Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Director of Design & Planning

🎯 Role Definition

The Director of Design & Planning is a senior, cross-functional leader who sets the strategic direction for design and planning efforts across an organization or portfolio. This person leads multidisciplinary teams of architects, planners, landscape architects, and designers; establishes design standards and delivery processes; manages large capital and redevelopment programs; drives innovation in design tools and digital workflows (BIM, GIS); ensures compliance with zoning, building codes and sustainability requirements; and partners with internal and external stakeholders to deliver impactful, on-time, and on-budget projects. The role balances high-level strategic planning (master planning, portfolio strategy, land-use) with hands-on program leadership, team development, and operational excellence.

Keywords: Director of Design & Planning, design leadership, master planning, architecture, urban planning, design operations, capital projects, BIM/Revit, zoning, sustainability, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Architect / Principal Architect with portfolio leadership experience
Head of Urban Planning / Senior Urban Planner with public/private sector experience
Design Program Manager or Senior Design Manager overseeing multi-disciplinary teams

Advancement To:

Vice President / Head of Design & Development
Chief Design Officer or Chief Planning Officer
Executive Director of Real Estate, Development, or Campus Planning

Lateral Moves:

Director of Development or Director of Capital Programs
Director of Project Management Office (PMO)
Head of Sustainability & Resilience / Built Environment Strategy

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Provide strategic leadership and vision for all design and planning activities across the organization, defining long‑term master plans, design principles, and a cohesive design language that aligns with corporate strategy and brand objectives.
Lead, mentor, and scale multidisciplinary design and planning teams (architecture, landscape, urban design, interior design, planning), setting performance expectations, professional development plans, and recruiting top talent to build capability and capacity.
Oversee the end-to-end delivery of complex capital programs and multi-site portfolios, including program governance, integrated project delivery models, scope management, scheduling, resourcing, risk mitigation, and performance reporting to executive leadership and boards.
Manage and optimize design operations and workflows, introducing best-practice processes, quality control standards, BIM/Revit and digital design standards, design review protocols, and collaborative tools to increase predictability, reduce rework, and improve efficiency.
Create and maintain master plans, site development strategies, land use plans, and urban design frameworks that balance stakeholder needs, regulatory constraints, sustainability targets, and business objectives.
Lead strategic feasibility analysis and site due-diligence for potential acquisitions and redevelopment opportunities, including entitlements, zoning assessments, infrastructure implications, and conceptual design options that inform investment decisions.
Establish and enforce design standards, technical guidelines, specifications, and brand/placemaking frameworks that ensure consistency, code compliance, accessibility, and high-quality built outcomes across projects and regions.
Serve as the principal client/stakeholder interface for design-related matters, leading high-stakes design presentations, community outreach, planning hearings, and executive briefings to secure approvals and buy-in.
Drive integration of sustainability and resilience goals into design and planning work, setting targets (e.g., LEED, WELL, net-zero), coordinating energy and environmental consultants, and tracking performance metrics across portfolios.
Champion the adoption and continuous improvement of digital tools and data-driven design practices (BIM, GIS, digital twins, cost modeling, schedule analytics) to improve decision-making and project delivery.
Oversee capital and design budgets, provide financial forecasting and cost control for design programs, manage design consultant teams and contracts, and ensure cost-effective solutions without sacrificing design quality.
Build and manage relationships with external partners — planning authorities, design consultancies, engineering firms, contractors, and community organizations — negotiating scope, fee structures, and delivery approaches to align incentives and outcomes.
Lead complex regulatory and entitlement processes, preparing and submitting planning applications, coordinating environmental reviews, and guiding approvals through municipal boards, planning commissions, and state agencies.
Set and track key performance indicators (KPIs) and program dashboards for design quality, schedule adherence, budget performance, safety, and client/stakeholder satisfaction, using those metrics to drive continuous improvement.
Manage risk and compliance across design and planning activities, including code interpretation, constructability reviews, permitting strategies, and contract liability mitigation to protect organizational interests.
Direct quality assurance and quality control reviews, design verification, constructability workshops, and coordination sessions with engineering and construction teams to reduce RFIs, change orders, and schedule impacts.
Lead value-engineering and constructability assessments early in design phases to optimize life-cycle costs, maintenance, and operational efficiency while preserving design intent.
Coordinate interdisciplinary coordination across real estate, operations, facilities, sustainability, and construction functions to ensure smooth handover from design to build and into operations.
Develop and implement vendor selection policies for design consultants and professional services, managing procurement, scope of work development, RFPs, and evaluation criteria aligned with strategic goals.
Act as an organizational advocate for inclusive design, community engagement, and equitable planning practices, ensuring projects respond to diverse stakeholder needs and local contexts.
Lead post-occupancy evaluation programs to capture lessons learned, user feedback, performance data, and to inform future design standards and planning decisions.
Drive cross-border or multi-jurisdictional program coordination where applicable, reconciling differing regulatory regimes, cultural contexts, and technical standards to deliver consistent outcomes at scale.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Coordinate internal design review committees and manage documentation archives for design decisions, approvals, and standard details that support legal, construction, and operations teams.
Provide executive summaries, board-level presentations, and strategic briefs that translate technical design and planning information into business-focused recommendations.
Mentor and develop leadership within the design and planning organization by facilitating training, cross-discipline exposure, and succession planning.
Participate in industry associations, public forums, design competitions, and thought leadership opportunities to elevate the organization's design profile and attract talent.
Support procurement and vendor management processes, including evaluation of proposals, budget negotiation, and contract award recommendations.
Assist in implementation of workplace strategies, space planning, and facility optimization initiatives driven by organizational change or growth.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Strategic design leadership and portfolio planning — ability to translate business objectives into master plans, design visions, and program roadmaps.
Master planning and urban design — zoning, land-use policy, entitlements, community engagement and municipal approvals.
Architectural design and construction documentation expertise with strong command of building codes, accessibility standards (ADA), and constructability.
BIM/REVIT leadership — developing office BIM standards, coordination workflows, clash detection, and model-based deliverables.
Facility and space planning — workplace strategy, operations integration, and post-occupancy analytics.
Sustainability and resilience expertise — LEED, WELL, energy modeling oversight, net-zero and climate adaptation strategies.
Capital program and project management — scheduling (MS Project, Primavera), cost estimating, contract management, and risk controls.
Technical software proficiency: Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, GIS (ArcGIS/QGIS), and design visualization tools.
Procurement and contract negotiation for professional services, design-build, and construction management agreements.
Data fluency — interpreting design/performance data, KPIs, and operational metrics to inform design decisions and capital planning.
Regulatory and entitlement processes — preparing planning applications, environmental assessments, and public hearing strategies.
Quality assurance, constructability review, and design standards development to reduce change orders and mitigate defects.

