We're Hiring a Place Designer – Glasgow
About New Practice (part of Civic)
New Practice is looking for an exceptional Place Designer (RIBA Part II Architectural Assistant, or with similar design / planning / service qualification or experience) to join the Glasgow team on a permanent basis starting November 2025 or sooner.
New Practice are experts in community engagement and placemaking across the UK & Ireland. The practice is committed to embedding social value in place-based projects through community engagement, meanwhile use, retrofit & reuse, and strategies for community; ensuring that community-centred briefs and shared decision making shape the future of the built and natural environment. In 2024, New Practice became part of Civic, aligned by a shared commitment to designing and delivering places that positively impact the environment and enable people to lead healthier, happier lives. New Practice is a RIBA | RIAS chartered architecture practice.
Current clients include Blackpool Council; The Crown Estate; Design Council; Dumfries & Galloway Council; Ealing Council; Glasgow City Council; Hackney Council; Homes England; Landsec; MUSE; Regal Homes; Scottish Borders Council; and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).
About the Job
As a Place Designer, you will play a pivotal role in helping deliver a range of architecture, community engagement, and urbanism projects across public and private sectors. All these projects develop the community, creative, and cultural capacity of places, and connect people with decision-making processes that impact their daily lives.
Key aspects of the job:
* Support the Community Engagement & Placemaking team in developing briefs, concept design, and detailed specifications for architecture, public realm, and temporary use projects. Inclusive, intersectional, and accessible design is central.
* Collaborate with individuals, groups, organisations and communities using both in-person and digital methods.
* Participate in internal discussions to support practice research, learning and development. You should display strong self-awareness; know your strengths and areas for growth; seek opportunity to contribute to team efforts.
* Office location: Glasgow city centre. Flexible working arrangements are offered, but you're expected to be in office at least 3 days/week to enable direct mentorship from the Director of Place and Associate of Place.
* Reporting line: You will report to Becca Thomas ARB, Director of Place & Architect at New Practice, part of Civic.
Day-to-Day Tasks & Expectations
Architecture & Urban Design Project Support
* Translate technical information into accessible content: high-quality graphics, diagrams.
* Prepare visual and written materials for presentations, reports, marketing.
* Assist in idea generation & concept design, working with senior team members for client/community presentations.
* Support the development of engagement tools and strategies aligned with project timelines.
Project Coordination
* Manage timelines, schedules, deliverables.
* Apply drawing and building standards; ensure consistency and quality while juggling multiple design tasks and meeting deadlines.
* Keep organised records of feedback and design iterations.
Community Engagement
* Create tools and materials to communicate design ideas to diverse audiences.
* Plan, coordinate, & execute community engagement: workshops, public meetings, events.
* Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders, community groups, project partners.
* Collect & analyse community feedback and feed it into project development.
Stakeholder Management
* Be a point of contact for queries related to community engagement and communications.
* Facilitate clear and transparent dialogue between clients, communities, and the design team.
* Address stakeholder needs throughout project lifecycles.
Professional Behaviour & Commitment
You should be:
* Highly organised, good at multitasking, reliable with time & deadlines.
* Personable, confident in public speaking.
* Able to work collaboratively and also independently.
* Detail-oriented with excellent written & verbal communication.
* Self-motivated, proactive.
* Kind, caring, committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Experience & Qualifications
* A postgraduate degree, or an undergraduate degree with equivalent experience, in architecture, planning, urbanism or a related creative discipline (such as service design).
Skills & Competencies
* Strong ability to communicate design ideas using various techniques.
* Excellent written & verbal communication.
* Knowledge of UK planning policy & RIBA Plan of Work.
* Confident using Apple/Mac systems.
* Proficient with Adobe Creative Suite (with continuing training).
* Skilled in AutoCAD and SketchUp Pro (with ongoing training).
* Proficient in Microsoft Office, Teams, Zoom (or other conferencing tools), Miro or similar for online facilitation.
Desirable
* Familiarity with participatory design processes.
* Experience in the architecture, design, or urban planning sector.
* Understanding of local communities and cultural contexts across Scotland.
Contract Details, Compensation & Leave
* Location: Glasgow (though work and travel across UK & Ireland will be required).
* Contract: Permanent.
* Working Hours: 36.5 hours/week.
* Salary: £25,000–£28,000 per annum (dependant on experience).
* Holiday entitlement: 23 days per annum (pro rata), plus Scottish Government bank holidays, plus 3 days over Christmas & New Year.
Values
New Practice's core values are:
* Be Collaborative
* Be Curious
* Be Helpful
* Be Passionate
* Be Ingenious
Why Join Us?
* You'll work on meaningful projects that positively impact communities.
* You'll be part of a collaborative and innovative environment under the Civic "Our Better Normal" model.
* There are opportunities for professional growth and development.
How to Apply
* Send CV, cover letter, notice period (if applicable), and portfolio (if you have one) to
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* with subject "Apply: Place Designer".
* If you do not have a portfolio, CV or cover letter, there are simple templates available from the side bar on the website.
* In your cover letter, tell them something about yourself, why you want to work at New Practice (part of Civic) and your specific interest in community-led development & creative engagement projects.
Inclusion & Recruitment Commitments
* New Practice, part of Civic, is women- and LGBTQ+-led.
* They encourage applications from all backgrounds, abilities, impairments, communities, and industries.
* Flexible hybrid working hours are supported and can be discussed.
* First interviews will be online; second interviews in person.
* Interview scheduling is flexible to accommodate caring duties, dependents, or other commitments.
Important Dates
* Application deadline
: Monday 29th September 2025, 23:55
* First interviews
: week commencing 6th October 2025
* Second interviews
: week commencing 13th October 2025
* Start date
: to be confirmed, expected week commencing 3rd November 2025
If you have any questions, contact
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with subject line "Place Designer".