Strategic Planning Consultant - Cornerstone Planning Group
The role may be intermediate or senior, based on skills and experience.
Cornerstone is a boutique consultancy located on Granville Island in a dog friendly office Vancouver, BC, Canada. Specializing in strategic planning for public sector organizations -- typically related to organizational design and infrastructure requirements -- our work emphasizes long-term planning and rigorous research into relevant trends and service demand patterns.Our work spans a wide variety of sectors, and facilities can include: hospitals, libraries, community centres, transitional housing, art and culture venues, theatres, schools and universities, clinics, offices, industrial workshops and yards, and more.
The Planning Consultant may be involved in any of the sectors, and may bring specialized knowledge of a particular sector to the role.
Our collaborative team is focused on providing exceptional service and value to our clients, continuously learning while supporting good vibes and overall company health. We provide a flexible and entrepreneurial environment where all team members have the ability to influence long-term, high-value impacts for our company, clients, and the wider world.
Our Consultants work on 3-4 projects at a time (depending on size and scope), applying a logical and methodological approach with curiosity and care. We conduct detailed analysis using large data sets to create informed conclusions, while engaging with multiple stakeholders in-person or remotely at user-groups, council meetings and other client presentations.
Depending on experience, the Planning Consultant may play a key role in business development, as well as lead the development of complex strategic planning reports. The description below applies to both intermediate and senior roles, with variation to level of responsibility, project complexity, and years of experience.
Responsibilities
Strategic Planning (80%):
- Understand the client’s key concerns and aspirations and establishing an approach that responds to them.
- Articulate problems and developing comprehensive and effective analytic approaches to solve them, taking into account the quality of available data.
- Plan and conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis on large and sometimes abstract data sets in order to understand current state, project potential future states, and reach reliable conclusions.
- Recognize errors and outliers in methodology and data sets. Know when something’s not right, and work to fix it.
- Able to create, justify, and accurately communicate reasonable assumptions.
- Write clear and comprehensive reports to explain situations, processes, analytical and strategic approaches, findings, and conclusions.
- Develop well-founded and useful recommendations based on analysis of data, situation, infrastructure, and project goals.
- Develop relevant and beautiful graphics to convey key information in the clearest way possible.
- Project management: manage project scope, schedule, budgets and resources, internally and externally.
- Develop meeting agenda and materials, support and run meetings both internally and externally.
- Consult with clients in a way that is fun, easy, relevant to the situation, and polite.
- Manage project elements, and run projects when comfortable with subject matter.
- Research best practices through a variety of industries. Keep up to date on innovations in our sectors.
Business Development (20%):
- Clearly comprehend needs as described in procurement documents.
- Lead proposal development, including development of creative and effective project approach and methodology, team, level of effort (hours), costs and expenses.
- Write proposals to meet procurement requirements, selling our team, experience, and services.
- Support business development via attending and eventually contributing to conferences, talks, articles, informational meetings, supporting external mentorship programs, etc.
- Identify new business opportunities, leverage networks, and follow up.
- Initiate new and innovative approaches to project work.
- Maintaining follow up contacts with previous clients on a periodic basis.
Requirements
Qualifications: General Planner- Bachelor Degree required. Preferred analytical background in functional programming/ space planning, architecture, engineering, or business analytics. Will consider non-technical backgrounds with relevant experience in consulting, urban planning, data analytics, engineering or similar field.
- Intermediate: 3-5 years of work experience.
- Senior: 5-8 years of work experience.
- Proficiency in using MS Excel to manipulate and analyze large/complex data sets. Preference for more advanced data processing techniques.
- Experience in project management, with PMP certification an asset.
- Experience in complex report development & presentation skills.
- Positive, team player with strong written and verbal communication skills, high detail orientation, and dedication to service and quality.
- Proven ability to make real connections with clients and maintain relationships past the end of projects.
Benefits
We evaluate market rates using up to date market data to create salary bands for levels based on level of seniority and applicable experience. We offer excellent benefits, flexible work environments, hybrid office structure, and the opportunity to be involved in excellent projects with impact.
Our range for an intermediate role is $80k – $95k/year.
Our range for a senior role is $95k – $120k/year.