Planning Manager - Digital Infrastructure

Parsons; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons Corporation in Riyadh is seeking a Planning Manager – Digital Infrastructure to translate a city-wide masterplan into phased implementation plans for fiber, networks, data centers, and smart systems.

With 15+ years in ICT/telecom planning, you will lead forecasting, capacity modelling, and stakeholder coordination across districts, authorities, and operators to ensure operational readiness and timely delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, ICT, Telecommunications, Digital Infrastructure, Urban Planning, Infrastructure Planning, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in ICT, telecommunications, smart city, data center, utilities, or major infrastructure planning.
• Experience in city-wide, giga-project, mixed-use or campus digital infrastructure programs.
• Strong capability in phased implementation planning and baseline tracking for complex networks.

Responsibilities

• Support the Planning Director in translating the city-wide masterplan into phased implementation plans.
• Manage day-to-day planning coordination for digital infrastructure packages, baselines, phasing logic, sequencing and interfaces.
• Coordinate planning for fixed fiber networks, mobile networks, data centers, edge facilities, and district connectivity requirements.
• Lead demand forecasting and capacity planning for fiber, mobile, data center, and smart city use cases.
• Embed operational readiness into planning schedules, including commissioning and handover activities.

Skills

Digital infrastructure planning

Strategy/Planning

ICT planning

Telecom planning

Smart city planning

Data center planning

Fiber networks

Mobile networks

MMR planning

POP planning

Duct corridors

District connectivity

Demand forecasting

Capacity planning

Capacity modelling

Phased implementation planning

Planning baselines

Phasing logic

Sequencing

Constructability inputs

Critical interfaces

Co-build opportunities

CMP submissions

DMP submissions

Fiber routes

Tower siting plans

Duct-bank layouts

Right-of-way coordination

Utility dependencies

Access corridors

Bypass routes

Redundancy paths

Commissioning planning

Handover planning

Planning dashboards

Issue logs

Risk registers

Decision papers

Steering committee inputs

Technical review comments

CST requirements

SBC requirements

MOMRAH requirements

SDAIA coordination

SEC coordination

NWC coordination

MNO coordination

TowerCo coordination

FiberCo coordination

Data center operator coordination

Cybersecurity requirements

Operational resilience

Integrated system testing

Cutover planning

O and M access

As-built documentation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, ICT, Telecommunications, Digital Infrastructure, Urban Planning, Infrastructure Planning, Project Management, or a related discipline

Job description

Job Title: Planning Manager – Digital Infrastructure

Position Overview

Planning Manager – Digital Infrastructure in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is an IT and Services opportunity with Parsons Corporation for an experienced planning professional who can translate a city-wide digital infrastructure masterplan into phased implementation plans covering fiber networks, mobile coverage, data centers, smart systems, MMRs, POPs, duct corridors, district connectivity, and operational readiness. This role supports major smart infrastructure delivery by coordinating planning baselines, demand forecasting, capacity modelling, authority interfaces, right‑of‑way requirements, construction dependencies, and implementation sequencing across complex development districts.

