Senior Urban Designer - Master Plans & Placemaking

WS Atkins & Partners Overseas Engineering Consultants; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 300,000 - 540,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tax-free salary

Life insurance

Medical insurance

Annual leave balance

Company gratuity scheme

Discretionary bonus program

Annual flight contribution

Transportation & housing allowances

Employee Wellbeing Program

Job summary

WS Atkins & Partners Overseas Engineering Consultants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, seeks a Senior Urban Designer to lead master plans, urban design frameworks, and placemaking initiatives for major developments. You will coordinate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver sustainable, regulation-aligned urban environments.

The role demands strong design leadership, deep experience in master planning, and a track record of delivering large-scale projects in the GCC region.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Design, Urban Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or related discipline.
• Master's degree preferred in Urban Design, Urban Planning, or Urbanism.
• Professional membership with RTPI/ULI/APA/RIBA advantageous.
• Minimum 10-15 years of professional experience in urban design and master planning.
• Proven experience delivering large-scale mixed-use, residential, commercial, hospitality, and public realm developments.
• Strong understanding of urban design principles, development planning, and regulatory approval processes.
• Experience working on major developments within the GCC, preferably Saudi Arabia.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, Rhino, Revit, GIS, Lumion, Enscape, or similar design tools.
• Strong graphic communication, visualization, report-writing, and presentation skills.
• Excellent leadership, stakeholder engagement, and project coordination capabilities.
• Fluent in English; Arabic language skills are an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation and development of master plans, urban design frameworks, and detailed urban design proposals.
• Manage urban design packages throughout project lifecycle from concept development to implementation.
• Develop public realm, streetscape, open space, and placemaking strategies that enhance community livability and user experience.
• Conduct urban analysis, site assessments, land-use studies, and development feasibility evaluations.
• Review and guide the production of urban design reports, drawings, visualizations, presentations, and technical documentation.
• Ensure design proposals comply with local regulations, planning policies, client requirements, and international best practices.
• Coordinate with architects, landscape architects, infrastructure engineers, transportation specialists, and planning teams.
• Lead design review workshops, stakeholder consultations, and client presentations.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior urban designers and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Monitor implementation of approved urban design concepts during construction and site supervision activities.
• Evaluate design changes and recommend solutions that maintain design integrity and project objectives.
• Support authority submissions and approvals by coordinating with government agencies and regulatory bodies.
• Promote sustainable urban development, smart city initiatives, walkability, accessibility, and environmental stewardship.
• Assist project management teams in managing project schedules, deliverables, risks, and resource requirements.
• Contribute to business development activities, technical proposals, and client relationship management when required.
• Ensure compliance with quality assurance, health and safety, and environmental management standards.

Skills

Urban design leadership

Master planning

Regulatory knowledge

Team mentorship

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Urban Design/Planning

Master's degree in Urban Design/Urban Planning

Professional membership (RTPI/ULI/APA/RIBA)

Tools

AutoCAD

Adobe Creative Suite

SketchUp

Rhino

Revit

GIS

Lumion

Enscape

Job description

WS Atkins & Partners Overseas Engineering Consultants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, seeks a Senior Urban Designer to lead master plans, urban design frameworks, and placemaking initiatives for major developments. You will coordinate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver sustainable, regulation-aligned urban environments.

The role demands strong design leadership, deep experience in master planning, and a track record of delivering large-scale projects in the GCC region.