Director, Urban Design of Retail & Mixed-Use Urban Design

Street Sense • Washington, DC

233d

About The Position

Streetsense is a global creative collective of placeshapers, brandbuilders, and storytellers. We make space for great experiences and shape what's next. Our interdisciplinary nature allows us to collaborate constantly and approach every challenge with collective intelligence. We are currently seeking a motivated Retail, Mixed Use & Public Realm Planning, Director to join our growing Place Consulting team. If you think you have what it takes, read on! This role is a leadership positioned focused on shaping vibrant, people-centered environments where retail, F&B, and public life intersect. This position requires deep experience in retail and consumer strategy, urban design, and placemaking, with a particular emphasis on the ground floor and public realm activation. The ideal candidate will be an accomplished, results-oriented leader who brings a strong understanding of how commercial, residential, and office uses come together to create successful mixed-use destinations. They will lead projects from concept through execution, offering strategic direction, hands-on design guidance, and cross-functional coordination. A solid grasp of industry trends, and development economics will be essential to ensuring design solutions are visionary, yet executable. This role blends creative vision with commercial insight to deliver places that are not only functional but also memorable and enduring. The Urban Design & Planning Team is a core component of the Streetsense Place Consulting group that includes other specialties, such as Real Estate Strategy, Public Non-Profit, and Research & Analysis. Collectively, these teams employ multi-pronged approaches to ensure client success, meeting goals and metrics, and upholding Streetsense's standards for quality design and sustained financial performance. By partnering with the Place Consulting team, this role plays a pivotal role in crafting visionary place-based design and strategic placemaking initiatives. It demands a collaborative mindset, as project solutions draw on insights from a broad spectrum of teams and disciplines.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in any of the following relevant fields: urban design, planning, and architecture or other closely related fields.
• Master's degree in Urban Design, Planning or Design Strategy is desirable but not essential.
• 10 - 15+ years' experience in mixed-use development with deep understanding in commercial retail, multifamily, and placemaking.
• Ability to work at multiple scales including large-scale mixed-use development, public realm, architectural, and pedestrian-level environments.
• Strong background in leading projects from concept to execution.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire team members to achieve goals.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate within multi-disciplinary teams and external stakeholders.
• Proven track record in business development and client strategy.
• Strategic thinker with a strong business acumen and the ability to drive results in a fast-paced environment.
• Exhibit strategic thinking, synthesizing complex ideas and organizing information compellingly.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Design-Thinking method is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop client work product to meet client objectives.
• Serve as the primary Urban Design liaison with clients, with the broader Place Consulting team, and with the company as a whole.
• Serve as urban design subject matter expert leading key internal and external meetings.
• Create clear and compelling deliverables and presentations, demonstrating strong storytelling skills.
• Oversee talent management, recruitment, and employee engagement initiatives within the Urban Design team.
• Conduct regular performance and compensation reviews to ensure quality control, talent competitiveness, and employee satisfaction.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to team members to facilitate career growth and professional goal achievement.
• Oversee all aspects of project successes, including outside-the-box thinking, project delivery, workflow, quality assurance, resource planning, and budget monitoring.
• Collaborate with other department directors to enhance operational efficiency and deliver consistent, best-in-class client deliverables and experiences.
• Develop and manage key performance indicators to measure team performance and drive continuous improvement.
• Identify opportunities for operational enhancement and implement innovative solutions to achieve operational excellence.
• Collaborate with other department directors to support and lead business development efforts in urban design and planning.
• Play an active, often leading, role in new business pitches and opportunities.

Benefits

• Medical Dental & Vision Insurance
• Paid time off
• 401k match
• Wellbeing resources

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Master's degree