Job Description

SR1 Job Description

Title: Community Planner

Reports to: Chief Operation Officer / Executive Leadership

Location: Onsite – Based in Mississippi with statewide community travel

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Position Summary

SR1 is seeking a Community Planner to lead both the planning and development of physical infrastructure (schools, community learning centers, agricultural spaces) and the design and coordination of community engagement initiatives . This hybrid leadership role combines elements of a traditional Director of Facilities Planning and Construction with a grassroots Community Development Strategist.

The Community Planner will oversee capital project planning, support facility expansion for SR1 College Preparatory and STEM Academy (SR1 CPSA), and lead inclusive, place-based planning that advances SR1’s mission to increase educational access, preventive health, and economic mobility across underserved regions.

Key Responsibilities

Facilities Planning & Construction Oversight

• Lead master planning, design development, and construction management for new SR1 CPSA buildings, C.O.O.L. Zone facilities, learning farms, and community infrastructure.
• Serve as primary liaison to architectural firms, engineers, and contractors from concept to occupancy.
• Ensure all projects meet programmatic needs, safety codes, accessibility requirements, and are built on time and within budget.
• Prepare and present capital improvement plans, cost estimates, and feasibility studies for leadership review.

Community-Centered Planning & Engagement

• Develop community planning events (forums, walk-throughs, design charrettes, planning workshops) to gather input from families, youth, elders, and partners.
• Collaborate with local leaders to co-create shared-use spaces that serve educational, cultural, and wellness goals.
• Incorporate data and community feedback into all project scopes and designs.

Strategic Planning & Development

• Align facilities planning with SR1’s multi-year strategic vision for educational access and community transformation.
• Conduct demographic, geographic, and needs-based analyses to identify optimal locations and uses for future SR1 developments.
• Build planning proposals and business cases for federal/state grants, philanthropic support, and private partnerships.

Project & Team Management

• Coordinate multiple concurrent capital and community development projects.
• Supervise consultants, site managers, and planning fellows or interns.
• Lead internal cross-departmental planning meetings to integrate programming needs into physical design.

Environmental, Agricultural, and Design Integration

• Incorporate sustainable design, green infrastructure, and agricultural innovation into all facility and community site planning.
• Collaborate with SR1 Agriculture, Health, and Education teams to support integrated learning environments.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in facilities or capital project planning, construction oversight, or community development.
• Experience managing complex multi-stakeholder projects involving design, public input, and community impact.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and facilitation skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, GIS tools, and/or digital project management platforms.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Community Development, or similar.
• Experience with rural community planning or public school facilities development.
• Knowledge of planning practices that center historically underserved or culturally diverse communities.
• Experience with USDA, EDA, Promise Neighborhoods, or state/federal construction funding processes.

Working Conditions and Travel

• Regular travel within Mississippi, especially to SR1 sites in Forest, Morton, Lake, Canton, and surrounding rural regions.
• Field visits to construction sites and community venues.
• Flexible schedule including occasional evenings and weekends for public engagement events.

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive salary based on qualifications and experience.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave.
• Professional development support.
• Opportunity to design transformational spaces and shape the future of education and community wellness in Mississippi.

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