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Associate Planner

Urban Planning Partners
Oakland, USA
Full-time
Mid · 3–6 years experience
Onsite
Discovered Today

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Experience

  • 3–6 years of professional planning experience with progressive responsibility
  • Education
  • Bachelor’s in planning, community development, environmental science, public administration, or related field
  • Master’s degree may substitute for 1 year of experience
  • Project Management Background
  • Managed 2–3 small projects (<$100K) and/or
  • Served as assistant/deputy PM on 2–3 medium/large projects ($100K–$1M+)
  • Skills & Working Style
  • Excellent writing/editing, research, and analytical skills
  • Strong understanding of planning process, land use policy, and/or CEQA foundation
  • Organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable in a fast-paced environment
  • Confident navigating ambiguity and shifting priorities
  • Proactive, discerning problem-solver who knows when to ask questions and who to pull in
  • Professional Engagement
  • Active membership in a professional organization (APA, SPUR, AEP, ULI, etc.) or clear commitment to professional development
  • Other Requirements
  • Eligible to work in the U.S.
  • Valid California driver’s license and ability to drive for company business
  • Extra Credit
  • Advanced GIS and graphic design (InDesign, Illustrator, SketchUp, etc.)
  • Strong policy/research orientation; curiosity and love of problem solving
  • Bilingual (spoken/written) relevant to local communities
  • You’re the kind of planner who doesn’t wait for perfect clarity to move a project forward—you help create it. You bring both independence and a collaborative instinct, and you know how to build momentum across teams, clients, and communities. You care about doing great work and doing it in a way that feels good to the people around you.
  • Adaptable, Entrepreneurial Problem-Solver
  • You take initiative in uncertain or evolving planning environments, confidently identifying creative, code-aligned solutions. Ambiguity energizes you—whether it’s a zoning puzzle, a fast-moving entitlement pathway, or a CEQA question with no tidy precedent.
  • Independent and Collaborative Project Leader
  • You’ve delivered shared goals within diverse teams. You manage multiple priorities, track deliverables, and help everyone stay on course for deadlines. You know when to run with a task and when to pull in principals, peers, or subconsultants for the strongest result.
  • Committed to Excellence
  • You welcome feedback and continuously sharpen both your work and your process. Your deliverables are not only accurate—they’re clear, persuasive, and built to last.
  • Relational, Trust-Building Communicator
  • You build authentic relationships across stakeholders—clients, agency staff, community members, and teammates. You listen well, communicate clearly, and approach engagement with respect, inclusivity, and care.
  • Detail-Oriented and Results-Focused
  • You take pride in thorough, accurate work and don’t lose sight of outcomes: approvals secured, policies adopted, and communities better served.
  • Connector and Big-Picture Thinker
  • You connect community needs, planning policy, feasibility, and environmental constraints into actionable pathways. You synthesize qualitative and quantitative insight into recommendations that move ideas into implementation.
  • Why UPP
  • We Care. We Collaborate. We Reach. We Are Real.
  • Our Oakland office is one block from 19th St BART on a quiet, tree-lined street. We’re on-site Mon–Thu in a fun, collegial environment fueled by snacks and coffee (or tea!).

Who You Are

  • We’re small enough that your work will matter right away—and big enough in impact that you’ll keep learning. We care deeply about the places we shape and the way we show up with clients and communities. Our core values guide how we work together:

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