Senior Project Manager - Municipal Planning (Onsite)

Consultant Santa Clara, California


Description

Senior Project Manager – Municipal Planning (Onsite)
 
KAI Partners, Inc. (KAIP) is currently seeking a Senior Project Manager – Municipal Planning & Development Systems will lead complex projects supporting city and county initiatives related to planning, housing, community development, and permitting modernization. This role will work closely with municipal planning departments, building divisions, housing authorities, and community development teams to improve development review processes and implement technology solutions that support city operations.
 
The Senior Project Manager will develop and manage project plans, oversee timelines and budgets, coordinate cross-functional stakeholders, and ensure successful delivery of initiatives that support municipal growth and housing development. The role requires strong collaboration with government leadership, technical teams, and community stakeholders while maintaining compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
 
Responsibilities  
  • Lead City and County projects focused on municipal planning, housing initiatives, permitting modernization, and community development programs.
  • Manage projects supporting planning departments, building departments, and housing authorities to improve development review and permitting operations.
  • Support the implementation, configuration, modernization, or optimization of municipal permitting and development management systems such as Accela, Bluebeam, Autodesk, or similar platforms.
  • Collaborate with technical teams, system administrators, and vendors to support system enhancements, integrations, and process improvements related to permitting and development management systems.
  • Document and improve municipal workflows related to permitting, plan review, inspections, and development lifecycle management.
  • Develop and manage project plans, timelines, budgets, and reporting structures in alignment with public sector governance requirements.
  • Coordinate with city departments, external agencies, community partners, and elected officials to achieve project milestones.
  • Facilitate stakeholder meetings and workshops to improve development review and permitting workflows.
  • Monitor program performance, conduct evaluations, and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and transparency
  • Provide written and verbal updates to city or county leadership through reports, briefings, and presentations.
  • Anticipate operational and policy challenges related to municipal development initiatives and recommend strategic solutions.
  • Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in compliance with local government regulations and standards.
  • Build and maintain strong partnerships with municipal staff, technical teams, and community stakeholders.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned.
Skills and Qualifications
  • Demonstrated success managing projects within City or County government environments.
  • Experience supporting municipal planning, housing programs, land-use initiatives, or community development projects.
  • Familiarity with development review processes, plan review cycles, and municipal permitting workflows.
  • Experience working with permitting and planning tools such as Accela, Bluebeam, Autodesk, or similar platforms preferred.
  • Strong stakeholder engagement skills with government officials and multi-agency teams.
  • Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to navigate public sector regulatory frameworks and ensure compliance with State and Federal requirements.
Work/Education Experience  
  • Bachelor’s degree (Required).
  • Current PMP Certification (Required).
  • 7+ years of experience applying project management principles, methods, techniques, and tools.
  • 3+ years of Senior Project Management experience leading large, complex projects.
  • 3+ years of experience providing PMO or project leadership support within a Government Agency (City or County).
  • Experience supporting municipal planning, permitting, housing programs, or community development initiatives strongly preferred.
  • Experience with permitting or development management platforms (Accela, Bluebeam, Autodesk, or similar) preferred.
Compensation Range: $130,000 - $154,000
The salary range for this role may vary depending on the specific geographic location where this position is ultimately filled. Several factors, including but not limited to a candidate's experience, education, skills, and certifications, pay equity, and organizational needs, are considered when determining the posted salary range. In addition, eligible roles also qualify for a comprehensive benefits package. 
Must be able to provide proof of education for all mandatory qualifications; all references will be verified. 
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. 
 
KAI Partners
KAI Partners, Inc. is a Northern California-based small business that offers world-class management consulting and technology services to public and private sector clients on a variety of large-scale projects. The KAI Partners team has over 100 years of combined executive-level experience in information system design, development, implementation, and testing. Our clients benefit from our proven program management, project management, and oversight, program portfolio management, Agile services, organizational change management, training, enterprise architecture, managed IT service, and IT security support.
 
http://www.kaipartners.com/