The Placemaking Manager is integral to the successful execution of the Placemaking program. The Placemaking program will help guide and accelerate the transformation of Tysons into a cohesive, dynamic, globally-attractive urban center through:

• Physical interventions that activate a space and ultimately build a sense of place in Tysons
• Create better user journeys and enhanced quality of life
• Change the perception of Tysons while reinforcing and celebrating a new shared identity
• Tackle signature projects that the greatest impact on the fundamental urban form and user experience of Tysons
• Support the Transportation Department

The system of priorities for the Placemaking team is made up of four buckets of projects:

• Beautification/managed spaces
• Wayfinding/gateways/public realm identity
• Making connections & extending nodes of activity
• Signature projects

The Placemaking Manager supports the program and adds value by:

• Working on designs, concepting and iterating, visualizing ideas in the implementation phase of a project
• Managing various placemaking projects from concept to completion and operation
• Managing our commitment to various spaces and landscapes through various contractors
• Contributing their own research, knowledge, experience and thought leadership to all projects throughout the project life cycle
• Communicating and coordinating our work with multiple types of stakeholders
• Measuring and reporting on the performance and outcomes of our work
• Finding and securing funding for our work as needed

Essential Duties

Beautification / managed spaces – 20%

• Manage the landscape maintenance contractor for the Tysons-wide VDOT roadways beautification project, as well as the expansion of their contract and scope.

Wayfinding/gateways/public realm identity – 25%

• Responsible for “owning” the location destination master file for wayfinding signage.
• Take consultant work product for wayfinding signs and update, iterate, and revise, planning and design files in CAD and/or SketchUp.
• After the gateways master plan is completed, be responsible for project implementation from start to finish, pending funding.
• Manage key components of our public realm identity work including district branding, public art and street furniture.

Making connections / extending nodes of activity – 25%

• Placemaking projects large and small that mix landscape, lighting, food & beverage, event programming, athletics, and more.
• Create aspirational drawings and/or sketches that illustrate ideas for bike and pedestrian transportation planning and/or design projects.

Special Projects – 10%

• Example: Participation in the US Soccer Foundation's nationwide mini-pitch initiative. The initiative is the Foundation's goal of installing 1,000 mini-pitches by 2026 when the FIFA World Cup comes back to North America. TCA is trying to facilitate locating, funding and constructing one or more of these in Tysons.

Keeper of the KPI's – 10%

• Will be the keeper of key performance indicators.

Funding: - 10%

• We anticipate being able to extend and expand our impact by applying for grants. This may include working on funding strategy overall, applying to grants and administering them if received.

Culture Fit characteristics

We are looking for….

• Someone who is willing to be a versatile generalist in a small organization
• Someone with natural curiosity, willingness to learn every day, and the initiative to find the answers
• A multidisciplinary professional who embraces the "other duties as assigned" label
• Someone with a strong interest in methodologies to measure placemaking data
• Strong interest in topics like urban design, urban wayfinding signage systems, landscape architecture, placemaking activations, bike & pedestrian planning, suburban to urban transitions
• A critical thinker who has high expectations for their own achievement
• Someone who has a great sense of design and aesthetics as it applies to the public realm and landscape
• A person with great time management, sets their own deadlines, self-disciplined about productivity and efficiency, and generally embraces the work smarter not harder mentality
• Outcomes oriented, can work to a milestone schedule with dates, and does not let the perfect be the enemy of the good
• Fully committed to a culture of continuous improvement in all our work
• No room for egos; we work as a team on behalf of the board to deliver outcomes for the community
• Likes to work on the district scale, in an organization that is between the public and private sectors and a desire to be part of the fun and interesting world of urban place management organizations – we are implementers!
• Passion for creating districts that are economically viable, socially vibrant, environmentally responsible, measurably healthy and undoubtedly safe
• Willing to have some days fully at their desk, but interested in having other days getting out into the sites we are working with
• Believes in the Tysons urban transformation

Qualifications

Minimum Expected Skills:

• Proficient in working with people using proactive communication to achieve results
• Detail-oriented, organized, persevering, and skilled problem solver
• Able to handle multiple priorities and demonstrate high productivity with minimal oversight, while working collaboratively with all staff internally and stakeholders externally
• Data skills - ability to track and document key performance metrics in the placemaking world
• Clear written, graphic, and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 Suite, Teams and Zoom

Minimum Qualifications:

• Degree in urban planning, urban design, landscape architecture, transportation planning, real estate development, or similar
• Experience with industry leading design software like AutoCAD and SketchUp (both would be preferable)
• Project management experience
• Experience managing a diverse mix of consultants and consultant teams that may contain a variety of disciplines planning-adjacent

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in landscape architecture construction administration, or interest in learning those skills
• Experience in managing landscape maintenance contractors, or interest in learning those skills
• Experience with placemaking performance measurement systems, or interest in learning that subject area more in-depth
• Experience in wayfinding signage systems, public realm branding and gateways, or interest in learning those subject areas more in-depth

Compensation and Benefits

We offer a starting salary range of $75,000 - 90,000, depending on experience, plus a comprehensive benefits package including401(K), Health, Dental, Vision, Life and Disability coverage, Transit/Parking, and ample paid time off.

The responsibilities of this position primarily call for in-person presence at events and activities in Tysons. TCA provides general flexibility and ability to work from home up to two days per week.

TCA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace.