Overview
Director of Masterplanning Jobs in UAE at Blake Anderson
The Director of Masterplanning will lead the planning, vision, and design direction for major development programmes across a leading Abu Dhabi developer's portfolio. The role will shape large-scale communities, destinations, mixed-use developments, waterfront projects, and strategic urban initiatives from concept through delivery.
This is a senior leadership role requiring strong masterplanning expertise, commercial awareness, consultant leadership, and the ability to balance design excellence with development viability, infrastructure integration, sustainability, and long-term place value.
MUST HAVE MIN 3 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN UAE
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
* Lead the planning and design direction for complex masterplanning programmes.
* Establish planning strategies aligned with commercial objectives, market positioning, and placemaking ambitions.
* Advise executive leadership on planning opportunities, risks, and design direction.
* Translate corporate objectives into practical planning frameworks and implementation strategies.
* Champion design excellence while balancing programme, commercial, and delivery requirements.
Project Leadership
* Direct multidisciplinary consultant teams from early visioning and feasibility through authority approvals and implementation.
* Lead the preparation and review of masterplans, planning frameworks, development strategies, and urban design proposals.
* Resolve complex planning, design, infrastructure, and delivery challenges across multiple projects.
* Ensure planning solutions respond to commercial, environmental, operational, and customer requirements.
* Maintain consistency and quality across all planning deliverables.
Development Strategy
* Maximise land value, development efficiency, and long-term project performance.
* Lead land-use optimisation, density studies, phasing strategies, and development scenarios.
* Work closely with Development and Commercial teams to support business cases and investment decisions.
* Ensure planning decisions are informed by market demand, infrastructure capacity, and delivery constraints.
* Identify opportunities to enhance project value while maintaining design quality.
Design Governance
* Establish planning standards, design governance processes, and quality assurance procedures.
* Lead design reviews and provide clear direction to internal teams and external consultants.
* Ensure alignment with approved visions, planning principles, and corporate objectives.
* Drive continuous improvement in planning methodologies, tools, and design standards.
Stakeholder Leadership
* Build strong relationships with executive leadership, government authorities, utility providers, and strategic partners.
* Present planning strategies and recommendations to executive committees, boards, and external stakeholders.
* Lead complex stakeholder discussions and negotiate balanced planning outcomes.
* Represent the developer in senior planning and design forums where required.
Team Leadership
* Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing masterplanning team.
* Foster a collaborative, accountable, and innovative team culture.
* Support succession planning, capability development, and professional growth.
* Provide coaching and technical leadership across planning disciplines.
Innovation & Best Practice
* Promote innovation in planning methodologies, digital tools, and urban development practices.
* Encourage integration of smart city principles, sustainability, and data-driven planning.
* Monitor global planning trends and apply relevant best practice across the portfolio.
* Support the organisation's reputation as a regional leader in city-making and destination development.
Title: Director of Masterplanning
Company: Blake Anderson
Location: UAE
