Innovative Planning Solutions Inc. (IPS) is seeking an experienced Associate / Team Lead to join in a full-time capacity at our Vaughan, ON office. You will play a key leadership role within the firm. This is an excellent opportunity for a senior planning professional who is ready to take on a leadership role, manage complex files, mentor staff, and help drive business development and strategic growth within a well-established, multi-disciplinary consulting firm.

You will work closely with IPS staff, clients, consultants, municipal staff, and external agencies to help deliver successful outcomes on a wide variety of development planning projects.

Who You Are

You are a strategic, practical, and confident planning professional who enjoys leading staff & projects, mentoring others, and working collaboratively in a team environment. You are client-focused, solutions-oriented, and comfortable balancing technical excellence with leadership and business development responsibilities.

You are looking for an opportunity to play a meaningful role in the continued growth of a respected Ontario planning firm while helping to shape communities across the Province.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with team leadership, resource planning, workload coordination, and ongoing staff development
• Mentor, coach, and support planners and other staff to build technical capability, confidence, and professional growth
• Participate in management discussions related to project status, business development, operational priorities, and long-term strategic goals
• Support business development through client relationship management, networking, and identifying new opportunities
• Provide strategic planning advice related to land use feasibility, development approvals, and property acquisition opportunities
• Manage project scope, budgets, schedules, deliverables, and client expectations across multiple concurrent files
• Act as a primary point of contact for clients, municipal staff, agencies, and consultant teams throughout the approvals process
• Prepare proposals, fee estimates, work plans, and budgets for prospective and ongoing projects
• Lead or contribute to long-range planning assignments
• Represent clients at public meetings, Committee and Council meetings, community consultations, and Ontario Land Tribunal proceedings
• Prepare for and provide expert witness testimony at Ontario Land Tribunal hearings, where applicable

Qualifications

• The ideal candidate will bring a combination of strong technical planning expertise, leadership skills, project management capability, and business development potential
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Urban Planning or a related discipline from an accredited university
• Registered Professional Planner (RPP) of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) and a Full Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners
• Minimum 7+ years of relevant professional planning experience, preferably in consulting or a fast-paced development environment
• Strong working knowledge of Ontario’s land use planning framework, including the Planning Act, Provincial Plans, Regional/County policy, and Municipal Official Plans and Zoning By-laws
• Demonstrated experience managing complex development applications through the approvals process
• Excellent report writing, analytical, communication, organizational, and time management skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines with a high degree of professionalism and attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with internal staff, clients, municipal staff, agencies, consultants, and the public
• Valid Class G driver’s licence

Preferred Qualifications / Assets

• Previous experience mentoring or supervising staff
• Experience preparing and delivering expert witness evidence at the Ontario Land Tribunal
• Established professional network within the development, municipal, or consulting sectors
• Business development experience, including preparing proposals and cultivating client relationships