Senior Director - Master Plan Governance

Senior Director
- Master Plan Governance Job Snapshot Role:
Senior Director
- Master Plan Governance

Location:

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Industry: Architecture and Planning Function:
Town-City Planning

Experience:

Approximately 25 years Job Type: Full-time

Position Overview Senior Director
- Master Plan Governance in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is an executive-level Architecture and Planning opportunity with Parsons Corporation supporting a landmark Saudi giga-project through city-wide land use strategy, spatial governance, development controls, and master plan stewardship. The role is hiring a highly experienced urban development leader to protect master plan integrity, govern development proposals, direct land allocation strategy, coordinate regulatory approvals, and ensure future growth supports infrastructure capacity, sustainability, commercial objectives, and long-term city operations.

Job Details Country:
Saudi Arabia City:
Riyadh Industry: Architecture and Planning Function:
Town-City Planning Salary:  Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer. Gender: Any Candidate Nationality:
Any Job Type: Full-time

The Senior Director will serve as a principal authority for land use and master plan governance across a complex mixed-use urban development. The position safeguards the relationship between development ambition and the practical capacity of transport, utilities, public realm, community facilities, emergency services, and environmental systems. Through disciplined governance and evidence-based spatial planning, the role will influence where and how assets are developed while protecting long-term city functionality, investment value, community integration, and the strategic intent of the master plan.

• Own the city-wide master plan governance framework and establish clear controls for reviewing, approving, escalating, and documenting proposed spatial changes.
• Assess asset and development proposals against approved land use policies, zoning requirements, development controls, density parameters, and master plan objectives.
• Govern modifications across precincts and districts while protecting long-term operational, environmental, infrastructure, and community requirements.
• Evaluate proposed land use changes through operational impact assessments covering accessibility, serviceability, infrastructure capacity, emergency response, lifecycle implications, and development dependencies.
• Maintain zoning schedules, land use controls, spatial development guidelines, development rights, and associated governance documentation.
• Direct periodic refinement of the spatial master plan in coordination with external master planning consultants and multidisciplinary internal teams.
• Lead spatial, environmental, and socio-economic assessments supporting new developments, strategic initiatives, and significant precinct changes.
• Optimize land allocation and development intensity to strengthen commercial viability and asset value without compromising critical infrastructure, public realm, or open-space networks.
• Direct scenario planning and sensitivity analysis for alternative density distributions, land use configurations, development phasing, and strategic growth options.
• Integrate transport, utilities, sustainability, community facilities, public realm, and operational considerations into the overarching land use framework.
• Coordinate with engineering, real estate, commercial, legal, development, and operations teams to reconcile technical constraints with investment and development objectives.
• Lead engagement with government ministries, municipalities, and regulatory authorities on planning permissions, statutory approvals, zoning matters, and development entitlements.
• Negotiate spatial solutions involving master developers, anchor tenants, investors, government entities, and other strategic stakeholders.
• Represent the land use and master planning function at executive governance forums, investment committees, technical reviews, and design review boards.
• Oversee GIS platforms, urban modelling applications, CAD workflows, and spatial information systems used to maintain the master plan.
• Establish reliable data governance for parcels, zoning allocations, floor area ratios, rights-of-way, easements, density controls, and development rights.
• Use spatial analytics to monitor development progress, land utilization, approved densities, and compliance with governing plans.
• Lead planners, urban designers, GIS specialists, and land use analysts while establishing performance objectives and consistent planning methodologies.
• Build team capability through technical coaching, knowledge transfer, professional development, and exposure to international master planning practices.
• Identify risks arising from excessive density, under-development, non-compliant proposals, environmental constraints, infrastructure conflicts, and uncoordinated spatial changes.
• Establish exception…