Position: Urban and Regional Planner
Who we are: A group of attorneys, planners, project managers, paralegals and admin staff all working together to get things done for our clients. To get it done, we offer experience, creative solutions, and the benefit of key relationships, responsiveness, hard work, speed and unmatched dedication. There are no big egos walking around, no complex hierarchical models, no weak links. We work, laugh, celebrate, and drive this ship together to help our clients win. A side effect is success so the number of people who give us the honor of working for them grows and we are looking to add to the team. We have awards, press coverage and recognitions galore, but it’s the Best Places to Work award and stellar testimonials from clients that we want to keep getting because those are the real indicators that we’re doing something right.
Who we’re not looking for: Resume builders, mean people, that friend you don’t like to invite to new places because they always rub people the wrong way or the person who sits in the corner head down trying not to be noticed. We also don’t want anyone who says “it’s good enough”. Anyone who is always right.
Who we are looking for: More than the usual creative thinking, self-directed, team playing, problem solver with experience and good communication skills blah blah blah. Those are the basics to even be in the game. We are looking for someone who goes way beyond that and will help us win. Do you look at things and think “I can do that”? Do you regularly help friends solve their problems because…well…you just automatically do it? Do they come to you for help? Were you bored in school? There’s no set path that would make you perfect for this position (or any other for that matter) but here are some of the things you can count on doing.
1. Using tools like Photoshop, Powerpoint, video editing software, etc. to create exhibits, presentations, documents, and many other graphics that will help convey messages, make strong arguments and drive messages home. This doesn’t mean oversee someone who does the actual clicking or contract it out. This means you doing it. We’re doing it too. Does this mean you have to be a trained graphic designer? Nope. Does this mean you need to even currently know how to use these programs? Nope, but if you don’t, you will certainly need to be confident in and capable of getting well versed very fast – that’s exactly the kind of thing we’re looking for. Hopefully it goes without saying that you need to know your way around the Microsoft Office suite and that thing called the internet.
2. Creating planning documents used in the development process of small and large residential and commercial projects as well as master planned communities and private permits, variances, etc. in counties and municipalities across Arizona. These will include narratives, application forms, and correspondence. This is one of the most important areas where knowing how it is currently done, supposed be done, and can be done better helps us be successful for our clients.
3. Researching and researching and researching then writing it all up in a way that is concise, accurate, and easy for others to consume. Often, final solutions come down to someone finding that one obscure bit of a code or document from a million years ago. You will be researching to find things, not find out they aren’t there. You will be researching to find background information. You will be researching for due diligence purposes. The research will matter. Big time.
4. Working closely with staff and elected officials in counties and municipalities to move projects forward. We work with staff and elected officials and have no interest in having someone join our team who believes the person in the room shouting the loudest wins. Neither are we looking for someone who thinks compromise is when both parties are equally unhappy. We like the win-wins.
5. Get out and work with the community. This may be walking door to door, hosting neighborhood meetings, or visiting one on one with property owners and residents to explain a project to its neighbors. This is a hugely important part of this position, not necessarily because it is what you will spend your time doing but because we planners and project managers are often the front line in working with interested parties and their opposition/support seriously impacts projects.
6. Making sure projects and teams are moving in the right direction. This doesn’t mean you will be the boss and tell people what to do. Just like group projects in college, everyone is on the same level and you need to be able to lead by inspiration, example, and diplomacy as well as listen to others and be inspired. The word “team” is used loosely because this is the real world where everyone has their interests and motives – ours is always to get it done for the client. Teams can include any combination of colleagues in the office, outside consultants, clients, clients’ staff, elected officials, general stakeholders, lenders, city staff, and neighbors.
7. Eleven. Helping us stay at an eleven on a scale of one to ten. No one is only good at literally just one thing. You are hopefully a well-rounded person who will bring skills and perspectives that will help us do things better than we do them now. One of the best things about this job is that you will be doing much more than just what is on this list. You might be going to a remote Arizona town one day, assisting at a Phoenix City Council hearing the next day, and diving into making the most incredible presentation for three days straight after that. It will always be interesting. It is always very fast paced.
If you’re still reading and thinking this could be great, then you might be right. It’s not all serious and intense. We play water wars in the office. We accept Bitcoin. We promote the heck out of each other. We have monthly Friday Fun Days that have included the gun range, spa day, ATVs in the Four Peaks area, happy hour, glass blowing and much more. Your ideas for fun are welcome. We encourage and support you getting active in the community, your industry, and your interests. Around the office you can almost always hear someone laughing, just heard someone laughing, or are about to hear someone laughing. Still interested? Send a resume. Or, just get in touch directly with something interesting to say. We are excited to meet the right person for the job!
If interested, please send your resume to Hopi Slaughter hslaughter@roselawgroup.com
