Design Associate
Alta Planning + Design
Professional Area:
Landscape Architecture
Contact person:
Rachel Tomey
Phone:
5032309862
Email:
Racheltomey@altaplanning.com
Location:
Oakland, CA
Design Associate (Oakland, CA)
Alta Planning + Design, Inc. is an international consulting firm with a mission to create active communities. We plan, design, and implement infrastructure and programs that improve community and individual health, safety, mobility, and livability, such as bicycle, pedestrian, trail, park, greenway, and roadway planning, design, and implementation, as well as outreach and education.
OVERVIEW
This role is responsible for supporting and maintaining client and partner relationships, ensuring successful project delivery, contributing to the growth of an office within his or her local market or region and leading and growing Alta’s team members to become well-rounded and technically proficient contributors to Alta’s success.
POSITION PRIORITIES
An understanding and knowledge of Alta, its culture and services, the ability to collaborate across discipline boundaries and deliver solutions which meet client expectations in a cost-effective manner is required in order to successfully meet the requirements of this position.
The essential priorities of this exempt, salaried position are to:
- Nurture and grow client and industry partner relationships and secure work in support of Alta’s growth goals.
- Enhance Alta’s reputation as a trusted advisor and expert by educating clients and other relevant parties, supporting solutions which will meet their business objectives.
- Appropriately manage large, complex projects in a budget-conscious and time-sensitive manner.
- Manage potentially large groups of staff.
RESPONSIBILITIES & TASKS
Additional responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:
- Contributing to the development of proposals, statements of work, contract addenda, and scope changes; may include presenting proposals to clients and negotiating the final deliverables and costs.
- Identifying engagement goals and objectives leading the client and internal teams ensuring any risks to deliverable are property managed.
- Communicating desired outcomes; advocating for the client and managing expectations.
- Creating and maintaining project schedules.
- Monitoring scope changes, securing necessary approval and implementing change orders.
- Communicating the status of project deliverables to clients in a timely and effective manner.
- Administering the project including scheduling meetings, developing agendas, and project documentation, coordinating internal project meetings, ensuring timely delivery and managing resources.
- Managing and mentoring staff, providing feedback and professional development in a timely and effective manner; hiring and terminating staff as appropriate.
- Contributing to Alta’s internal Professional Development programs by developing and presenting material.
- Developing, implementing and maintaining annual strategic plans (“SPROCKET” plans).
- May include oversight of daily office administrative functions for a local office.
REQUIREMENTS
This position requires a combination of skills, experience and education including, but not limited to:
- Passion for active living and non-motorized transportation.
- Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture, Architecture or related field of study.
- Eight (8) or more years of experience in a consulting environment or public entity; three (3) or more years as a Project Manager; three (3) or more years managing staff.
- Experience in the field of active, non-motorized transportation.
- Demonstrated understanding of street and trail design principles and a general understanding of project management principles, methods and techniques.
- In-depth knowledge of NACTO, MUTCD, ADA, and relevant state DOT design requirements.
- In-depth knowledge of the principles of site grading and general construction techniques.
- Ability to create photo-renderings, concept sketches, construction drawings and other similar materials for use in proposals and project deliverables.
- Ability to effectively read, understand and utilize technical drawings, maps and other similar documents.
- Ability to guide staff members and manage internal team expectations.
- Exhibits strong initiative and ability to capitalize on opportunities to enhance Alta’s position in the marketplace.
- Ability to manage competing priorities, multiple simultaneous projects involving cross-functional project teams within budgetary and schedule constraints.
- Strong initiative and the ability to work independently with little or no supervision.
- Ability and willingness to travel.
- Excellent professional ethics, leadership skills, accountability, and decision-making capabilities.
- Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication, and analytic skills.
- Good presentation skills.
- Proficient in MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint, AutoCAD, or similar products.
- Proficiency in an enterprise-wide resource planning and project management tool.
PREFERRED SKILLS & CERTIFICATIONS
There are a number of additional skills, experience and education that would be beneficial to this position including, but not limited to:
- Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture, Architecture or related field of study.
- Experience managing large projects for both private and public clients.
- Experience writing and/or presenting white papers and/or providing expert level presentations at conferences and other events promoting the field of sustainable infrastructure and active, non-motorized transportation.
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Civil 3D, Photoshop, ArcGIS, SketchUp, GoogleEarth GIS, or similar products.
- Experience using Deltek Vision.
- Active participation in industry-relevant professional associations and committees.
- ASLA Certification.
REPORTING STRUCTURE
Reports to: Principal in charge of the design discipline.
Manages: May manage one or more design discipline employees who are less senior in experience.
RELEVANT TITLES
Design Associate | Associate Designer | Project Manager | Design Project Manager | Group Leader
DISCLAIMER
This job description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required of an Associate – Group Leader. Additional duties or responsibilities may be assigned from time to time.
Please apply via the link below and upload resume, portfolio and other related documents. No phone calls, please.