SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND JOB REQUIREMENTS
Updated: Jun 11, 2025 - The Senior Environmental Planner possesses advanced expertise in environmental planning, including thorough knowledge of State and Federal environmental laws, practices, and procedures, as well as proficiency in writing Environmental Impact Reports and related documentation. This role requires strong analytical and project management skills, with the ability to independently evaluate the qualifications of consulting firms and ensure the legal defensibility of environmental documentation. The senior planner also excels in maintaining effective relationships with stakeholders and regulatory agencies while prioritizing work and conceptualizing complex planning efforts aligned with organizational goals.
Essential Hard and Soft Skills for a Standout Senior Environmental Planner Resume
- Project Coordination
- Tender Procurement
- Contract Management
- Environmental Documentation
- Consultation Tracking
- Project Management
- Technical Writing
- Environmental Compliance
- Budgeting
- Regulatory Research
- Communication
- Leadership
- Critical Thinking
- Problem Solving
- Negotiation
- Time Management
- Decision Making
- Adaptability
- Collaboration
- Conflict Resolution
Summary of Senior Environmental Planner Knowledge and Qualifications on Resume
1. BA in Environmental Science with 6 years of Experience
- Equivalent combination of education and experience in natural or physical science, public policy, economics, environmental management, or related subjects.
- Environmental consulting experience (for government or private sector clients) with clients in the natural resources, energy, transportation, and related infrastructure and federal market sectors.
- Experience preparing NEPA documents and environmental permitting.
- Experience supporting the project management team.
- Experience with developing and maintaining project schedules, and budgets, and experience writing proposals.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Outlook, Access) and any project-specific software programs.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, including the ability to prioritize and multi-task under strict deadlines.
- Strong problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to succeed with new and challenging tasks.
- Able to set challenging, measurable, and sustainable goals in collaboration with managers
- The ability to identify and meet the needs of clients within established guidelines.
- Works collaboratively with the project team and the client to achieve established goals.
2. BA in Geography with 8 years of Experience
- Experience in planning or environmental science
- Strong project and contract management experience
- Experience managing a team of nationwide subject matter experts
- Experience managing National Environmental Policy Act Documents (NEPA) for federal clients
- Familiarity with rules and regulations related to NEPA, Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Clean Water Act, and state and local environmental rules and regulations and related reporting requirements
- Proficiency in computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite
- Potential to travel for short periods (2-4 days) approximately 30% of the time
- Exposure to ArcGIS and Microsoft Project
- Experience executing NEPA documentation for the National Park Service
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work with clients and agency staff
- Strong research, mathematical/scientific, and analytical skills.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, including experience with developing and maintaining project schedules.
3. BA in Environmental Planning with 11 years of Experience
- NEPA document preparation and experience in environmental consulting.
- Experience should include complex, multi-disciplinary projects, leading meetings with clients and agencies
- Experience directing project teams including subcontractors, preparing or directing staff in the preparation of technical studies and NEPA documents
- Experience setting and adhering to project budgets and delivery schedules.
- A working knowledge of federal and state environmental regulations including NEPA, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Secretarial Order 3355, and the ability to develop project execution plans to satisfy regulatory compliance
- A working understanding of agency internal processes and procedures and positive existing relationships with federal land management and regulatory agencies, such as the BLM, BOEM, STB, USFS, NPS, BOR, DOE, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and/or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
- Proven experience with public lands, natural and cultural resource issues, wind projects, transportation projects, and renewables projects in Nevada.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence
- Great attention to detail, and organization, schedule, and budget management skills.
- Ability to be recognized by clients and agencies as a NEPA project manager who can lead an EIS from NOI to ROD.
- Experience with business development with federal agencies, renewable energy developers, and other non-federal applicants who seek permits or leases from federal agencies (e.g., utilities, mining companies, railroads, etc.)
4. BA in Urban and Regional Planning with 10 years of Experience
- Progressively responsible planning experience.
- Advanced knowledge of design, building systems, and project delivery processes.
- Ability to work independently and prioritize work by making critical and informed judgments.
- Ability to evaluate qualifications of outside environmental and legal consulting firms.
- Advanced analytical and project management skills.
- Advanced written, verbal, and interpersonal skills, including advanced political acumen.
- Thorough and current knowledge of the provisions of State and Federal environmental laws, practices, and procedures, and University policy and procedures for implementation of those laws.
- Demonstrated ability to conceptualize and implement complex planning efforts.
- Independent and defensible judgment concerning the nature, scope, comprehensiveness, quality, and legal defensibility of all environmental documentation produced.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective and diplomatic relationships with constituent groups, regulatory agencies, and jurisdictional entities.
- Develop advanced knowledge of the organization, including its architectural history, short and long-range development plans, infrastructure, and current, ongoing, and future design and construction plans.
- Ability to write Environmental Impact Reports, Initial Studies, and Environmental Assessments following applicable State and Federal laws, practices, and procedures, and University of California procedures for implementation of those laws.
- Proficient in Word and Excel for the PC and ability to conduct web-based research.
- Understanding of relevant University policies and procedures.
5. BA in Environmental Policy with 15 years of Experience
- Experience working in the environmental planning field.
- Experienced project manager, deputy project manager, and major task lead.
- Highly proficient expertise with environmental planning skills.
- Extensive knowledge of relevant environmental laws, permitting requirements, notification and compliance practices, and applicable Regional/State/Federal regulatory framework.
- Demonstrated technical competence in leading environmental projects within the business sector (e.g. commercial, infrastructure, transportation, energy, etc.)
- Advanced expertise in consulting practices, conducting NEPA analysis, and preparation of associated documentation.
- Experience working on environmental planning projects, including National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Categorical Exclusion, Environmental Assessment, and Environmental Impact Statement documentation.
- Ability to work independently and provide guidance, mentorship, and leadership to team or project members (including sub-consultants), with strict adherence to QA/QC.
- Experience with providing critical review for documents and preparing technical deliverables with a high degree of complexity.
- Strong self-leadership and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to effectively, persuasively, and tactfully interact with employees at all levels of the organization.
- Proficiency with technical and business writing, office automation, and communication software, technology, and tools.
- Extensive critical thinking and problem-solving skills to reach conclusions from data collation, and identify the most effective solutions to accomplish objectives of assigned projects.
- Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety, and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
- Must be flexible to a variety of schedules to meet business needs and able to prioritize responsibilities and quickly adapt to change in a pressure work environment.
- Essential professional licensure/certification.
- An active member of local, regional, or national professional organizations.
- Experience in ESRI ArcGIS applications and tools.
- Experience with Adobe Illustrator and other vector graphics software.