Associate - Creative Lead Aquatic Design

WSP in the Middle East; Sharjah; On-site; AED 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP Middle East is seeking an Associate Creative Lead for their new Aquatic Design Division. This role involves leading a creative team to develop innovative design concepts for aquatic environments, emphasizing sustainability and client engagement. The ideal candidate has a strong design background, excellent client-facing skills, and a passion for pushing creative boundaries in water feature design.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in concept design for built environments.
• Strong portfolio with proficiency in digital tools.
• Proven experience leading creative groups.

Responsibilities

• Develop original design concepts for water features and pools.
• Lead visioning workshops and client presentations.
• Supervise a growing creative team including design associates.

Skills

Creative vision

Hand-sketching

Client engagement

Storytelling

Presentation abilities

Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams

Tools

Rhino

Adobe Suite

SketchUp

Syncronorm

Job description

Associate - Creative Lead Aquatic Design

Job Description

WSP Middle East is seeking a highly creative, technically savvy, and client-facing design professional to join our newly formed Aquatic Design Division as Associate Creative Lead. This senior role is responsible for shaping and delivering the artistic vision of our aquatic environments during the early project phases, namely Concept and Schematic Design. You will lead a talented group of design associates, 3D visualisation artists, and creative technicians, developing narratives, aesthetics, and experiences that push boundaries. The ideal candidate will possess a strong sense of design storytelling, hand-sketching capabilities, and knowledge of various creative technologies.

Responsibilities

• Design Leadership & Creative Direction:
  • Develop original design concepts for water features and swimming pools, incorporating aesthetics, sensory experiences, sustainability, and client vision.
  • Be accountable for all creative outputs across concept and schematic stages, including sketches, Rhino/3D models, rendered visuals, and multimedia presentations.
  • Use hand sketching, Adobe Suite, Rhino, and simulation tools (e.g., Syncronorm) to communicate ideas rapidly and effectively.
  • Explore and specify creative technologies such as lighting, jets, audio, water choreography, fog, and material effects, understanding their design implications and feasibility.
  • Lead visioning workshops and client presentations, articulating design narratives and strategies clearly.
  • Respond to RFIs and collaborate with clients' creative teams and consultants to shape project direction.
  • Serve as the main contact for creative deliverables, ensuring alignment with internal teams and external expectations.
• Client Engagement & Project Positioning:
  • Lead visioning workshops and client presentations, clearly articulating design narrative and creative strategies.
  • Respond to RFIs and collaborate closely with the client’s creative teams and consultants to shape project direction.
  • Serve as the accountable point of contact for creative deliverables and ensure alignment with both internal teams and external expectations.
• Team & Quality Oversight:
  • Supervise a growing creative team including design associates and digital designers.
  • Oversee development of moodboards, briefs, reports, and narrative packages for tenders and client presentations.
  • Lead the creative QAQC process, ensuring outputs are innovative, accurate, and meet WSP's quality standards.
• Process Development & Innovation:
  • Implement lessons learned and continuous improvement strategies across projects.
  • Coordinate design simulation reviews, creative reports, and sustainability narratives.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration:
  • Work closely with Technical Lead and other disciplines to retain the creative vision through detailed design and construction.
  • Participate in interdisciplinary discussions to ensure design integration and alignment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in concept design for built environments, preferably with water features, public realms, or experiential installations.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating creative vision, hand-sketching, and proficiency with digital tools (Rhino, SketchUp, Adobe Suite, Syncronorm, etc.).
• Excellent client-facing skills with storytelling and presentation abilities.
• Experience with product knowledge (jets, nozzles, lighting, fog systems) in concept development.
• Understanding of technical constraints and engineering integration.
• Knowledge of sustainability principles and their incorporation into design.
• Proven experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and leading creative groups.
• Previous experience in an international design consultancy is preferred.

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