Senior Director - Master Plan Governance

Parsons; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 51,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons Corporation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, seeks a Senior Director to govern master plans and land use across a landmark giga-project. You will lead governance, engage authorities, and direct land allocation strategies to balance growth with infrastructure capacity and sustainability.

The role demands ~25 years in urban development, executive leadership, and a track record in complex, multi-stakeholder planning environments.

Qualifications

• 25 years of progressive master planning and land use experience.
• Strong leadership with governance and executive stakeholder engagement.
• Proven negotiation of zoning and development entitlements with authorities.

Responsibilities

• Own the city-wide master plan governance framework and controls.
• Assess proposals against land use policies and master plan objectives.
• Direct refinement of the spatial master plan with consultants and teams.
• Lead environmental and socio-economic assessments for new developments.
• Coordinate with ministries, municipalities, and regulatory authorities.
• Establish data governance for parcels, zoning, and densities.
• Represent planning function at executive governance forums.

Skills

Land use planning

Master plan governance

Urban master planning

Spatial planning

Development control

Zoning regulations

Land allocation strategy

Density management

Floor area ratio analysis

Mixed-use development planning

Urban design

GIS platforms

CAD workflows

Urban modelling tools

Spatial analytics

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Urban Design, or related discipline

Master's Degree in Urban Planning, Urban Design, Real Estate Development, or related field preferred

Tools

GIS platforms

CAD workflows

Urban modelling tools

Spatial databases

Job description

Senior Director - Master Plan Governance Job Snapshot Role: Senior Director - Master Plan Governance Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Industry: Architecture and Planning Function: Town-City Planning Experience: Approximately 25 years Job Type: Full-time Position Overview Senior Director - Master Plan Governance in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is an executive-level Architecture and Planning opportunity with Parsons Corporation supporting a landmark Saudi giga-project through city-wide land use strategy, spatial governance, development controls, and master plan stewardship. The role is hiring a highly experienced urban development leader to protect master plan integrity, govern development proposals, direct land allocation strategy, coordinate regulatory approvals, and ensure future growth supports infrastructure capacity, sustainability, commercial objectives, and long-term city operations. Job Details Country: Saudi Arabia City: Riyadh Industry: Architecture and Planning Function: Town-City Planning Salary: 60000-85000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer. Gender: Any Candidate Nationality: Any Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Senior Director will serve as a principal authority for land use and master plan governance across a complex mixed-use urban development. The position safeguards the relationship between development ambition and the practical capacity of transport, utilities, public realm, community facilities, emergency services, and environmental systems. Through disciplined governance and evidence-based spatial planning, the role will influence where and how assets are developed while protecting long-term city functionality, investment value, community integration, and the strategic intent of the master plan.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the city-wide master plan governance framework and establish clear controls for reviewing, approving, escalating, and documenting proposed spatial changes.
• Assess asset and development proposals against approved land use policies, zoning requirements, development controls, density parameters, and master plan objectives.
• Govern modifications across precincts and districts while protecting long-term operational, environmental, infrastructure, and community requirements.
• Evaluate proposed land use changes through operational impact assessments covering accessibility, serviceability, infrastructure capacity, emergency response, lifecycle implications, and development dependencies.
• Maintain zoning schedules, land use controls, spatial development guidelines, development rights, and associated governance documentation.
• Direct periodic refinement of the spatial master plan in coordination with external master planning consultants and multidisciplinary internal teams.
• Lead spatial, environmental, and socio-economic assessments supporting new developments, strategic initiatives, and significant precinct changes.
• Optimize land allocation and development intensity to strengthen commercial viability and asset value without compromising critical infrastructure, public realm, or open-space networks.
• Direct scenario planning and sensitivity analysis for alternative density distributions, land use configurations, development phasing, and strategic growth options.
• Integrate transport, utilities, sustainability, community facilities, public realm, and operational considerations into the overarching land use framework.
• Coordinate with engineering, real estate, commercial, legal, development, and operations teams to reconcile technical constraints with investment and development objectives.
• Lead engagement with government ministries, municipalities, and regulatory authorities on planning permissions, statutory approvals, zoning matters, and development entitlements.
• Negotiate spatial solutions involving master developers, anchor tenants, investors, government entities, and other strategic stakeholders.
• Represent the land use and master planning function at executive governance forums, investment committees, technical reviews, and design review boards.
• Oversee GIS platforms, urban modelling applications, CAD workflows, and spatial information systems used to maintain the master plan.
• Establish reliable data governance for parcels, zoning allocations, floor area ratios, rights-of-way, easements, density controls, and development rights.
• Use spatial analytics to monitor development progress, land utilization, approved densities, and compliance with governing plans.
• Lead planners, urban designers, GIS specialists, and land use analysts while establishing performance objectives and consistent planning methodologies.
• Build team capability through technical coaching, knowledge transfer, professional development, and exposure to international master planning practices.
• Identify risks arising from excessive density, under-development, non-compliant proposals, environmental constraints, infrastructure conflicts, and uncoordinated spatial changes.
• Establish exception management and escalation mechanisms for complex or high-impact planning decisions.
• Prepare governance reports, land use assessments, risk evaluations, mitigation strategies, and executive recommendations for senior leadership.
• Introduce international practices in smart city planning, transit-oriented development, resilient urban design, density management, mixed-use integration, and green and blue networks.
• Contribute to planning policies, design standards, development controls, and strategic frameworks guiding the long-term evolution of the city.

