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Posted Mar 31, 2026

GIS Strategic Planning Manager

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Benefits: Simple IRA Matching Health insurance Paid time off Training & development Job Purpose: The GIS Strategy & Planning Manager will lead client-facing strategic planning engagements for local and regional government clients, helping organizations define priorities, align stakeholders, and translate strategy into actionable implementation plans. This role requires familiarity with public sector environments and/or GIS-related services, with the ability to quickly understand client context and tailor strategic recommendations accordingly. This position is well-suited for GIS managers or leaders who have evolved beyond technical delivery into strategic planning, cross-functional leadership, and organizational decision-making. This role will work closely with company leadership and is expected to ramp quickly, taking on increasing ownership of client engagements within the first 6–9 months. While this role is not responsible for direct sales, it requires a commercial mindset - including the ability to shape engagements, contribute to scoping, and identify opportunities to expand work with clients. Job Description and Requirements Required Knowledge and Skills:   Client Leadership & Delivery          Lead and deliver strategic planning engagements for local and regional government clients from scoping through final recommendations         Serve as the primary day-to-day client lead, driving alignment, progress, and decision-making         Structure ambiguous problems into clear priorities, tradeoffs, and actionable plans  Strategic Planning & Facilitation          Design and facilitate stakeholder interviews, workshops, and executive discussions within public sector environments Synthesize inputs into clear strategic direction and practical implementation roadmaps        Translate high-level strategy into sequenced actions, including dependencies, risks, and ownership  GIS & Public Sector Context         Understand how GIS capabilities support government functions (e.g., public works, utilities, planning, emergency management)         Apply knowledge of public sector operating environments, including stakeholder dynamics, budget cycles, and decision processes        Interpret GIS-related needs and translate them into strategic priorities and initiatives (not just technical solutions) Execution & Practical Application       Ensure recommendations are grounded in organizational realities, including staffing, funding, and operational constraints  Partner with technical teams to bridge strategy and GIS implementation          Define realistic paths from current state to future state  Offering Development & Contribution          Contribute to defining and refining our approach, templates, and delivery of strategic planning engagements          Support proposal development, project scoping, and pricing for strategic planning engagements        Identify opportunities to improve and standardize delivery across clients  Communication & Influence ·         Communicate complex ideas clearly to technical and non-technical audiences          Facilitate alignment across stakeholders with differing priorities          Build trust with clients and guide them toward decisions   Required Experience         4–7+ years of experience in strategy, operations, planning, or advisory roles in a client-facing or cross-functional environment (including corporate, consulting, public sector, or military leadership roles)  Experience owning and leading workstreams or key components of engagements, with demonstrated ability to operate independently and take on full ownership over time    Experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives from problem definition through execution (e.g., strategic planning, operating model design, transformation efforts)        Experience working with local or regional government and/or GIS, infrastructure, or geospatial services, including ownership of planning, prioritization, or cross-functional initiatives        For candidates from government or GIS-focused roles: experience owning or leading strategic planning, capital planning, or cross-functional initiatives, not just contributing to them         Experience facilitating stakeholder interviews, workshops, or executive discussions        Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams or projects in a fast-paced, client-facing environment   Preferred Experience ·         5+ years of experience in consulting, strategy, or advisory roles       Direct experience working with local or regional government clients and/or GIS, geospatial, or infrastructure-related services strongly preferred         Direct experience developing strategic plans, implementation roadmaps, or operating models          Experience with enterprise GIS programs, geospatial strategy, or infrastructure-related initiatives          Exposure to proposal development, project scoping, or pricing of work         Experience with change management or organizational transformation efforts   Required Education: ·         Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience   This is a remote position.