Principal/ Associate Urban Designer

Overview

In this role you will lead large-scale residential masterplanning and regeneration projects within a collaborative Cardiff studio. You will work with in-house landscape and planning teams to deliver integrated placemaking and compelling client presentations. You will build strong client relationships, contribute to business development, and mentor junior staff while guiding projects from concept to planning submission. This position offers a clear path to Associate and a supportive, employee-owned culture. You will shape places that matter through strategic design leadership.

Pay / Benefits

• employee-owned culture
• clear progression to Associate
• flexible hybrid working (Cardiff-based, 2 days from home)
• strong project pipeline in residential and public sector design
• competitive salary (50k–55k)
• tailored development support

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate large-scale masterplanning and regeneration projects
• Develop innovative design solutions to complex briefs
• Create visuals, diagrams, and reports for presentations
• Collaborate with landscape and planning teams to deliver placemaking
• Manage client relationships and contribute to business development
• Mentor and develop junior staff
• Own project stages from concept to planning submission

Key requirements

• 3–5+ years’ experience in urban design/masterplanning
• Degree in Urban Design, Architecture, Planning, or Landscape Architecture
• MA in Urban Design or significant equivalent experience
• Strong 3D design and spatial thinking skills
• Experience with Vectorworks (or AutoCAD), SketchUp, and Adobe Creative Suite
• Ability to deliver high-quality design outputs
• Excellent verbal, written, and visual communication skills
• Confident in client engagement and collaborative, multidisciplinary teamwork
• Ambitious and ready to progress to Associate level

• collaboration
• client engagement
• mentoring
• Vectorworks
• AutoCAD
• SketchUp

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