Senior Urban Planner (Manager)

Company Name:

Setec Middle East

Job Title:

Senior Urban Planner (team leader role)

Project:

Urban Planning Service for public clients in Saudi Arabia

Location:

Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Team Size who reports to incumbent: 1-7 members

Nationality: Saudi candidates are preferred

Role Overview:

Setec TPI Consulting Engineers is seeking a Senior Strategic Urban Planner to lead a team of international urban planners in charge of developing strategic local plans for targeted governorates of the Sharqia Region. This task is prepared as part of a major urban transformation initiative in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, related to implementing the Vision 2030. The project is under the umbrella of government authorities in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

The selected candidate will play a pivotal role in delivering at least five strategic local plans, ensuring alignment with stakeholder expectations, governmental regulations, and community priorities. The project’s Terms of Reference (ToR) and workplan will be made available to the candidate during the recruitment process.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the preparation and delivery of at least five urban local plans in accordance with client-provided standards and guidelines.
• Manage and lead a multidisciplinary team of 1 to 7 professionals located in Paris and Khobar.
• Ensure consistent application of urban planning methodology across project teams and deliverables.
• Prepare high-quality reports, urban planning documents, presentations, and technical briefings for internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate closely with stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment and effective project implementation.
• Represent the project in client meetings and discussions, addressing both technical and political challenges.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in urban and regional planning, with leadership roles in similar urban development projects.
• Master’s degree in Urban Planning or Regional Planning (Urban Design degrees are not suitable unless supported by highly relevant experience).
• Proven experience working in the Middle East with a strong understanding of the political, cultural, and planning challenges in the region.
• Strong command of both Arabic and English is essential, and good command of a third language is an asset.

Key Skills and Competencies:

• Strong understanding of urban systems and spatial analysis and planning frameworks.
• Leadership and team management skills with a collaborative and strategic mindset.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Solid planning and organizational skills are mandatory.
• Appetite for public speaking, presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships and navigate political dynamics.
• Graphic design