Senior Urban Planner / Strategic Planning

Mlaplus; Rotterdam; Hybrid; EUR 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Collaborative workplace

Career development opportunities

International project exposure

Job summary

MLA+ is seeking an Urban Planner to join the Rotterdam studio, taking ownership of complex, large-scale international projects and growing into a leading multidisciplinary role. You will guide planning processes across scales, translating data and policy into clear spatial strategies.

You will work with clients, governments, and institutions to navigate major transitions, lead multidisciplinary teams, and ensure plans are deliverable through phased governance and regulation.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in urban/regional planning or spatial policy.
• Master's degree in urban planning, urbanism, or related field.
• Proven experience leading a design process with multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design process with designers, economists, and engineers to shape spatial strategies.
• Translate research, data, and policy into clear urban plans and policies.
• Ensure deliverability through governance, phasing, and implementation frameworks.

Skills

Urban planning

Spatial policy

Urban design

Data analysis

English fluency

Education

Master's degree in urban planning

Tools

GIS

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

MLA+ is looking for an Urban Planner to join our Rotterdam studio. We welcome applications from urban planners, spatial policy specialists, and urban designers with a strong planning focus who are ready to take ownership of complex, large-scale international projects and grow into a leading role within an ambitious multidisciplinary studio.

The Role

You will work on international planning projects across scales, from regional and national strategies to local plans, urban codes, and implementation frameworks. You will translate research, data, and policy into clear spatial strategies, and help clients, governments, agencies, and institutions navigate major transitions in their cities and territories. You will lead the design process alongside designers, economists, and engineers: setting the direction, steering the spatial response, and making sure the plan holds together as an argument. You will also be the person who makes sure it can actually be delivered, through phasing, governance, regulation, and the numbers behind it. Our projects are ambitious, grounded in rigorous research and a deep understanding of place, policy, and people.

Who are we looking for

• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in urban or regional planning, spatial policy, or a closely related discipline.
• A master's degree in urban planning, urbanism, or a closely related field.
• Proven experience leading a design process from framing to output, directing multidisciplinary teams and holding the quality of the spatial result.
• Demonstrated experience working at municipal, regional, or national scales. International exposure is highly valued.
• Strong analytical skills. You are comfortable with demographic, land use, and mobility data, and you can turn it into a clear argument.
• A working command of planning instruments and how plans get implemented: zoning, codes, regulation, phasing, and governance.
• Spatial literacy and design judgement. You do not need to be the one drawing, but you should be able to read a plan, judge it, and shape it.
• The confidence to lead projects, shape narratives, and advise senior clients and public stakeholders.
• Fluency in English, with strong writing skills. Additional languages are a significant advantage.
• Proficiency in GIS is a must; Adobe Creative Suite skills are a plus.
• A collaborative nature, intellectual curiosity, and an entrepreneurial approach to problem-solving.
• Eligibility to work in the Netherlands (EU citizenship or valid work permit).

What we can offer

• A respectful, inclusive, and collaborative workplace.
• Opportunities for professional growth and long-term development.
• A chance to work with high-profile clients and international strategic planning projects.
• A dynamic environment with room for research and experimentation.
• Competitive salary, aligned with your experience and background.

About MLA+

MLA+ is an internationally operating design and consultancy practice with projects across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Our work spans architecture, urban design, strategic planning, and landscape design, grounded in a multidisciplinary and cross-cultural approach. Our Rotterdam team includes professionals from around the world. We pride ourselves on a studio culture that is both ambitious and informal, where creativity and dialogue drive our work. At MLA+, you'll have space to grow, explore your interests, and make an impact.