Director, Planning

We rely on advertising revenue to support the creative content on our site. Please consider whitelisting our site in your settings, or pausing your adblocker while stopping by.Position Title: Director of Planning & DesignReports To: CEOLocation: Toronto, ON (Hybrid)Status: Full-time, PermanentSalary: $100,000 – 110,000Deadline to Apply: Monday, February 2 at 5pmPosition SummaryThe Director of Planning and Design leads The Bentway’s planning, design, and public realm initiatives, shaping the organization’s strategic growth along the Gardiner Expressway corridor and across all Bentway sites. This role oversees the Planning and Design department, directing the development and implementation of long-term framework planning, large‑scale capital projects, public space enhancements, pilot programs, and community engagement strategies. The Director will set multi-year departmental objectives for projects and initiatives, ensuring strategic growth of the Bentway is coordinated across other internal divisions, is aligned with the objectives of stakeholders, and is supported by the Bentway’s leadership team.In addition, the Director will support capital campaign planning, sectoral network development, and revenue‑generating initiatives to sustain and expand Planning and Design activities. This includes offering project insights, developing design concepts, and providing strategic guidance to secure funding, foster collaborations, and build organizational capacity. As a key member of the senior team, the Director also advances organizational priorities and ensures The Bentway remains a leading site for public‑space innovation and civic imagination.About The BentwayThe Bentway is a dynamic civic organization dedicated to enhancing urban life through the design and implementation of innovative public spaces, public programming, and site operations. Deeply rooted in Toronto’s urban fabric, The Bentway leads a creative movement to re‑imagine the possibilities of the Gardiner Expressway. We believe in the power of art and culture to spark the urban imagination, transform communities and foster vibrant, inclusive cities.The Bentway Conservancy is a non‑profit organization and registered charity that works closely with the City of Toronto, artists & creatives, and local communities to bring our work to life.ResponsibilitiesStrategic LeadershipCollaborate with the CEO and senior leadership to define the long‑term vision and strategic priorities for The Bentway’s Planning and Design departmentTranslate organizational goals into actionable strategies for public realm enhancements, capital projects, and urban design initiativesRepresent The Bentway in municipal, civic, and professional forums, advocating for design excellence, community engagement, and the organization’s missionProactively seek out and identify opportunities for alignment with external agencies and stakeholder projects to bolster the Bentway’s network, financial position, and capacity for impacting large scale changeContribute to organization‑wide initiatives, including sustainability, accessibility, equity, and brand developmentCapital Project OversightOversee all major capital projects, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, budgets, timelines, and quality standardsReport on capital projects as required to the Bentway Board and Board Sub‑Committees to maximize effectiveness and minimize risksApprove project scopes, budgets, RFPs/RFQs, and contracts; monitor compliance with procurement policies, building codes, and sustainability standardsGuide project teams in delivering projects from feasibility through construction and occupancyWork collaboratively with Bentway Facilities & Production teams to ensure that ongoing planning for capital projects accounts for the needs and practices of daily operations and programmingPublic Realm & Urban DesignLead the development and implementation of public realm strategies, design guidelines, framework plans, programming initiatives, and visual communications to engage stakeholders and the publicApply best practices and champion innovative approaches to public space design that integrate sustainability, accessibility, programming, and multi‑use functionalityEnsure that projects are supported through with succinct, brand‑forward communications and visuals that build consensus in the Bentway’s vision across private and public sectorsPartner with the CEO and development teams to support and inform capital campaigns and fundraising initiativesWorking with the Senior Manager, develop feasibility studies, cost estimates, renderings, and design concepts to support campaign materials, donor presentations, and investment proposalsParticipate in donor briefings, site tours, and presentations to advance funding goals for strategic growth projectsIdentify and steward planning and design‑related funding opportunities, including grants, sponsorships, consulting, cost‑share programs, and in‑kind partnershipsSectoral Network DevelopmentFoster partnerships with civic, non‑profit, and private sector organizations to strengthen The Bentway’s influence in urban design, public realm, and cultural sectorsDevelop and maintain sectoral networks, including the Gardiner Corridor Alliance, to facilitate knowledge sharing, collaboration, and advocacyRepresent The Bentway in sectoral forums, advisory committees, awards submissions, conferences, publications, advisory boards and professional networksLead, mentor, and evaluate Planning and Design staff, ensuring collaboration, professional growth, and high performance.Oversee departmental staffing plans, budgets, resource allocation, and operational planning.Promote cross‑departmental collaboration to align Planning and Design initiatives with programming, operations, and fundraising strategiesEstablish clear performance metrics, project tracking, and reporting systems for the department.Stakeholder & Community EngagementCultivate strong relationships with government agencies, community partners, design consultants, contractors, and other key stakeholdersProvide direction to Senior Manager and staff team on consultations and public engagement processes to ensure projects reflect community needs, priorities, and equity considerations.Other ResponsibilitiesPerform additional duties as assigned, including supporting special projects, partnerships, pilot initiatives, and organizational growth strategiesQualificationsProfessional degree in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning/design, construction management, or a closely related field, with a minimum of 8–10 years of professional experience in similar or a related discipline.Demonstrated leadership experience overseeing complex capital and public realm projects from feasibility and site planning through design stages, construction, and occupancy, with accountability for budgets, schedules, quality, and risk managementStrong design leadership, with a portfolio demonstrating design excellence and the ability to steward a clear design vision across multiple projects and collaboratorsProven ability to work collaboratively across sectors and disciplines, including municipal and other government agencies, private‑sector partners, consultants, cultural institutions, funders, professional organizations, and community stakeholdersDeep understanding of public‑realm planning and urban design best practices, including sustainability standards and codes, climate resilience, universal design, accessibility, equity, multi‑use programming, and operations‑informed designEvidenced track record of running meaningful engagement with local residents, equity‑deserving groups, business improvement areas (BIAs/BIDs) and city partnersDemonstrated experience supporting capital campaigns and fundraising initiatives through feasibility studies, cost estimates, design concepts, visual materials, and donor‑facing presentationsExperience leading and managing teams, including staff supervision, mentoring, performance evaluation, resource planning, and departmental budgetingDemonstrated capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining quality and consistencyExceptional communication and presentation skills, including the ability to represent the organization publicly in meetings, design reviews, and professional forums, translating complex planning and design concepts into clear, compelling materials for diverse audiences.Working knowledge of visual communication and design tools; including Computer‑Aided Design (CAD) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) software; Adobe Creative Suite. Working knowledge of rendering software is considered an assetApplicationsThe Bentway is committed to fostering a positive and supportive environment that promotes equity and diversity. Priority will be given to individuals from equity‑deserving groups, including Indigenous, Black and racialized applicants, persons with disabilities, and women.In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, accommodation will be provided at any point throughout the hiring process, provided the candidate makes their accommodation needs known to The Bentway Conservancy at hello@thebentway.ca.We kindly ask that no phone calls or emails are made to staff members. All questions regarding the position must be sent to hello@thebentway.ca.Resume (PDF format, no more than three pages)Cover Letter (PDF format, no more than three pages)Portfolio consisting of three recent projects.The Bentway does not use AI to sort candidates, each application will be reviewed by a person.We thank all applicants for their interest and will endeavour to contact all applicants, whether successful or not. #J-18808-Ljbffr