Future City Thinker

Overview

AtkinsRéalis are seeking Strategic Urban Planners of various seniorities who excel at thought leadership — Future City Thinkers—to lead transformative urban strategies across MEA and APAC.

This is not a conventional planning role. We’re looking for a visionary leader, a thought provocateur, and a design futurist who can shape the next generation of cities through bold ideas, strategic foresight, and compelling storytelling. You will be at the forefront of city-scale innovation, guiding governments, developers, and communities toward resilient, inclusive, and tech-enabled urban futures.

Your role

• Lead regional urban strategy initiatives across MEA and APAC, delivering future-ready frameworks, master plans, and policy guidance.
• Champion thought leadership through keynote speaking, publications, and strategic advisory roles that influence urban discourse globally.
• Envision next-generation cities by integrating emerging technologies, climate resilience, mobility innovation, and socio-cultural dynamics.
• Develop and communicate urban narratives that inspire action—using storytelling, visualisation, and strategic framing to engage clients and stakeholders.
• Mentor and guide multidisciplinary teams, fostering a culture of innovation, design excellence, and strategic thinking.
• Engage with high-level stakeholders including government agencies, city leaders, and private sector partners to co-create urban visions.
• Translate global trends into local strategies, ensuring contextual relevance while pushing the boundaries of possibility.
• Drive innovation in planning tools, data-driven decision-making, and scenario modelling to support strategic foresight.
• Analyse urban trends and data using GIS and other planning tools to inform strategic decision-making, working with our digital teams to push boundaries.
• Advocate for design excellence and innovation in all aspects of urban transformation.
• Engage stakeholders through workshops, presentations, and participatory design processes to ensure inclusive and responsive planning that feeds into strategic level planning and development.

About you

• Post graduate qualification in urban design, urban planning or related field and preferably with a professional affiliation (or eligible for membership).
• Candidates will ideally have a minimum of 15 years’ relevant working experience in strategic urban planning, and master planning with a portfolio of city-scale projects and regional leadership.
• Proven track record in thought leadership—published work, speaking engagements, or recognised contributions to urban discourse.
• Deep understanding of MEA and APAC urban contexts, including cultural, political, and economic dynamics.
• Experience working with smart city frameworks, sustainability strategies, and future mobility concepts.
• Lead the production of high-quality urban and regional planning, design and master planning project submissions in the UAE, KSA and the wider Middle East and Africa.
• Exceptional visualization and storytelling skills—able to translate complex strategies into compelling visuals and narratives via various visual and graphic media including hand and computer graphics.
• Lead in the preparation of technical bids and fee proposals for strategic planning and master planning projects and other major projects where appropriate.
• Experience in working with a multidisciplinary team.
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English.
• Capable of working on own initiative or as part of a larger multidisciplinary team.
• Will be required to travel within the Middle East region to projects in a variety of geographical locations, including Saudi Arabia.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with clients, attending meetings, workshops and seminars.
• Other duties associated with the main role and responsibilities will be requested from time to time.

Rewards & benefits

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career.

This includes:

• Tax-free salary.
• Comprehensive life insurance coverage.
• Premium medical insurance for you and your dependents.
• Generous annual leave balance.
• Flexible and hybrid work solutions.
• Remote work opportunities outside of country.
• Company gratuity scheme.
• Discretionary bonus program.
• Annual flight contribution.
• Relocation assistance.
• Transportation & housing allowances (available for remote work locations)
• Employee Wellbeing Program: 24/7 access to specialists in finance, legal matters, family care, personal health, fitness, and nutrition.

Seize every opportunity to sharpen your skills, expand your expertise, and be recognized for the impact you make.

About AtkinsRéalis
 

We're AtkinsRéalis, a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We're committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Find out more.