are known for building public support for ambitious local planning and regulatory reform efforts.

Learn more at www.clarionassociates.com.

About the Positions

We have two full-time senior planner or principal (non-equity senior management) positions open; one in our Denver office and one in our Chapel Hill office. Successful candidates must have demonstrated experience with drafting development codes, one of our core practice areas:

• Development Codes. This practice area involves leading regulatory update projects with one or more Clarion team members and subconsultants; communicating with clients, client community leadership, and the public about the regulatory update process; overseeing and assisting with the drafting of innovative and user-friendly zoning and land use regulations to implement local plans; research and analysis of legal requirements and regulatory best practices; review and analysis of existing community policies and regulations; preparation of community outreach materials and facilitation of public meetings; and preparation and completion of detailed code documents.

As a small firm, all team members assist in preparing proposals to win new work, attend client meetings, draft documents, prepare presentations, collect and analyze data, and generally work across projects wherever needed. Our preference is for this to be a hybrid position, with the successful candidate spending at least two days per week working in the office for which they are hired. We will consider a remote position for an applicant with the right combination of experience and skills.

Requirements

A new Clarion team member in this position will have the following skills. We recognize, though, that not everyone's career path and skills will match our list perfectly. We encourage you to apply if you think there is a good fit between your experience, however titled, and one of these positions:

Principal Planner

• A master's degree in urban planning or a related field with a minimum of seven years of professional work experience
• Minimum of five years of progressive project management experience, including direct client contact, internal staff oversight, and coordination of subconsultants as needed during all stages of project development; some project management experience must be with code/regulatory projects
• Minimum of two years of supervisory experience

Senior Planner

• Bachelor's degree in urban planning or related field; master's degree preferred
• Minimum of five years of professional work experience
• At least two years of regulatory experience, preferably in code drafting, editing, and adoption

Both Positions

• Experience working with elected and appointed officials
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills
• Proficiency in the advanced functions of Microsoft Word and Excel
• Willing to travel both regionally and nationally for client meetings

Degrees and Skills that are not required but will help set you apart:

• Law degree
• Urban design experience
• Spanish fluency
• Experience with InDesign, Sketch-Up, ArcGIS, and Adobe Illustrator

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation is based on your experience, performance, and location. The salary range is $85,000 - $130,000.

Clarion Associates offers competitive benefits to all full-time employees, including health insurance coverage, flex plan, 401K plan with a 3% annual employer contribution, 8 personal days and 10 paid vacation days accrued annually to start (up to 20 days paid vacation based on tenure), nine paid holidays, an annual transit pass, coverage of AICP and other professional dues, and a variety of professional development opportunities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Clarion Associates provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

To Apply

Please send a single PDF document with the following information to hiring@clarionassociates.com no later than April 4, 2025:

1. Cover letter and resume;
2. A list of relevant project management experience, including project descriptions, dates, and outcomes and any other information that highlights your project management skills;
3. A recent writing sample from a professional project; and
4. Two to three samples of your graphic abilities (if applicable)

Submissions will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.