Director of Urban Design & Planning

Description

Streetsense is seeking a motivated and accomplished Director of Urban Design & Planning to join our growing Place Consulting team. This role is ideal for a strategic thinker and visionary designer who thrives at the intersection of retail strategy, placemaking, and public realm design.

You will lead high-impact planning and urban design projects focused on creating vibrant, people-centered environments where retail, food & beverage, and public life intersect. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in retail and consumer strategy, urban design, and mixed-use development—along with a strong understanding of how commercial, residential, and office uses come together to create successful destinations.

In addition to leading projects from concept through execution, this role includes supervising and mentoring junior staff, guiding their professional development and ensuring high standards of performance and delivery across project teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Project Planning & Delivery: Lead the development of urban planning and design work products to meet client objectives, focusing on innovative solutions for retail-driven, mixed-use, and public realm projects. Ensure project deliverables meet high quality standards and are completed on schedule and within budget.
• Client Engagement: Serve as the primary liaison for clients on planning and urban design projects, representing the Place      Consulting team and ensuring client goals are understood and achieved. Present ideas and plans to clients and stakeholders, demonstrating strong storytelling skills and clarity in deliverables.
• Subject Matter Expertise: Provide expert guidance in urban planning and design, particularly in the fields of retail, food &      beverage, and active, people-centric public realm design and curation. This individual will lead key internal and external meetings, offering strategic direction and hands-on design input throughout the project lifecycle, from concept development through execution.
• Public Realm & Placemaking: Develop and implement placemaking strategies that activate streetscapes and ground-floor spaces, creating engaging, people-centric experiences in the public realm. Leverage deep knowledge of retail, F&B, and consumer trends to shape vibrant, community-focused environments.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Work closely with colleagues across Streetsense’s Place Consulting specialties (e.g. real estate strategy, public/non-profit consulting, research & analytics) to integrate diverse insights into holistic planning and design solutions. Foster a team-oriented approach and open communication across disciplines.
• Business Development Support: Contribute to business development efforts by preparing content for proposals, participating in new business pitches, and serving as a subject-matter expert in urban planning, retail strategy, and placemaking. Help articulate the value of our planning and design services to potential clients (as a supporting role, not primary sales lead).

Requirements

• Education: Undergraduate degree in Urban Design, Urban Planning, Architecture, or a related field. 
• Experience: 8–10 years of experience in urban planning and design for mixed-use development, with deep understanding of commercial retail (including food & beverage), multifamily development, and placemaking strategies.
• Multi-Scale Design: Ability to work at multiple scales — from large-scale master plans and mixed-use districts to detailed      streetscapes and pedestrian-level public space design. Strong understanding of building massing, block layout, streetscape design, and public realm planning is essential.
• Project Leadership: Demonstrated experience leading projects from concept through schematic design. Proven ability to guide      project teams and coordinate cross-functional efforts to meet project goals.
• Collaboration: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate within      multidisciplinary teams and engage a variety of stakeholders (clients, community members, consultants, etc.).
• Strategic Mindset: Strategic thinker with strong business acumen, capable of synthesizing complex ideas and market insights      into actionable plans. Able to drive results in a fast-paced environment while maintaining attention to detail.
• Adaptability & Innovation: Creative problem-solver who can adapt to new challenges and think outside the box in developing planning solutions. Familiarity with design-thinking methodologies is a plus.
• Client & Business Insight: Experience contributing to client strategy and business development efforts is a plus. An      understanding of real estate development economics and retail market trends is beneficial for informing planning recommendations.

Streetsense is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Base salary is just one component of Streetsense's total rewards philosophy. We offer a wide range of benefits and perks that appeal to the variety of needs across our diverse employee base. This may include Medical Dental & Vision Insurance, paid time off, 401k match, wellbeing resources, and more.