Demo

Community Planning & Design Manager

American Planning Association - Wisconsin Chapter
Wilmington, NC Full Time
POSTED ON 7/18/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 8/16/2026
Career Center

  • Job Seekers
    • View All Jobs
    • Launching Your Career
  • Employers
  • Advance Your Career
  • Choosing the Planning Profession
  • Mentoring at APA
  • Consultants / RFP-RFQ
  • 2025 Planners' Salary and Benefits Survey
  • Home
  • Career Center
  • Job Seekers
  • Jobs Search
Employer? Post a Job Now

Community Planning & Design Manager

City of Wilmington

Wilmington, NC United States

How to Apply

URL: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/wilmingtonnc/jobs/5414229/community-planning-design-manager?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs

Job Description

Help Shape the Future of Our City!

As Community Planning and Design Manager, you will lead the development of plans, policies, and strategies that guide thoughtful growth and development. This role brings together project leadership, community engagement, policy interpretation, and collaboration with stakeholders to turn vision into action. From managing key initiatives and guiding cross-functional teams to presenting ideas and recommendations to decision-makers, this position plays a vital role in how our city grows and evolves.

Current And Upcoming Initiatives Include:

  • Master planning for a downtown riverfront district that is home to our new City Hall, the Wilmington Convention Center, Cape Fear Community College, Live Oak Bank Pavilion amphitheater, and over 22 acres of vacant or underused land.
  • Implementation of the recently adopted Greater Downtown Plan, in which the community established their priorities for the future of the 18 neighborhoods that were part of the city in 1945 and an action plan to bring that vision to life.
  • Updating the Create Wilmington Comprehensive Plan to address the opportunites and challenges that come with being a growing coastal city.

Note: This position will remain open until filled with first application review taking place July 31, 2029.

What You'll Lead And Influence

  • Drive transformational planning efforts including comprehensive plans, corridor studies, neighborhood and small-area plans, and major policy initiatives that guide long-term city growth.
  • Shape community vision by coordinating with residents, stakeholders, elected officials, and local, state, and federal partners to bring big ideas to life.
  • Champion meaningful public engagement by designing and leading outreach strategies that ensure community voices are heard, valued, and reflected in city decisions.
  • Influence design and development outcomes through urban design leadership, design review, and strategic identification of funding and grant opportunities.
  • Guide key development decisions by managing the full lifecycle of legislative entitlement reviews—from applicant collaboration and policy analysis to final recommendations.
  • Help prioritize city investments by identifying infrastructure needs and aligning planning efforts with community goals and long-term priorities.
  • Lead and develop high-performing teams by mentoring planning and urban design staff, setting clear priorities, and fostering professional growth and excellence.
  • Improve how we work by developing streamlined workflows, modernized procedures, and strong records management practices that support efficiency and accountability.
  • Support influential boards and commissions by preparing agendas, facilitating discussions, and providing trusted technical expertise that informs major decisions.
  • Shape policy and strategy by analyzing trends, monitoring legislation, and translating complex data into clear, actionable planning direction.
  • Serve as a trusted resource to residents, applicants, and partner agencies by making planning information clear, accessible, and easy to navigate.
  • Lead impactful consultant projects by defining scopes, selecting partners, and ensuring projects deliver high-quality results on time and on budget.
  • Turn data into insight through maps, metrics, and visual tools that inform smarter planning and better decisions.
  • Enhance public communication by ensuring planning information is transparent, engaging, and widely accessible across digital platforms.

Why This Role Matters

This is a highly visible, high-impact position where your work directly shapes how the community grows—physically, economically, and socially. You'll collaborate with a wide range of partners, lead meaningful projects, and help turn long-range vision into real-world results.

Qualifications

  • Education and Related Experience
    • Master's Degree in urban and regional planning, public administration, or a closely related field, and a minimum of five years of related experience, or a bachelor's degree in one of the above-listed fields and a minimum of seven years of related experience.
  • Supervisory Experience
    • Minimum 3 years of supervisory experience.
  • AICP Certification Required
Experience Level

AICP Level

Specialty

Salary Range

Experience Level

Mid II (4-8 years)

