Senior Masterplanning Lead / Senior Urban Designer

A leading international multi-disciplinary practice, is seeking a highly experienced Senior Masterplanning Lead / Senior Urban Designer to join our Dubai Studio. In this senior authority role, you will act as a pivotal link between high-level strategic masterplanning and hands-on team management. You will provide critical design leadership, drive multidisciplinary coordination, and serve as a heavyweight contributor to our business development efforts. Your primary mission is to ensure rigorous design delivery from initial visioning through to detailed authority approvals in collaboration with local architects of record. Core Responsibilities Strategic Bidding & Business Development * Bid Leadership: Serve as a primary senior asset in securing major regional masterplanning and urban development projects. * RFP Oversight: Lead the technical and strategic review of high-stakes RFPs. * Proposal Development: Author comprehensive project methodologies, delivery strategies, and integrated master programmes. * Credibility: Leverage your extensive portfolio and industry standing to elevate the studio's credibility and competitive edge during the proposal stage. Design Leadership & Studio Mentorship * Strategic Direction: Provide day-to-day design direction for the studio's masterplanning teams, operating as an extension of the Principal's leadership. * Concept Execution: Translate high-level conceptual visions into robust, executable design strategies. * End-to-End Delivery: Guide projects seamlessly through visioning, concept development, schematic design, and detailed design phases. * Design Rigour: Lead internal design charrettes and reviews to unblock bottlenecks and ensure all outputs align with the practice's high design standards. Client Interface & Stakeholder Management * Client Representation: Lead high-level client engagements, design workshops, and milestone presentations. * Authoritative Voice: Act as the lead negotiator to defend design methodologies, navigate project complexities, and manage stakeholder expectations. * Consultant Coordination: Coordinate seamlessly with external sub-consultants, engineers, and multidisciplinary project teams to maintain design intent. Regulatory Strategy & Authority Approvals * Regional Expertise: Apply deep knowledge of Middle Eastern regional planning regulations to ensure spatial strategies are both innovative and compliant. * Regulatory Navigation: Manage complex zoning laws and strategic development frameworks to secure timely authority approvals. * Proactive Planning: Anticipate regulatory hurdles early in the concept phase and integrate mitigation solutions into the master programme.

Qualifications & Expertise * Regional Experience: Minimum 15+ years of experience with a proven track record delivering large-scale urban development and masterplanning projects within the Middle East. * Lifecycle Management: Demonstrated ability to carry complex masterplans from blank-page visioning through to detailed design and final authority sign-off. * Leadership: A strong history of leading and coordinating diverse, multidisciplinary teams of architects, urban designers, and technical consultants. * Technical Acumen: Deep understanding of regional urban design principles, strategic development frameworks, and local planning regulations. * Commercial Awareness: A sharp ability to align design solutions with commercial realities, client objectives, and stringent project timelines.