Director – Design Planning & Services

Aldar Properties
Abu Dhabi
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeFunction: Design (Product/UX/UI/Visual)Experience: 14+ yearsEducation: bachelorsSkills: ["Stakeholder management","Strategic planning","Problem solving"]

Lead the Group Design Planning & Services function for the Group Design Studio, aligning master planning, infrastructure planning, public realm, architecture, interiors, design management, and design innovation. Establish governance, programmes, data and performance frameworks to coordinate end-to-end design delivery across a multi-project portfolio. Own integrated data and AI-enabled tools for scenario planning, tracking, risk detection, and reporting, and provide portfolio insights to the Chief Design Officer and governance committees.

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Aldar Properties
Aldar Properties
1 day ago

Director – Design Planning & Services

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Job Summary

Lead the Group Design Planning & Services function for the Group Design Studio, aligning master planning, infrastructure planning, public realm, architecture, interiors, design management, and design innovation. Establish governance, programmes, data and performance frameworks to coordinate end-to-end design delivery across a multi-project portfolio. Own integrated data and AI-enabled tools for scenario planning, tracking, risk detection, and reporting, and provide portfolio insights to the Chief Design Officer and governance committees.
Location: Abu Dhabi
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Design (Product/UX/UI/Visual)
Seniority: Director level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Establish end-to-end design frameworks integrating all disciplines with common standards, interfaces, decision pathways, and accountabilities.
  • •Provide unified design governance, procedures, and quality frameworks, acting as a central integrator to resolve interface risks and ensure coherent outcomes.
  • •Lead design programme planning, resource orchestration, and milestone governance across all design disciplines, managing interdependencies and optimizing resource deployment.
  • •Own integrated data and systems architecture, embedding AI-enabled tools (including large language models and agents) to improve scenario planning, tracking, risk detection, and reporting.
  • •Deliver portfolio insights to the Group Chief Design Officer and governance committees, and lead studio operational support by setting objectives, building capability, and enabling scalable, agile delivery.

Key Requirements

  • •14+ years of relevant experience in design planning, design management, design operations, or a related built-environment discipline.
  • •6+ years in managerial leadership roles.
  • •Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning, Design Management, or a related discipline (required).
  • •Strong design planning and programme governance experience.
  • •Experience managing consultant scopes/procurement and cross-disciplinary design integration.
Experience:14+ yearsBuilt environmentDesign planningDesign managementDesign operationsDesign programme governance
Education:Bachelor's in Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning, Design Management
Skills:Stakeholder managementStrategic planningProblem solving
Tech Stack:Microsoft OfficePowerPointExcelProject and portfolio management platformsDesign, common data environment (CDE)Collaboration platformsAnalyticsAI-enabled toolsLarge language modelsAgentsWorkflow automation tools

Company Brief

Aldar Properties
A leading UAE real estate developer and investment company, Aldar develops residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects across Abu Dhabi and the region, and manages a diversified portfolio of assets including communities, retail, and hospitality.
Industry: Real Estate Development
Company Size: Enterprise (1,001+ employees)
Revenue: USD 1B+
Growth: Public Company
Valuation: Public Company (Market Cap in USD)
Funding: IPO / Publicly Listed
Headquarters: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Founded: 2004
WebsiteLinkedIn