Senior Associate Planner

Company: Alta Planning + Design
Location: Baltimore
Posted on: February 16, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Description Alta is looking for a Senior Associate Planner to join, lead, and help grow our Planning team in our Baltimore, MD office. This is a unique opportunity for someone who wants to manage a great team of professionals, and who is passionate about active, multimodal, and sustainable transportation and the way it positively impacts our communities in need. If you are looking for an innovative organization and do work that connects people to places while advancing social justice, safety, and environmental resilience, apply with Alta today! About Alta Alta was founded in 1996 when communities were calling for safer streets for people walking and bicycling as the non-motorized transportation movement developed in North America. Alta pioneered the field of active transportation, evolving our planning and design work into a visionary practice that empowers people to live active, healthy lives and get them where they need to go. With staff located across the US and Canada, Alta has evolved its practice into a forward-thinking sustainable transportation company. Alta works to mitigate climate change and advance safety and social justice through sustainable mobility. We connect people to places by providing solutions across the disciplines of planning, design, engineering, education and encouragement programs, and community engagement. Day to Day The selected candidate would be our Baltimore Planning team leader, working closely with our East Coast and Planning Practice Area leadership teams to identify project opportunities, leading our most important projects, and mentoring our Baltimore Planning team and engineers. This leadership position will play an instrumental role in growing our Mid-Atlantic practice and in collaborating with the East Coast and national Planning teams. The selected candidate will lead project teams to deliver the most innovative active, multimodal, and sustainable transportation and trail projects in the Mid-Atlantic. Project types include safety action plans, active transportation plans, trail studies, municipal planning, corridor charrettes, and grant writing. Key aspects of this role include balancing workload within the Baltimore-based team and the greater Planning group, overseeing project delivery, and coordinating with other staff across the country to provide our clients with high-quality deliverables that meet scopes and budgets. Qualifications Required This position requires a combination of skills, experience and education including, but not limited to Bachelor’s degree in Planning or a related field of study. 12 years of experience in a consulting environment or public entity managing large projects; 3 years of experience as a Project Manager; 3 years managing staff. Experience in the field of active, non-motorized transportation. Demonstrated understanding of the planning process and a detailed understanding of project management principles, methods and techniques. Proven ability to guide staff members and manage internal team expectations. Exhibits strong initiative and the ability to capitalize on opportunities to enhance Alta’s position in the marketplace. Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, and multiple simultaneous projects involving cross-functional project teams within budgetary and schedule constraints. Experience writing and 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. Ability and willingness to travel. Excellent professional ethics, leadership skills, accountability, and decision-making capabilities. Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication, presentation, and analytic skills. Proficient in MS Excel, Word, Adobe Creative Suite, ESRI Arc GIS, or similar products. Proficiency in an enterprise-wide resource planning and project management tool. 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 Urban Planning or a related field of study Experience using Deltek VantagePoint What We Offer Flexible Schedule Alta offers a flexible, hybrid work schedule where most employees work from home three days per week. In-office days support our collaborative culture, one of our core values. Our Baltimore office is located in the historic Fell’s Point neighborhood, about one block from Broadway Pier. The area around our office is very walkable, and our office is easily accessible by bike, transit, or water taxi. Compensation The pay range for this job in Baltimore is $130,000-$170,000 annually. Placement within the range is based upon experience, skill-sets, and qualifications. Benefits Alta offers comprehensive benefits to all full-time employees: Medical : PPO or HSA medical plans Dental/Vision : PPO Life Insurance : Alta pays 100% of the premium for life and AD&D, equal to your base compensation 401(k) : Alta provides a match up to 3% PTO : 21 days accrued annually to start Holidays : 11 total company paid holidays Paid Parental Leave/Short-Term Disability Additional Benefits : Wellness reimbursement up to $800 annually, Alta Gets Around benefit of up to $900 annually, 5-year travel award, and professional development opportunities LI-CL1

Keywords: Alta Planning + Design, Burke , Senior Associate Planner, Engineering , Baltimore, Virginia