Soft Skills

Strategic thinking with strong business acumen and the ability to link design outcomes to financial and operational objectives.
Inspiring leadership and people management: coaching, developing, and retaining multidisciplinary teams.
Exceptional written and verbal communication — executive presentations, stakeholder briefings, and public speaking.
Stakeholder management and political savvy — ability to influence internal and external decision-makers, elected officials, and community groups.
Decision-making under uncertainty and complex problem-solving.
Collaborative mindset — drives cross-functional outcomes and resolves conflicts constructively.
Empathy and user-centered thinking for inclusive, equitable design solutions.
Negotiation and influencing for procurement, consultant management, and entitlement approvals.
Change leadership — guiding teams through process changes, new digital tool adoption, and organizational transformation.
Time management and prioritization, managing competing deadlines across a diverse portfolio.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, or related built-environment field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Architecture, Urban/Regional Planning, Master of Real Estate Development (MRE), or MBA with focus on real estate/development.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Architecture
Urban & Regional Planning
Landscape Architecture
Civil / Structural / Construction Engineering
Real Estate Development or Facilities Management
Sustainability / Environmental Design

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

10–20+ years of progressive experience in architecture, urban planning, or design leadership roles, with demonstrated experience delivering complex capital programs.

Preferred:

15+ years of experience with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role (Director level or above) overseeing multidisciplinary design and planning teams, capital programs, and entitlement processes; proven track record of delivering multi‑site or portfolio-scale projects and navigating municipal approvals.