Urban Designer

Location/s: London, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham; UK
Recruiter contact: Aoife Cullen

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. 

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual. 

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the business unit  
The Buildings Unit (BLD) has a major presence in Mott MacDonald's regional offices throughout the UK and mainland Europe, providing a wide range of diverse and transferable cross-sector skills across five key Sectors; Advisory, Built Environment, Energy, Transportation and Water. We also provide local services to customers and technical leadership to the rest of the Group in these sectors.

Overview of the role

This role sits within the cities team which forms part of the Building and Cities Unit. Our aim is to fully realise the potential of our front end consultancy skills to increase our market profile in cities based work from the earliest stages of strategy development and project creation.

Urban designers are an integral part of our cities business. They work alongside town planners and place economists to provide public sector clients with integrated masterplanning and placemaking services across the UK and internationally.

This role is being created to support the rapid development of our cities team and provide greater junior level urban design staff capacity to respond to existing client requirements and emerging opportunities and expand technical resource capacity.

Mott MacDonald’s cities team undertakes projects spanning a range of complex urban contexts including:

• Town centre and urban regeneration
• Transport hubs and Transit orientated development
• Mixed use urban quarters and neighbourhood

The post holder will support senior staff in the preparation of town centre strategies, site and area based masterplans, development frameworks, feasibility studies and public realm concept designs. All projects are likely to involve stakeholder and community engagement.

Significant career development opportunities will be available including involvement in a diverse portfolio of project work, development of analytical and delivery focused urban design skills, integrated multi-disciplinary masterplanning and the production of high quality graphic outputs. There will be opportunities to progress to more senior urban design roles offering greater levels of responsibility including stakeholder and client liaison.

Key responsibilities and duties include:

• Prepare key urban design outputs including reports, spatial frameworks, masterplans, site feasibility studies, design guidance working with senior designers and other staff within the studio
• Prepare project presentations to clients, working groups, stakeholder meetings etc
• Support the wider team in stakeholder and community engagement to enable the production of the above
• Support the preparation of bids
• Contribute to the development of Mott MacDonald’s cities business and raising the profile of urban design skills and services within the company and within the market

Candidate specification

Requirements:

• Degree in town planning, landscape architecture or architecture
• A post graduate qualification in urban design (Post Graduate diploma or MA)
• A recent graduate with minimal experience or a candidate with up to three years post qualification experience with a proven track record of relevant skills and experience for a more senior role
• Eligibility for chartered membership or a chartered member of a relevant professional institute e.g. MRTPI, MLI, RIBA
• Worked within a consulting environment on development-led urban design projects for a more senior role appointment
• A strong portfolio showing a selection of urban design and masterplanning work. This could include University course work for recent graduates. International project experience is desirable but not essential
• For more experienced candidates evidence of delivering projects at a variety of scales and in a range of contexts including urban regeneration, town and city centres, transit orientated development or growth areas
• Ability to develop, draw and communicate urban design and placemaking ideas from appraisal of the local context and early concept development to design development and early stage viability. This includes the preparation of written reports
• All applicants should have technical abilities and demonstrate proficiency in using: AutoCAD, Sketch-up, Adobe Creative Suite package, and Microsoft Office. Hand sketching skills are also desirable. Examples of work demonstrating software skills to be included in a portfolio
• A good awareness of the UK Planning system including planning policy and an appreciation of national net zero and climate adaptation objectives and impacts for urban design
• Ability to work well to deadlines
• For more experienced candidates, evidence of project work for public sector and Local Authority clients. Private sector project client experience desirable but not essential
• Excellent spoken and written English

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working  

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion 

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

AI Usage

At Mott MacDonald, we see the value AI can bring, but we take a people-first approach to hiring. While AI tools can help candidates prepare and build confidence, every application and hiring decision is reviewed by our recruitment and hiring teams. We encourage the responsible use of AI while ensuring we get to know the real person behind the application.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Employee Ownership

• Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
• Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
• As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long-term impact and contribution.
• Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
• For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• 10 days additional paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

 Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.
• We offer policies and dedicated support to help military families balance service life with career and wellbeing.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and Gold Award holders in the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme, supported by our dedicated internal Armed Forces Network.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.