Salary: $61.90 - $92.84 Hourly
Location : Seattle, WA
Job Type: Civil Service Exempt, Regular, Full-time
Job Number:
Department: Seattle Center
Opening Date: 05/07/2026

Position Description

As a department of the City of Seattle and anchor of the Uptown Arts and Cultural District, Seattle Center serves residents from across the Puget Sound region alongside visitors from around the world.

In partnership with Friends of Waterfront Park, Seattle Center provides operations, maintenance, and public safety services for Waterfront Park, while Friends leads park experience, programming, and stewardship along Seattle's downtown waterfront.

With the launch of the Seattle Center Strategic Vision and 10-Year Action Plan, Seattle Center is at a pivotal moment. Among the initiatives of the Action Plan is a bold reinvestment in Seattle Center's public spaces, for which the Planning and Capital Development team will be leading. We are simultaneously hiring both a Planning and Design Manager (PDM) and a Design and Construction Manager (DCM) while preparing to plan and execute a major capital program. The Planning and Design Manager and Design and Construction Manager will work closely with the Director of Planning and Capital Development to lead these efforts. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply for both positions.

About this position:

We are seeking a Planning and Design Manager (PDM) who can manage Seattle Center's master planning efforts, oversee the Center's real estate portfolio, and support the development and execution of a potential major capital program. This position reports to the Director of Planning and Capital Development.

The PDM will be responsible for management of campus planning efforts and stewardship of the existing 2008 Seattle Center Century 21 Master Plan. They will represent and advocate for Seattle Center in a variety of city planning forums, including in City Planning Initiatives. They will manage Seattle Center's transportation planning efforts and relationships with transportation agencies and partners.

The PDM will work closely with the DCM to support execution of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and participate in strategic decisions on capital priorities and funding strategies.

The position oversees planning staff and works closely with a number of key Seattle Center staff, tenants, and stakeholders. The PDM is expected to provide expert consultation and mentorship to project managers and planning staff.

This position will hold and oversee relationships with major stakeholders on and off campus, including campus tenants and community groups. The PDM will represent Seattle Center and its capital projects in various public venues, including before the Seattle Design Commission, Department of Construction and Inspections, and Landmarks Preservation Board among others.

This position involves assignments that are highly complex and sensitive in nature. Substantial judgment and initiative will be essential to the success of the projects managed by this position.

Job Responsibilities
Here is more of what you will be doing:

• Serve as a technical resource to the Director of Planning and Capital Development on complex technical issues related to project management, funding, value engineering, contracting, sustainability, planning, land use issues, permitting, design, and construction management
• Oversee planning, design, permitting, procurement, and construction of capital projects and programs
• Oversee staff preparation and maintenance of project schedules, budgets, and quality control performance objectives
• Oversee project management workload and provide leadership with portfolio delivery plans
• Provide guidance to project managers and planning and professional staff. Coach and mentor, manage performance, and ensure training of staff for professional growth and development and succession planning
• Collaborate and cooperate with other divisions to advance strategic capital planning and asset preservation and integrate owner requirements from multiple lines of business into the design and construction of capital programs and project delivery
• Initiate, lead, support and communicate Division improvements including process improvements, contracting approaches, permitting and code updates, etc.
• Communicate project scope, schedule, changes and budget status to partners including Department, City and external stakeholders
• Monitor portfolio delivery with Division Director to aid in programming and budget decisions
• Develop and implement strategies with partners to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget
• Negotiate consultant and construction contract terms and resolve complex change orders
• Provide recommendations and draft communication to the Division Director on all planning, capital development, project related matters as well as respond to inquiries from other divisions and City departments
• Support and administer various policies such as the City's green building and sustainability initiatives
• Support and administer a potential major, muti-year capital program impacting the entire Seattle Center campus
• Work effectively in and with a multi-cultural workplace and stakeholder base, with an emphasis on living the Seattle Center's Employee Rights and Responsibilities and fostering communication for cooperation, collaboration, inclusiveness, and anti-racism and pluralism
• Perform other duties as assigned

Note: This job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain the comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change as conditions require.

Qualifications
Experience:

• Progressive years of increasingly independent and responsible experience in planning or project management
• Professional Degree in Architecture, Urban Design, Planning, Real Estate, Construction Management, Engineering, or related field and/or combination of education, training, and work experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform duties
• A dedication to inclusion and belonging in the workplace and in public service

The most successful candidates will possess the following:

• Experience overseeing planning staff, stewarding existing master plans, and managing initiatives to update master plans
• Experience representing and advocating for public entities at a variety of city planning forums and other public venues
• Experience with public transportation efforts
• Experience holding and managing major stakeholder relationships
• Experience managing and overseeing diverse real estate portfolios, particularly those with commercial and nonprofit tenants and uses
• Strong history of successful delivery of capital planning and facility projects
• Experience in public sector development
• Strong history of strategic and proactive risk management
• Experience working in a capital delivery environment and being responsible for administering, monitoring, and reporting on projects
• Experience directing project staff in the execution of projects and public works construction in the public sector
• Experience in building relationships in a matrixed environment for effective team performance
• Experience leading diverse teams and balancing competing priorities
• Experience managing and addressing property and real estate issues
• Experience establishing annual, five-year, and long-range Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budgets, particularly those that utilize numerous funding sources such as bonds, grants, and Real Estate Excise Tax (REET)
• Experience working with grants and grant agencies including Federal, State and private
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, experience distilling technical details into accessible information for a wide range of stakeholders and constituencies
• Licenses or certifications related to professional degree or experience are preferred but not required
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Microsoft Project, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams), CAD and Bluebeam

Work Environment/Conditions:

• Work is performed in an office environment. Hybrid work arrangements will be considered, but the Planning and Capital Development office is open to the public, other Seattle Center divisions, and campus partners during regular work hours, and in-person work will be required.

Additional Information
The full salary range for this position is $61.90- $92.84 per hour.

How to Apply:

This posting will be open until filled. The first review will take place on May 29, 2026.

To be considered for this position, in addition to completing your application fully, please attach:

• A PDF of your current resume
• Cover Letter

*** You must submit both a resume and cover letter. If you do not submit these documents, your application will not be considered. Please ensure that BOTH documents have successfully been uploaded before submitting your application. ***

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To align with our commitment to equity and the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative, Seattle Center is collecting cover letters and resumes without personal identifiers to achieve a blind screening process.


01

How many years of experience do you have managing teams of professional planning staff?

• I have no experience
• Less than 1 year
• Between 1 and 3 years
• Between 3 and 4 years
• More than 4 years

02

How many years of experience do you have successfully managing complex planning efforts?

• I have no experience
• Less than 1 year
• Betwwn 1 and 3 years
• Between 3 and 4 years
• More than 4 years

03

Please provide an example of a complex planning or design challenge where you had to balance project priorities, budget considerations, and the needs of various constituencies.
04

Please describe your experience working collaboratively in an organization and what you consider to be the greatest strengths you bring to that work environment.
05

Please describe your experience and/or education in planning and design that you believe prepares you for this role.
Required Question