Associate Director - Development, Planning & Urban Design

About the Role

This position is for an Associate Director within the Development, Planning & Urban Design (DPUD) practice, based in Riyadh, Middle East. The role offers an opportunity to join a senior leadership team to direct the business, nurture sustainable expansion, manage pivotal client relationships, supervise project execution, and enhance leadership capacity regionally.

Key Responsibilities

• Support strategic execution of the DPUD practice’s vision, annual objectives, and growth strategies.
• Manage daily practice operations including performance monitoring, resource allocation, workload coordination, and leadership team collaboration.
• Drive initiatives to boost operational efficiency, project quality, profitability, and teamwork.
• Assist with revenue forecasting, pipeline assessments, recruitment strategies, capability enhancement, and business performance reporting.
• Identify new markets, client demands, and opportunities for service expansion within the Middle East.
• Contribute to leadership succession plans and foster a resilient, empowered management structure.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with government, semi-government, and private sector clients, acting as lead for priority accounts over time.
• Represent the company in executive-level meetings, presentations, workshops, and industry events, building a reputable personal profile within the regional urban design sector.
• Identify potential repeat business and cross-disciplinary opportunities across various company divisions.
• Lead critical bids, proposals, and strategic pursuits, managing pipeline development and bid strategies.
• Oversee major projects as Project Director, ensuring adherence to quality standards, timelines, budgets, risk management, and governance.
• Mentor and manage senior team members, fostering leadership development, recruitment, and training initiatives.
• Maintain expert credibility in urban planning and design, promoting innovation, best practices, and data-driven methodologies.
• Support financial management through revenue, margin, utilization, cash flow monitoring, and contract negotiations.
• Act as the Director’s delegate when required, chairing leadership meetings and representing the practice internally and externally.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Urban Design, Architecture, or related discipline; a Master’s degree is preferable.
• Generally 12 or more years of experience in urban planning, design, and development leadership, especially managing extensive projects within the Middle East.
• Strong expertise in urban planning processes, design principles, and sustainability standards aligned with both local and international regulations.
• Proven capabilities managing multidisciplinary teams, senior client engagements, and commercial targets within a large consultancy or equivalent professional services setting.

Additional Information

The role combines aspects of business development, operational management, client leadership, project oversight, and talent development, offering significant opportunities for career progression and impact on landmark projects in the region. Candidates are encouraged to envision shaping both their own futures and those of the communities impacted by their work in urban planning and design.