Director, Land & Public Realm Optimisation

Jacobs; Riyadh Region; On-site; SAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Jacobs is recruiting a Director of Land & Public Realm Optimisation to support City Operations in Saudi Arabia. The role reviews parks, plazas and public spaces to ensure public value, operational necessity and lifecycle sustainability, acting as an independent assurance function.

You will develop vesting frameworks, lead governance and stakeholder engagement, and provide evidence-based recommendations for acceptance, redesign or alternative ownership models.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Real Estate, Asset Management, Facilities Management, Environmental Design, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee the Land & Public Realm Vesting Framework, governance standards, and decision‑making processes.
• Assess public purpose, beneficiary groups, and ownership responsibilities for proposed land assets.
• Review land size, configuration, and functional need to ensure operational value and efficiency.
• Lead evaluations of parks, public spaces, plazas, green corridors, and other public realm assets.
• Conduct whole‑life cost and affordability assessments to ensure long‑term financial sustainability.
• Evaluate operational suitability, maintainability, accessibility, safety, and service requirements.
• Provide vesting recommendations, conditions, and assurance for acceptance, redesign, or alternative ownership models.
• Assess and recommend appropriate ownership, funding, and management arrangements to minimise unnecessary liabilities.
• Maintain a citywide public realm portfolio register, dashboards, and reporting to support strategic decision‑making.
• Lead stakeholder engagement, cross‑functional coordination, and specialist teams to drive sustainable land and public realm optimisation.

Skills

Urban planning

Landscape architecture

Asset management

Public realm

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning/related field

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

At Jacobs, we push the limits of what’s possible to make the world smarter and more connected. We are a key delivery partner on one of Saudi Arabia’s flagship giga projects and a central pillar of Vision 2030, located approximately 45 km southwest of Riyadh. Designed as the Kingdom’s future capital of entertainment, sports, and culture, this landmark development aims to diversify the economy and enhance quality of life through a mix of world‑class attractions, residential communities, and natural landscapes, while generating significant employment and enabling long‑term, sustainable growth.

About The Opportunity

The Director, Land & Public Realm Optimisation supports City Operations by reviewing proposed land and public realm assets before acceptance into the portfolio. The role evaluates parks, plazas, landscaped areas, pedestrian spaces, and other public assets to ensure they provide genuine public value, are operationally necessary, appropriately sized, cost‑efficient, and sustainable throughout their lifecycle. Acting as City Operations’ independent assurance function, the position provides evidence‑based recommendations on acceptance, redesign, alternative ownership or management models, and vesting decisions to minimise operational liabilities and support long‑term portfolio optimisation.

Role Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee the Land & Public Realm Vesting Framework, governance standards, and decision‑making processes.
• Assess public purpose, beneficiary groups, and ownership responsibilities for proposed land assets.
• Review land size, configuration, and functional need to ensure operational value and efficiency.
• Lead evaluations of parks, public spaces, plazas, green corridors, and other public realm assets.
• Conduct whole‑life cost and affordability assessments to ensure long‑term financial sustainability.
• Evaluate operational suitability, maintainability, accessibility, safety, and service requirements.
• Provide vesting recommendations, conditions, and assurance for acceptance, redesign, or alternative ownership models.
• Assess and recommend appropriate ownership, funding, and management arrangements to minimise unnecessary liabilities.
• Maintain a citywide public realm portfolio register, dashboards, and reporting to support strategic decision‑making.
• Lead stakeholder engagement, cross‑functional coordination, and specialist teams to drive sustainable land and public realm optimisation.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Real Estate, Asset Management, Facilities Management, Environmental Design, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 15+ years of relevant experience, including at least 8 years in senior leadership roles across land‑use planning, public realm, asset management, city operations, or related disciplines.
• Proven expertise in reviewing public realm assets, parks, open spaces, land vesting, ownership models, and developer handovers.
• Strong experience in lifecycle costing, OPEX modelling, maintainability assessments, and developing executive‑level business cases and recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to assess and challenge land, design, funding, and ownership proposals based on public value, operational need, affordability, and sustainability.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, governance, negotiation, and portfolio optimisation capabilities, ideally within Saudi Arabia, GCC, or large‑scale destination developments.

Jacobs. A world where you can. From our inclusive employee networks to our positive mental health champions – we’re committed to driving a culture of caring where you can be you. Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally - and together, our diverse perspectives and unique backgrounds power our collective strength.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities to do good too – from participating in our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place.

Start your Jacobs career with a company that inspires and empowers you to deliver your best work so you can evolve, grow and succeed – today and into tomorrow.

From our inclusive employee networks to our positive mental health champions – we’re committed to driving a culture of caring where you can be you. Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally - and together, our diverse perspectives and unique backgrounds power our collective strength. We collaborate and share! By supporting one another, we all succeed.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits and opportunities to do good too – from participating in our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place.

No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture and achieve your goals – all at a single global company.

Onsite employees are expected to attend a Jacobs Workplace on a full‑time basis, as required by the nature of their role.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.