Director Design Planning and Services

About the role

The Director of Design Planning and Services leads the Group Design Planning & Services function, acting as the integrated backbone of the Group Design Studio. This senior role connects master planning, infrastructure, architecture, interior design and design innovation to ensure coordinated delivery across a multi‑project portfolio.

Key responsibilities

• Establish end‑to‑end design frameworks, common standards and unified governance across all design disciplines.
• Lead design programme planning, resource orchestration and milestone governance for concurrent developments.
• Develop and manage integrated design procurement strategy, coordinating consultant scopes and performance expectations.
• Own the studio’s data and systems architecture, providing visibility of progress, dependencies, risks and decisions.
• Embed AI‑enabled tools, including large language models, to improve scenario planning, risk detection and cross‑discipline coordination.
• Deliver portfolio insights to the Group Chief Design Officer and governance committees, and lead studio operational support.

Required profile

• 14+ years of relevant experience in design planning, design management, design operations or a related built‑environment discipline.
• 6+ years in managerial leadership roles.

Required skills

• Design governance and integration
• Design programme planning and resource management
• Data and digital systems architecture
• AI‑enabled design tools and large language models