Design Director - Master Planning

Parsons; Tabuk; On-site; SAR 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons is seeking a Design Director – Master Planning for Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. You will lead the creative vision, governance, and multidisciplinary design delivery of large-scale real-estate and urban developments, ensuring viability, sustainability, and distinctive environments.

The role requires 20+ years in architecture/urban design, leadership of major projects, and strong coordination with international consultants.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Urban Design, Master Planning, or related discipline.
• Minimum 20 years of progressive experience in architecture, urban design, or master planning.
• At least 8 years in a design director, executive design, or senior leadership position.
• Proven record delivering major mixed-use, hospitality, real-estate, infrastructure, or giga-project developments.

Responsibilities

• Define architectural, urban-design, and master-planning vision for major development programs.
• Establish design principles, technical standards, review procedures, and quality expectations across the portfolio.
• Lead design development from strategic planning and concept creation through detailed documentation and construction support.
• Direct preparation and review of master plans, design briefs, guidelines, and architectural concepts.
• Ensure projects demonstrate strong placemaking, environmental performance, and contextual relevance.
• Review consultant submissions and provide decisive direction on quality, coordination, constructability, and compliance.
• Protect the approved design intent throughout procurement, value engineering, construction, and final delivery.
• Act as primary design adviser to executive leadership, clients, government authorities, and strategic stakeholders.
• Present complex design proposals, options, risks, and recommendations to senior decision-makers.
• Coordinate international architects, master planners, engineers, landscape designers, sustainability consultants, and specialist advisers.

Skills

Architectural design leadership

Master planning

Urban design

Real-estate development

Mixed-use development

Hospitality design

Design governance

Team leadership

Multidisciplinary coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Urban Design, Master Planning, or related discipline

Job description

Job Overview

Design Director – Master Planning (Tabuk, Saudi Arabia). Lead creative vision, technical governance, and multidisciplinary design delivery of large‑scale real‑estate and urban development projects, ensuring commercially viable, sustainable, and distinctive built environments.

Job Details

• Industry: Architecture and Planning
• Location: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
• Salary: 50,000–75,000SAR (estimated, subject to final offer)
• Job Type: Full‑time
• Years of Experience: Minimum 20 years

Role Context

The Design Director acts as the principal design authority for a major development portfolio in Tabuk, defining architectural and master‑planning direction, overseeing design quality, sustainability, operational performance, commercial objectives, and regional development priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Define architectural, urban‑design, and master‑planning vision for major development programs.
• Establish design principles, technical standards, review procedures, and quality expectations across the portfolio.
• Lead design development from strategic planning and concept creation through detailed documentation and construction support.
• Direct preparation and review of master plans, design briefs, guidelines, and architectural concepts.
• Ensure projects demonstrate strong placemaking, functionality, environmental performance, and contextual relevance.
• Review consultant submissions and provide decisive direction on quality, coordination, constructability, and compliance.
• Protect the approved design intent throughout procurement, value engineering, construction, and final delivery.
• Act as primary design adviser to executive leadership, clients, government authorities, and strategic stakeholders.
• Present complex design proposals, options, risks, and recommendations to senior decision‑makers.
• Coordinate international architects, master planners, engineers, landscape designers, sustainability consultants, and specialist advisers.
• Resolve multidisciplinary conflicts involving architecture, infrastructure, public realm, transportation, utilities, structures, and building systems.
• Lead design review workshops, executive presentations, stakeholder consultations, and formal approval meetings.
• Build, manage, and mentor a high‑performing multidisciplinary design team.
• Allocate design resources, clarify accountabilities, and establish performance expectations across concurrent workstreams.
• Encourage innovation, critical design thinking, knowledge sharing, and continuous professional development.
• Monitor design schedules, budgets, deliverables, consultant performance, and resource requirements.
• Identify design‑related risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Guide value‑engineering exercises to improve commercial viability.
• Integrate sustainable design, climate resilience, smart‑city systems, digital technology, and future operational requirements.
• Ensure design solutions respond to Tabuk’s environmental, cultural, climatic, and development context.
• Support procurement through consultant selection, technical evaluations, design competitions, and tender reviews.
• Maintain governance over design changes, approvals, and technical records.
• Oversee design‑stage coordination with construction teams and address major site‑related design issues.
• Promote consistent design excellence across mixed‑use, hospitality, residential, commercial, public‑realm, and infrastructure assets.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Urban Design, Master Planning, or related discipline.
• Minimum 20 years of progressive experience in architecture, urban design, or master planning.
• At least 8 years in a design director, executive design, or senior leadership position.
• Proven record of delivering major mixed‑use, hospitality, real‑estate, infrastructure, or giga‑project developments.
• Extensive experience leading projects from early concept through detailed design and construction delivery.
• Strong command of master planning, architecture, urban design, placemaking, and multidisciplinary coordination.
• Superior aesthetic judgment with practical knowledge of constructability and commercial delivery.
• Proven ability to lead international consultants and large multidisciplinary teams.
• Deep understanding of sustainable design, climate‑responsive development, and smart‑city technologies.
• Experience managing design budgets, schedules, resources, risks, approvals, and consultant performance.
• Capability to balance design ambition with cost, operational, regulatory, and delivery constraints.
• Excellent executive presentation, negotiation, decision‑making, and stakeholder‑influencing skills.
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English.
• Ability to thrive in complex, high‑profile, rapidly evolving project environments.
• Previous Middle East experience highly desirable; direct experience in Saudi Arabia and knowledge of regional giga‑projects significant advantage.
• Willingness to relocate to and work full‑time in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Skills Set

• Architectural design leadership
• Master planning
• Urban design
• Real‑estate development
• Mixed‑use development
• Hospitality design
• Design governance
• Design strategy
• Concept development
• Detailed design
• Design quality assurance
• Placemaking
• Sustainable design
• Smart city technologies
• Climate‑responsive design
• Multidisciplinary coordination
• Consultant management
• Stakeholder engagement
• Government approvals
• Design risk management
• Value engineering
• Commercial viability
• Design presentations
• Team leadership
• Resource planning
• Construction design support
• Giga‑project delivery
• Saudi Arabian development