AICP Level

Required

Specialty

Comprehensive or Long-Range Planning

Salary Range

Hiring Range: $96,135-$122,572

Contact Information

Employer URL

http://www.wilmingtonnc.gov

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/cityofwilmington

Twitter

https://x.com/cityofwilm

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/cityofwilm

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@cityofwilmington

Career Center

  • Job Seekers
    • View All Jobs
    • Launching Your Career
  • Employers
  • Advance Your Career
  • Choosing the Planning Profession
  • Mentoring at APA
  • Consultants / RFP-RFQ
  • 2025 Planners' Salary and Benefits Survey
  • Home
  • Career Center
  • Job Seekers
  • Jobs Search
Employer? Post a Job Now

Community Planning & Design Manager

City of Wilmington

Wilmington, NC United States

How to Apply

URL: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/wilmingtonnc/jobs/5414229/community-planning-design-manager?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs

Current And Upcoming Initiatives Include:

  • Master planning for a downtown riverfront district that is home to our new City Hall, the Wilmington Convention Center, Cape Fear Community College, Live Oak Bank Pavilion amphitheater, and over 22 acres of vacant or underused land.
  • Implementation of the recently adopted Greater Downtown Plan, in which the community established their priorities for the future of the 18 neighborhoods that were part of the city in 1945 and an action plan to bring that vision to life.
  • Updating the Create Wilmington Comprehensive Plan to address the opportunites and challenges that come with being a growing coastal city.

Note: This position will remain open until filled with first application review taking place July 31, 2029.

What You'll Lead And Influence

  • Drive transformational planning efforts including comprehensive plans, corridor studies, neighborhood and small-area plans, and major policy initiatives that guide long-term city growth.
  • Shape community vision by coordinating with residents, stakeholders, elected officials, and local, state, and federal partners to bring big ideas to life.
  • Champion meaningful public engagement by designing and leading outreach strategies that ensure community voices are heard, valued, and reflected in city decisions.
  • Influence design and development outcomes through urban design leadership, design review, and strategic identification of funding and grant opportunities.
  • Guide key development decisions by managing the full lifecycle of legislative entitlement reviews—from applicant collaboration and policy analysis to final recommendations.
  • Help prioritize city investments by identifying infrastructure needs and aligning planning efforts with community goals and long-term priorities.
  • Lead and develop high-performing teams by mentoring planning and urban design staff, setting clear priorities, and fostering professional growth and excellence.
  • Improve how we work by developing streamlined workflows, modernized procedures, and strong records management practices that support efficiency and accountability.
  • Support influential boards and commissions by preparing agendas, facilitating discussions, and providing trusted technical expertise that informs major decisions.
  • Shape policy and strategy by analyzing trends, monitoring legislation, and translating complex data into clear, actionable planning direction.
  • Serve as a trusted resource to residents, applicants, and partner agencies by making planning information clear, accessible, and easy to navigate.
  • Lead impactful consultant projects by defining scopes, selecting partners, and ensuring projects deliver high-quality results on time and on budget.
  • Turn data into insight through maps, metrics, and visual tools that inform smarter planning and better decisions.
  • Enhance public communication by ensuring planning information is transparent, engaging, and widely accessible across digital platforms.

Why This Role Matters

This is a highly visible, high-impact position where your work directly shapes how the community grows—physically, economically, and socially. You'll collaborate with a wide range of partners, lead meaningful projects, and help turn long-range vision into real-world results.

Qualifications

  • Education and Related Experience
    • Master's Degree in urban and regional planning, public administration, or a closely related field, and a minimum of five years of related experience, or a bachelor's degree in one of the above-listed fields and a minimum of seven years of related experience.
  • Supervisory Experience
    • Minimum 3 years of supervisory experience.
  • AICP Certification Required
Experience Level

AICP Level

Specialty

Salary Range

Experience Level

Mid II (4-8 years)

AICP Level

Required

Specialty

Comprehensive or Long-Range Planning

Salary Range

Hiring Range: $96,135-$122,572

Contact Information

Employer URL

http://www.wilmingtonnc.gov

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/cityofwilmington

Twitter

https://x.com/cityofwilm

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/cityofwilm

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@cityofwilmington

Current And Upcoming Initiatives Include:

  • Master planning for a downtown riverfront district that is home to our new City Hall, the Wilmington Convention Center, Cape Fear Community College, Live Oak Bank Pavilion amphitheater, and over 22 acres of vacant or underused land.
  • Implementation of the recently adopted Greater Downtown Plan, in which the community established their priorities for the future of the 18 neighborhoods that were part of the city in 1945 and an action plan to bring that vision to life.
  • Updating the Create Wilmington Comprehensive Plan to address the opportunites and challenges that come with being a growing coastal city.

