Senior Campus Planner and Project Manager

Description

About Ayers Saint Gross

Ayers Saint Gross is an internationally recognized design firm with expertise in architecture, planning, landscape architecture, graphic design, interior architecture, and space analytics. Since our founding in 1912, we have built a reputation for designing environments of enduring value. The focus of our expertise and most of our work supports mission-driven clients, particularly colleges, universities, and cultural institutions. Our design approach is inspired by a critical and analytical discourse, a respect for past wisdom, a mind to future potential, and a belief that we have an obligation to leave places better than we found them. Our mission is to engage people and places to create designs that enrich our world. With over 150 professionals, we are headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland with offices in Washington, DC and Tempe, Arizona.

Position Overview

The Senior Campus Planner/Project Manager works in close partnership with the Principal-in-Charge to lead the strategy, design direction, and execution of complex campus planning engagements, primarily for higher education clients. This role provides day-to-day leadership for multiple concurrent projects, guiding interdisciplinary teams to deliver integrated, forward-looking planning solutions.

Projects span planning, architecture, landscape architecture, and graphic design, and include comprehensive campus master plans, academic medical center plans, district and precinct plans, academic/research and student life facility plans, and space-type-specific studies. The Senior Campus Planner/Project Manager translates institutional goals into clear planning vision, ensuring alignment between strategy, design intent, project delivery, and implementation frameworks. In addition to project leadership, this individual contributes to client development and thought leadership efforts, helping to position the firm through strong client relationships, compelling presentations, and strategic insight.

Responsibilities

• Lead interdisciplinary teams in the delivery of campus planning engagements, including comprehensive master plans, district and precinct plans, space programming, feasibility studies, and urban design initiatives at multiple scales.
• Serve as Project Manager for assigned projects, establishing work plans, schedules, and budgets; managing financial performance and billing; coordinating internal and external consultant teams; and serving as the primary day-to-day client liaison.
• Guide project strategy and design direction, translating institutional goals into a clear vision for the physical environment and leading the team in executing that vision through rigorous analysis, strategy, design thinking, and compelling project content.
• Develop and articulate a clear project narrative that translates complex planning analysis into compelling, actionable vision and content.
• Lead the creation of compelling, high-quality presentations and deliverables—including written reports, planning diagrams, data visualizations, and graphic materials—that effectively convey complex ideas to diverse stakeholder groups.
• Maintain strong client relationships through proactive communication, expectation management, and timely resolution of issues, fostering trust and long-term partnerships.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the planning and design process and adapt workflows to meet client-specific governance, decision-making, and stakeholder engagement structures.
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies and data-driven tools that shape institutional strategy and planning practice, integrating relevant advancements into project delivery and firm processes where appropriate.
• Supervise, direct, and evaluate work developed by project team members to ensure design excellence, technical rigor, and consistency with project objectives.
• Mentor and support staff development, contributing to performance feedback and fostering a collaborative design and data centric studio culture.
• Contribute to business development and thought leadership efforts, including cultivating client relationships, supporting proposal and interview preparation, participating in industry engagement activities, and representing the firm through writing, speaking, and strategic insight.
• Demonstrate interest and experience in higher education, health sciences and academic medical centers, cultural institutions, and/or cities, as well as the opportunities and challenges they face.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressively responsible leadership roles with design-based planning experience preferably on projects focused on Higher Education. Experience working in a multi-disciplinary firm is a plus.
• Bachelor’s (required) or Master’s (preferred) degree in combination of Architecture (preferred), Landscape Architecture, and/or Urban Design.
• Licensed professional Architect and/or Certified Planner (AICP)
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office (Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Strong working knowledge of Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign). Proficiency preferred.
• Understanding of the capabilities of AutoCAD, GIS, Sketchup, Rhino, rendering software, and online engagement tools.
• Familiarity with Deltek Vantagepoint preferred.

Why work at Ayers Saint Gross?

• We are a design driven firm working with exceptional clients
• We are an employee-owned company, with over 100 years of design excellence
• We encourage our employees to pursue local and professional advocacy groups
• We provide the opportunity to help with pro-bono initiatives that brings Architecture to the community
• We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including a 401(k) and ESOP

The salary range for this position is $90,000-120,000 annually. The actual offered salary for this position will vary depending on multiple factors including the candidate’s qualification, education, position knowledge, work experience, skills, ability, work location, and internal incumbent compensation for similar roles. We do not anticipate individuals hired into this position will start at or near the top half of the range listed; the decision will be based on each individual case. The salary range listed above does not include other compensation elements such as discretionary bonus opportunities, employee stock ownership grants, paid time off, medical insurance, and other wage and benefit opportunities.

Ayers Saint Gross is a respected leader in the community offering comprehensive benefits and a highly energized work environment. For additional information and to apply online, please visit our website at www.ayerssaintgross.com

Ayers Saint Gross is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment based on merit, performance, and business needs without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Ayers Saint Gross is committed to providing accessible employment; specific physical and mental requirements for this position may be provided upon request. Please contact info@ayerssaintgross.com for additional information.