Job Details

Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Industry: IT and Services
Function: Strategy/Planning
Experience: Minimum 15 years
Job Type: Full‑time
Salary: 45,000–65,000 SAR (subject to confirmation with employer)
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Planning Director in translating the city‑wide Digital Infrastructure Masterplan into phased implementation plans.
• Manage day‑to‑day planning coordination for digital infrastructure packages, including baselines, phasing logic, sequencing, dependencies, constructability inputs, and critical interfaces.
• Coordinate implementation planning for fixed fiber networks, mobile networks, data centers, edge facilities, smart systems, MMRs, POPs, duct corridors, and district connectivity requirements.
• Review district CMP and DMP submissions to ensure digital infrastructure phasing, access, utilities, and implementation requirements are properly reflected.
• Lead demand forecasting and capacity planning inputs covering fiber demand, mobile coverage needs, data center capacity, edge capacity, smart city use cases, resilience requirements, and spare capacity.
• Develop short‑term, mid‑term, and long‑term planning assumptions that support growth, scalability, operational resilience, and future service demand.
• Coordinate planning interfaces with design teams, construction teams, utility providers, authorities, operators, consultants, contractors, and external EPC teams.
• Engage with stakeholders such as SEC, NWC, district cooling providers, CST, MOMRAH, SDAIA, MNOs, TowerCo, FiberCo, data center operators, and design consultants.
• Review and validate digital infrastructure planning submissions including fiber routes, tower siting plans, MMR and POP locations, duct‑bank layouts, right‑of‑way requirements, and access corridors.
• Assess utility dependencies, bypass routes, redundancy paths, commissioning inputs, handover requirements, and operational transition needs.
• Track progress against approved planning baselines and report variances related to schedule movement, delayed inputs, authority dependencies, change requests, and planning deviations.
• Identify planning risks, schedule impacts, interface gaps, authority approval issues, and unresolved dependencies, then recommend mitigation actions for escalation.
• Support planning governance forums by preparing dashboards, issue logs, risk registers, decision papers, steering committee inputs, technical review comments, and planning approval recommendations.
• Ensure planning outputs comply with applicable standards and project requirements, including CST, SBC, MOMRAH right‑of‑way requirements, cybersecurity requirements, resilience requirements, sustainability targets, and maintainability needs.
• Embed operational readiness requirements into planning schedules, including commissioning, integrated system testing, cutover, training, spares, O and M access, as‑built documentation, and phased handover.
• Lead and mentor planning engineers and coordinators within the digital infrastructure planning team.
• Maintain planning trackers, promote planning best practices, review team outputs, and support coordination between planning, design, construction, consultants, and operators.
• Provide clear reporting to senior project leadership on digital infrastructure planning progress, risks, decisions, constraints, and recovery actions.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, ICT, Telecommunications, Digital Infrastructure, Urban Planning, Infrastructure Planning, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in ICT, telecommunications, smart city, data center, utilities, critical infrastructure, or major infrastructure planning.
• Strong experience on city‑wide, giga‑project, mixed‑use, campus, smart infrastructure, digital infrastructure, or major development programs.
• Proven background in phased implementation planning for fiber networks, mobile networks, data centers, smart systems, district connectivity, MMRs, POPs, duct corridors, and right‑of‑way coordination.
• Strong demand forecasting and capacity modelling capability for digital infrastructure, telecoms, smart city use cases, data center capacity, resilience planning, and future growth.
• Experience coordinating with design, construction, utilities, authorities, consultants, operators, contractors, and government‑related stakeholders.
• Familiarity with stakeholders and regulatory interfaces such as SEC, NWC, district cooling, CST, MOMRAH, SDAIA, MNOs, TowerCo, FiberCo, and data center operators.
• Strong planning control capability, including baseline tracking, phasing adjustments, schedule variance reporting, change requests, risk registers, and planning dashboards.
• Ability to review digital infrastructure planning submissions, assess technical dependencies, and identify practical implementation risks.
• Good understanding of cybersecurity, operational resilience, sustainability, O and M access, maintainability, commissioning, handover, and future scalability requirements.
• Experience leading planning engineers or coordinators in a multidisciplinary project environment.
• Strong analytical, communication, coordination, reporting, stakeholder management, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to manage complex planning interfaces across multiple districts, packages, operators, and authority approval paths.
• Detail‑oriented approach with the ability to convert strategic masterplan requirements into realistic phased delivery plans.

Skills Set

• Digital infrastructure planning
• Strategy/Planning
• ICT planning
• Telecom planning
• Smart city planning
• Data center planning
• Fiber networks
• Mobile networks
• MMR planning
• POP planning
• Duct corridors
• District connectivity
• Demand forecasting
• Capacity planning
• Capacity modelling
• Phased implementation planning
• Planning baselines
• Phasing logic
• Sequencing
• Constructability inputs
• Critical interfaces
• Co‑build opportunities
• CMP submissions
• DMP submissions
• Fiber routes
• Tower siting plans
• Duct‑bank layouts
• Right‑of‑way coordination
• Utility dependencies
• Access corridors
• Bypass routes
• Redundancy paths
• Commissioning planning
• Handover planning
• Planning dashboards
• Issue logs
• Risk registers
• Decision papers
• Steering committee inputs
• Technical review comments
• CST requirements
• SBC requirements
• MOMRAH requirements
• SDAIA coordination
• SEC coordination
• NWC coordination
• MNO coordination
• TowerCo coordination
• FiberCo coordination
• Data center operator coordination
• Cybersecurity requirements
• Operational resilience
• Integrated system testing
• Cutover planning
• O and M access
• As‑built documentation

Why Join Us

This opportunity gives an experienced digital infrastructure planning professional the chance to support large‑scale smart infrastructure implementation in Riyadh with Parsons Corporation. The role offers strong exposure to city‑wide digital master‑planning, fiber and mobile network planning, data centre capacity, utility coordination, authority interfaces, smart systems, and operational readiness. It is well suited for a planning leader who wants to shape scalable digital infrastructure and contribute to future‑ready development in Saudi Arabia.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation is a global engineering, infrastructure, technology, and program management company supporting major transportation, smart city, data centre, urban development, and critical infrastructure projects. In Saudi Arabia, Parsons contributes to complex programmes through digital infrastructure planning, systems integration, technical assurance, project governance, design coordination, construction support, and operational readiness. The company supports Riyadh’s growth with international expertise, disciplined delivery methods, and practical experience in high‑performance infrastructure environments.