Note: This position will remain open until filled with first application review taking place July 31, 2029.

What You'll Lead And Influence

  • Drive transformational planning efforts including comprehensive plans, corridor studies, neighborhood and small-area plans, and major policy initiatives that guide long-term city growth.
  • Shape community vision by coordinating with residents, stakeholders, elected officials, and local, state, and federal partners to bring big ideas to life.
  • Champion meaningful public engagement by designing and leading outreach strategies that ensure community voices are heard, valued, and reflected in city decisions.
  • Influence design and development outcomes through urban design leadership, design review, and strategic identification of funding and grant opportunities.
  • Guide key development decisions by managing the full lifecycle of legislative entitlement reviews—from applicant collaboration and policy analysis to final recommendations.
  • Help prioritize city investments by identifying infrastructure needs and aligning planning efforts with community goals and long-term priorities.
  • Lead and develop high-performing teams by mentoring planning and urban design staff, setting clear priorities, and fostering professional growth and excellence.
  • Improve how we work by developing streamlined workflows, modernized procedures, and strong records management practices that support efficiency and accountability.
  • Support influential boards and commissions by preparing agendas, facilitating discussions, and providing trusted technical expertise that informs major decisions.
  • Shape policy and strategy by analyzing trends, monitoring legislation, and translating complex data into clear, actionable planning direction.
  • Serve as a trusted resource to residents, applicants, and partner agencies by making planning information clear, accessible, and easy to navigate.
  • Lead impactful consultant projects by defining scopes, selecting partners, and ensuring projects deliver high-quality results on time and on budget.
  • Turn data into insight through maps, metrics, and visual tools that inform smarter planning and better decisions.
  • Enhance public communication by ensuring planning information is transparent, engaging, and widely accessible across digital platforms.

Why This Role Matters

This is a highly visible, high-impact position where your work directly shapes how the community grows—physically, economically, and socially. You'll collaborate with a wide range of partners, lead meaningful projects, and help turn long-range vision into real-world results.

Qualifications

  • Education and Related Experience
    • Master's Degree in urban and regional planning, public administration, or a closely related field, and a minimum of five years of related experience, or a bachelor's degree in one of the above-listed fields and a minimum of seven years of related experience.
  • Supervisory Experience
    • Minimum 3 years of supervisory experience.
  • AICP Certification Required

Salary : $96,135 - $122,572

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Community Planning & Design Manager?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Community Planning & Design Manager career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$109,870 - $156,672
Income Estimation: 
$161,248 - $229,612
Income Estimation: 
$168,483 - $235,038
Income Estimation: 
$150,677 - $386,065
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at American Planning Association - Wisconsin Chapter

  • American Planning Association - Wisconsin Chapter Midwest, OK
  • Career Center Job Seekers View All Jobs Launching Your Career Employers Advance Your Career Choosing the Planning Profession Mentoring at APA Consultants /... more
  • 3 Days Ago

  • American Planning Association - Wisconsin Chapter Sarasota, FL
  • Career Center Job Seekers View All Jobs Launching Your Career Employers Advance Your Career Choosing the Planning Profession Mentoring at APA Consultants /... more
  • 3 Days Ago

  • American Planning Association - Wisconsin Chapter Brooklyn, NY
  • Career Center Job Seekers View All Jobs Launching Your Career Employers Advance Your Career Choosing the Planning Profession Mentoring at APA Consultants /... more
  • 4 Days Ago

  • American Planning Association - Wisconsin Chapter Stowe, VT
  • Career Center Job Seekers View All Jobs Launching Your Career Employers Advance Your Career Choosing the Planning Profession Mentoring at APA Consultants /... more
  • 5 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Community Planning & Design Manager jobs in the Wilmington, NC area that may be a better fit.

  • City of Wilmington Wilmington, NC
  • Help Shape the Future of Our City! The Community Planning and Design Manager leads the development of plans, policies, and strategies that guide thoughtful... more
  • 3 Days Ago

  • City of Wilmington, NC Wilmington, NC
  • Help Shape the Future of Our City! The Community Planning and Design Manager leads the development of plans, policies, and strategies that guide thoughtful... more
  • 20 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!