Principal Urban Planner

Job description / Role

Job description

As a Principal Urban Planner within the Development, Planning & Urban Design team, you will lead the planning function for strategic spatial planning projects, ensuring coordination between disciplines and successful delivery of high-quality outcomes. The role requires strong leadership of multidisciplinary teams, strategic project oversight, client engagement, and hands-on technical excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical preparation of planning inputs for large-scale strategic spatial plans, strategies, planning policies, frameworks, technical reports, land use analysis, and regulatory submissions, ensuring alignment with client objectives, regulatory frameworks, and international best practices.
• Oversee scope, schedule, budget, and risk management for planning components, ensuring robust controls and successful project outcomes.
• Guide multidisciplinary teams across planning, design, environment, infrastructure, and sustainability disciplines, fostering collaboration and integrated solutions.
• Lead consultations with government agencies, developers, and community stakeholders, building consensus and securing approvals for complex planning proposals.
• Drive high-quality graphic, written, and technical presentation outputs that communicate planning vision, evidence-based reasoning, and compelling recommendations to clients, executive audiences, and government stakeholders.
• Implement rigorous QA/QC processes for planning deliverables, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and integration across all technical inputs.
• Line-manage and mentor junior planners, promoting professional growth, knowledge sharing, and a collaborative team culture.
• Champion a collaborative, multicultural team culture, supporting professional development, knowledge sharing, and structured team delivery.
• Lead the preparation of bids, proposals, and technical submissions for major strategic planning, urban design, and multi-disciplinary projects, contributing to work-winning and business development strategies.

Qualifications

• Degree or postgraduate qualification in urban planning or related field, preferably with a professional affiliation (or eligible for membership).
• Minimum 12 years post-qualification experience.
• Demonstrable project experience in working on and delivering strategic spatial planning projects.
• Experience working within a multidisciplinary team, including external subconsultants, is essential.
• Willingness to travel within the Middle East region to projects in a variety of geographical locations, including Saudi Arabia.

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.

Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.

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