Architect | Residential Planning

ZipRecruiter; Sandon; On-site; CAD 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading architecture studio is seeking a Lead Architect / Urban Designer to join their team. The role involves collaborative project work, stakeholder engagement, and developing design-led urban solutions. Ideal candidates will have an MA in Urban Design, relevant experience, and strong interpersonal skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 - 10 years post-qualification experience in urban design.
• Experience managing teams of 3-4.
• Strong in technical and hand-drawn drawing skills.

Responsibilities

• Support multi-disciplinary teams on urban regeneration from concept to planning.
• Conduct site research and feasibility studies.
• Produce planning documentation for applications.

Skills

Management skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Technical drawing skills

Education

MA in Urban Design / RIBA qualified

Tools

AutoCAD

Adobe Creative Cloud

Sketch Up

MS Office

Job description

Job Description

Lead Architect / Urban Designer

Salary: £50k

Location: Chelmsford

Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm (in office)

A fantastic opportunity to work for a leading Architecture Studio with a legacy stretching back nearly a century, this practice brings deep expertise across residential, commercial, hospitality, healthcare, education, and civic sectors. Known for blending creative flair with practical, buildable solutions, they consistently deliver distinctive, high-quality environments that stand the test of time. With a client-first mindset, they build long-term partnerships through integrity, passion, and design excellence—making them the go-to team for ambitious, design-led developments.

This role is perfect for a Lead Architect / Urban Designer looking for their next career move.



Key Responsibilities

• 
  Collaborative Project Work: Support multi-disciplinary teams on urban regeneration, master planning, and urban extensions from concept to planning stages.
  
  
  




• 
  Research & Analysis: Conduct site research, mapping, feasibility studies, and planning background analysis for current and prospective projects.
  
  
  




• 
  Design-Led Approach: Develop creative, practical urban design solutions using best practices, contributing to high-quality, place-focused outcomes.
  
  
  




• 
  Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate effectively with clients, stakeholders, and communities through consultations, meetings, and presentations.
  
  
  




• 
  Document & Report Production: Produce planning documentation including Design Codes, Access Statements, and Parameter Plans to support planning applications
  
  
  

Person Specification and key skills

• MA in Urban Design / RIBA qualified




• Minimum of 5 - 10 year’s post qualification experience working on medium to large-scale urban or suburban housing design and master planning projects




• Strong management skills - teams of 3/4 people




• Confidence in employing a range of hand drawn and technical drawing skills to a high level




• Client and team focused - Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build and maintain strong collaborative internal and external working relationships




• The ability to communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing, and to demonstrate competency in presenting ideas and concepts




• Strong software knowledge and skills - AutoCAD, Revit (not essential), Sketch Up, Adobe Creative Cloud (including but not limited to Photoshop, InDesign) and MS Office required