Senior Manager, Urban Design

About the Role

Role Responsibilities

• Develop and review integrated urban design frameworks, ensuring cohesive public-realm strategies that align with AD Ports’ master plans and development vision.
• Evaluate urban design components of Concept and Detailed Master Plans, including spatial structure, street hierarchy, open-space systems, pedestrian mobility, and urban form.
• Ensure that proposed urban layouts comply with DMT regulations, AD Ports design guidelines, Development Control Regulations (DCR), and infrastructure requirements.
• Prepare urban design narratives, diagrams, concept briefs, and design rationales to guide developers and consultants through the approval process.
• Identify site constraints and opportunities related to connectivity, walkability, shading, topography, interfaces, and public-realm integration, and incorporate them into planning studies.
• Review and assess public-realm elements such as landscape layouts, amenities, plazas, pedestrian paths, and mobility corridors to ensure quality and regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate with planning, architecture, landscape, infrastructure, and environmental teams to ensure coordinated and feasible urban design solutions.
• Provide expert input on land-use arrangements, block structures, street networks, and spatial layouts to enhance urban quality, sustainability, and feasibility.
• Oversee GIS-based mapping and updates related to public-realm classifications, right-of-way allocations, and urban design layers.
• Review plot merger, division, and area adjustment requests to ensure continuity of urban form and alignment with master-plan principles.
• Participate in stakeholder and authority meetings, providing technical urban design guidance and clarifying design requirements for developers.
• Ensure all design proposals incorporate accessibility, shading, sustainability, and universal design standards.
• Maintain knowledge of urban design best practices, public-realm innovations, smart-city concepts, and DMT planning regulations.
• Support process improvements by providing clear and timely feedback during the design-review cycle.

*Tools & Visualization Capabilities:*

• Use urban design and spatial analysis tools such as GIS, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Adobe Suite, and diagramming software to review layouts and prepare visual materials.
• Evaluate street networks, pedestrian movement, open-space efficiency, and public-realm performance using design analysis tools.
• Interpret mapping layers, zoning overlays, utility corridors, and plot boundaries from an urban design perspective.

*Consultant Oversight & Management:*

• Lead and coordinate with urban design, landscape, planning, architecture, and infrastructure consultants to produce integrated and compliant design proposals.
• Manage consultant deliverables from concept to detailed layouts, ensuring accuracy, regulatory alignment, and timely submission.
• Conduct design review workshops and technical coordination sessions to resolve spatial conflicts and support approval readiness.
• Provide consultants with clear design briefs, technical comments, and spatial guidance to support revisions and authority submissions.
• Support leadership presentations with urban design visuals, diagrams, and layout alternatives for decision-making and stakeholder approvals.

Role Requirements

• Degree in Urban Planning, or associated field. Master’s Degree or equivalent preferred
• AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Project.

• Preferred: ArcGIS, SketchUp, Test Fit

• Minimum 12 years of experience in Urban Planning with multi discipline approach.
• Min. 5 Years UAE experience.