Ideal Profile

The position requires a Bachelor 's Degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Urban Design, or a closely related discipline, supported by approximately 25 years of progressive experience in master planning, land use strategy, urban development, or related fields. Candidates should bring substantial leadership experience governing large-scale master plans, mixed-use districts, new cities, urban regeneration programs, or comparable mega and giga-project environments. At least 8 to 10 years should have been spent in senior leadership positions with direct accountability for planning approvals, governance, executive stakeholder engagement, and strategic decision-making. A strong record of negotiating zoning, development entitlements, planning approvals, and spatial solutions with municipalities, government authorities, regulators, investors, developers, and other major stakeholders is important. Experience directing external master planning consultants and multidisciplinary technical teams is also expected. A Master 's Degree in Urban Planning, Urban Design, Real Estate Development, or a related field is strongly preferred. The successful leader will combine strategic judgement with advanced spatial planning expertise, executive communication, negotiation ability, and a strong commitment to sustainable, community-focused urban development.

Skills Set

• Land use planning
• Master plan governance
• Urban master planning
• Spatial planning
• Development control
• Zoning regulations
• Land allocation strategy
• Density management
• Floor area ratio analysis
• Mixed-use development planning
• Urban design
• GIS platforms
• CAD workflows
• Urban modelling tools
• Spatial databases
• Spatial analytics
• Scenario planning
• Sensitivity analysis
• Transport and land use integration
• Infrastructure capacity planning
• Environmental impact assessment
• Socio-economic impact assessment
• Development entitlements
• Regulatory approvals
• Planning policy
• Rights-of-way management
• Easement planning
• Development phasing
• Transit-oriented development
• Smart city planning
• Green and blue networks
• Public realm integration
• Sustainability planning
• Strategic planning
• Stakeholder negotiation
• Government liaison
• Master planning consultant management
• Spatial risk management

Why Join Us

Saudi Arabia 's giga-project landscape is creating a rare concentration of opportunities for senior urban planning professionals to shape entire districts and destination-scale developments rather than individual assets. This position carries significant influence over how land, infrastructure, mobility, public spaces, commercial development, and community facilities evolve over the long term. It offers an experienced planning executive the opportunity to apply international best practice at city scale while contributing to a transformative development aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation provides planning, engineering, program management, and technical expertise for major infrastructure and urban development programs. In Saudi Arabia, its multidisciplinary teams support complex giga-projects where master planning, infrastructure integration, development governance, sustainability, and long-term operational performance must work together to create resilient and commercially viable destinations.