Manager, Design (Architect/Urban Design)

Hill International, with more than 3000 professionals in 70 offices worldwide, provides program management, project management, construction management, and other consulting services to clients in a variety of market sectors. Hill has participated in over 10,000 project assignments with a total construction value of more than $600 billion. Engineering News-Record magazine recently ranked Hill as the eighth-largest construction management firm in the United States. For more information on Hill, please visit our website at www.hillintl.com.

General Description of Role and Responsibilities:

• Establish and oversee a structured, efficient visualization and graphics production line fr
• Manage and monitor schedules and deliverables, effectively coordinating issue resolution and ensuring commitment to scope.
• Lead the generation and development of the visioning and pre-concept stages of master planning and urban design, employing a hands-on approach to develop innovative design studies and solutions.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams, including architects and landscape architects, to ensure integrated and cohesive design outcomes.
• Utilize outstanding graphic skills to visualize and convey master planning and urban design visions through sketching and digital tools.
• Create detailed and accurate 3D models using tools like SketchUp and/or Rhino, ensuring architectural accuracy and detail in urban design concepts.
• Develop masterplan and urban design diagrams using Adobe Illustrator, effectively communicating complex spatial and planning concepts.
• Craft visual presentations using Adobe InDesign and PowerPoint to articulate design visions and strategies effectively.
• Engage in creative problem-solving, employing innovative techniques to address complex urban design challenges.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring effective prioritization and execution while maintaining high standards of design quality.
• Conduct thorough site analysis and context studies to inform and enrich the urban design process, ensuring designs are responsive to local conditions and community needs.
• Work closely with the internal commercial and development teams to interpret and refine development briefs, ensuring that urban design proposals align with strategic objectives and market demands.
• Collaborate extensively with the internal visualization team to produce high-quality architectural renderings and visualizations.
• Generate and prepare test fits for a range of different development concepts, skillfully adapting designs to suit new development sites.
• Present developed urban design visions and concepts to executive leadership, communicating the rationale and impact effectively.
• Stay abreast of the latest trends and technologies in urban design and master planning, continually refining and evolving design approaches.
• Utilize a good understanding of data set creation, integrating tools like Excel and GIS, to inform and support urban design decisions.
• Proactively identify and analyze relevant precedent and benchmark studies to inform the urban design development process.
• Participate in joint workshops and brainstorming sessions with design, commercial, development, and visualization teams.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior team members, fostering a culture of learning and professional growth within the urban design team.
• Regularly update the internal design team and stakeholders on key findings from precedent studies.
• Utilize benchmark studies to establish best practices and innovative approaches in urban design.
• Integrate lessons learned from benchmark analyses into the urban design process.
• Establish a repository of relevant case studies and precedents for the design team.

Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge and Skills:

• A Masters or Bachelors degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, or a related field.
• A minimum of 10 -12 + years of experience in urban design, with a focus on master planning in the visioning and concept stages.
• 5+ years previous experience within a top-tier consultancy firm, with an emphasis on master planning projects in the GCC, particularly in the UAE.
• Exceptional experience in the master plan and urban design process, with an emphasis on early design stages.
• Possess keen design intuition and the capability to drive projects from inception.
• Engage actively in urban design processes with a broad understanding of urban planning challenges.
• Proficiency in 3D modeling tools (SketchUp, Rhino) and Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign etc.).
• Capability to visualize urban design concepts through sketching and digital tools.
• Excellent graphic skills, with the ability to create compelling visual narratives for master planning and urban design projects.
• Good understanding of dataset creation, with proficiency in Excel and GIS.
• Creative thinking with robust problem-solving skills, capable of innovative and visionary design solutions.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration within multidisciplinary teams.
• Passion for staying updated on the latest trends and developments in urban design and planning.
• Demonstrated expertise in conceptual design, high-level design development, and optioneering with the ability to produce high-quality hand-drawn sketches and renderings for initial design concepts.
• Deep familiarity with architectural design standards, practices, and techniques, including proficiency in sketching, rendering, 3D modelling, and presenting designs.
• Exceptional project management, organizational, and analytical skills with a proven track record of driving results, fostering accountability, and promoting continuous improvement.
• Adeptness in reviewing and ensuring the quality of architectural designs with a detail-oriented mindset and unwavering commitment to quality
• Familiarity with the UAE's local building codes and regulations.