JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Description: Corporate Communication Specialist

Issued: October 15, 2025

Planning NEXT is a leading community visioning and planning firm located in Columbus, Ohio. Our tight-knit and fast-paced office is seeking a passionate and detail-oriented corporate communication specialist to join our national practice. At Planning NEXT, we believe that strong technical planning and robust community engagement are the key to bringing people together to build a shared sense of purpose and place. 

Position Overview

The Corporate Communication Specialist plays an integral role in advancing the firm's visibility, reputation and business development efforts. This position combines strong writing, storytelling and organizational skills to manage the firm's proposal and communication initiatives. The ideal candidate cares about community building, thrives in a quick-moving, collaborative environment, and is ready to use their strong communication skills to help the organization grow.

Key Responsibilities

Proposal Management & Business Development

• Manage the RFP proposal process from start to finish, including research, writing, editing, formatting and submission.
• Coordinate input from internal team members and subcontractors, ensuring clarity, accuracy and adherence to deadlines.
• Maintain a library of proposal materials, resumes, project descriptions and visuals.
• Provide light graphic design and layout support for proposals and other corporate materials using InDesign, Canva and/or PowerPoint.
• Track proposal opportunities and maintain timelines, deliverables and follow-ups in coordination with leadership.

In addition to the key responsibility of managing the proposal process, this position will also have the opportunity to assist with other corporate communications as outlined below.

Corporate Communications

• Write and edit content for LinkedIn posts, website articles, newsletters and other firm communications that highlight projects, team insights and industry impact.
• Support the development of award submissions, conference speaking proposals and press releases.
• Collaborate with leadership to maintain a consistent and compelling brand voice across platforms.
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Administrative & Strategic Support

• Manage the business development and marketing calendars, including researching opportunities and maintaining real-time updates.
• Track metrics for website, social media and proposal performance.
• Assist with occasional event logistics.

We need someone who has/is:

• A bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, marketing, journalism or related field.
• 3+ years of experience in communications, marketing or proposal development. Previous agency experience is a plus.
• Exceptional writing, editing and storytelling skills.
• Strong organizational and project management skills and is able to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator) or Canva for light graphic design.
• Collaborative, detail-oriented and motivated to contribute to a mission-driven team environment.

The corporate communication specialist will work at our office in the Grandview Yard, the nation's largest LEED Neighborhood Development site. For more information about Planning NEXT, visit www.planning-next.com. If you can join us, please email a cover letter and resume to sarah@planning-next.com.

No phone calls, please.