Planner

Company Description RSP designs custom strategic initiatives to help educational institutions better support the children they serve. The firm works closely with district teams, educators, community members, government organizations, and developers to turn a shared vision for education into practical, achievable plans. As full-service planning consultants, RSP partners with clients through every phase of the process, from data collection to decision making.

Using reliable forecasting methods and advanced technologies, the team has achieved over 97% accuracy in its enrollment projection work, providing districts with greater confidence in long-term planning. These insights help school districts understand how changes in enrollment, facility performance, and local economic development affect their ability to deliver high-quality education.

RSP - PLANNER JOB DESCRIPTION

About the Role

RSP is seeking a Planner for a full-time, on-site position in Overland Park, Kansas. They need to be ready to expand their planning toolbox and grow toward greater project and client responsibility. This position combines analytical and GIS skills with developing communication, judgment, facilitation, and project-management capabilities. The Planner supports school district planning projects through data collection and analysis, GIS investigation, research, project coordination, presentation development, client communication, and public facilitation.

The ideal candidate has demonstrated the core skills needed to become a strong planner and is ready to broaden how those skills are applied. They are curious, organized, service-oriented, and able to move beyond producing data or maps to identify patterns, raise thoughtful questions, and begin connecting information to planning implications. Working with Senior Planners and other RSP team members, this role provides increasing opportunities to interpret findings, communicate with clients and communities, and take ownership of defined portions of projects.

HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE

Communication & Facilitation

• Communicate planning information clearly in writing, conversation, presentations, and visual materials, continuing to develop the ability to adjust the message and level of detail for different audiences.

• Participate in Board of Education meetings, committees, community forums, workshops, and public input sessions; grow from supporting facilitation toward leading defined portions of meetings and presentations.

• Listen actively, ask thoughtful questions, and contribute to productive conversations with clients, community members, developers, government staff, and team members.

• Develop presentation and engagement content using PowerPoint and public engagement platforms, translating project data, GIS analysis, and planning concepts into clear visual materials for Senior Planner review and finalization.

• Develop the ability to turn data and analysis into meaningful narratives that explain what the information means, why it matters, and the questions or decisions it may inform.

Analytical & Critical Thinking

• Collect, organize, and analyze demographic, enrollment, development, land use, Census, live birth, building permit, certificate of occupancy, and other project-specific data using established RSP methods.

• Look beyond the numbers to identify patterns, relationships, inconsistencies, and emerging issues; raise questions when information does not align with expectations.

• Conduct research and analysis based on project needs and client questions, identify meaningful findings, and work with Senior Planners to translate those findings into planning considerations and recommendations.

• Build professional judgment by supporting demographic, enrollment, boundary, facility, and long-range planning projects of increasing complexity.

Project & Priority Management

• Manage assigned work and defined project components across multiple projects while maintaining momentum, organization, attention to detail, and accountability for deadlines and commitments.

• Coordinate meetings, prepare materials, maintain project documentation, and complete timely follow-up with clients, government staff, developers, vendors, and team members.

• Develop the ability to anticipate next steps, identify potential issues, and communicate when priorities, information, or timelines may affect project outcomes.

• Take ownership of assigned project deliverables, including presentation materials, maps, data summaries, and engagement content, producing work that is accurate, organized, and ready for Senior Planner review, refinement, and finalization.

• Take increasing ownership of project components while learning how scope, schedule, analysis, communication, and client expectations connect across the full planning process.

GIS & Technical Capability

• Use Esri ArcGIS Pro as an analytical planning tool for spatial analysis, data management, mapping, and project support, with the expectation of continuing to expand technical depth.

• Connect geographic information with demographic, development, enrollment, facility, and other planning data to identify relationships and support project analysis.

• Develop accurate, clear, and visually effective maps and graphics that help clients and communities understand complex information.

• Build a broader planning toolbox by learning when and how GIS, data, research, visualization, and other analytical methods should be combined to answer a planning question.

Collaboration, Character & Service

• Approach clients, community members, and colleagues with integrity, sound judgment, accountability, professionalism, and a friendly, service-oriented personality.

• Work collaboratively across the RSP team, willingly sharing knowledge, context, and project information while also seeking guidance when experience or project complexity warrants it.

• Support teammates when priorities require additional help and focus on the success of the client and team rather than only individual assignments.

• Demonstrate increasing confidence and ownership while remaining receptive to feedback, coaching, and different perspectives.

Learning Agility & Context Retention

• Learn new information, tools, processes, and project context quickly and apply that knowledge to future work with decreasing levels of direction.

• Retain important details from prior conversations, decisions, commitments, and analyses so assigned work remains connected and consistent over time.

• Begin connecting information across projects and experiences, using prior knowledge to recognize implications, anticipate questions, and strengthen analysis.

• Use feedback and experience to expand professional judgment and demonstrate continued progress toward the broader responsibilities expected of a Senior Planner.

Technology & Software

Working proficiency with Esri ArcGIS Pro is expected. The Planner should bring a solid technical foundation and a demonstrated ability to learn new tools; RSP will provide training on firm-specific methods, applications, datasets, and workflows.

• GIS & Spatial Analysis: Esri ArcGIS Pro; Business Analyst

• Presentation & Visual Communication: Microsoft PowerPoint

• Data & Documents: Microsoft Excel; Word

• Public Engagement: Social Pinpoint, Mentimeter, Poll Everywhere, or similar platforms—and, of course, dots

• Project Management & Collaboration: Asana; Microsoft Teams

Experience & Qualifications

• 3 years of relevant professional experience in planning, GIS, demographic analysis, community development, school planning, or a related field. Candidates with additional experience are encouraged to apply when their capabilities and professional goals align with the responsibilities of this position.
• Demonstrated experience using Esri ArcGIS Pro for analysis and mapping.
• Evidence of strong written and verbal communication, analytical thinking, organization, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience participating in client, public, committee, or community meetings is preferred; demonstrated interest and ability to grow into greater facilitation and presentation responsibility is expected.
• AICP certification is preferred but not required.
• Progression in this role is based on demonstrated growth in professional judgment, client communication, project ownership, analytical interpretation, and the ability to independently apply the RSP planning toolbox—not simply years of service.

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $70,000–$82,000, commensurate with experience, qualifications, and demonstrated capabilities.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who enjoys the intersection of planning, data, GIS, people, and visual communication and is ready for the next stage of professional growth. The right candidate has a strong foundation, is curious and analytical, and wants to expand from completing assigned analysis into understanding how the pieces connect and what they mean for a client.

They are approachable, collaborative, comfortable taking ownership of their work, and motivated to build the judgment, communication, facilitation, and project leadership capabilities needed to grow toward a Senior Planner role. Success at this level means producing accurate work, recognizing what deserves a closer look, asking the right questions, and steadily increasing the ability to help others understand what the information means and how it can support better decisions.

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who is a good person, enjoys working with others, is curious about the communities we serve, and wants to grow alongside a team that takes pride in doing meaningful work together.