The Role:
We currently have an exciting opening within The Foundation's Projects Team, working with partners to lead an exciting programme across the Commonwealth. This new position would suit someone with 5-10 years' post-graduate experience, a demonstrable interest and understanding of international development – and looking to build their skill set in the fields of project management, urban planning, governance and sustainable place-making. The successful candidate will be design oriented, have excellent technical and management skills, and a strong team ethos.
The Foundation is an exciting work environment dedicated to improving the quality of the built environment both within the UK and internationally. It brings together people with expertise across a broad range of disciplines who work collaboratively to deliver high quality social, environmental and economic benefits to established, new or growing communities.
Our international portfolio includes our work in Guyana, where we are working with the national Government to deliver sustainable urban development through a series of regeneration projects and new communities. We are also delivering research and construction projects in Tanzania, India and Sierra Leone.
We work collaboratively across the team and there may be further opportunities to support delivery of a range of masterplanning and community engagement projects.
Reporting to a Director within the Projects Team, the Programme Lead will be responsible for coordinating and managing a 3-year programme to develop our Rapid Planning Toolkit.
This initiative supports cities plan for a more sustainable and resilient future. This role will be responsible for leading on the programme, working with our funders, Commonwealth partners and local and national Governments in multiple countries to test and refine the toolkit, helping to roll it out to a wider audience. The programme will also work alongside world-class expertise in Quantum Computing to develop new tools that can support cities to utilise data and rapidly test growth scenarios and develop urban plans to manage that change.
Key Tasks
The key objectives and specific duties will include:
Programme Management
* Responsible for day-to-day delivery of a 3-year programme and ensuring the needs of the partner organization is met.
* Produce annual reports, collect data and monitor impact.
* Manage relationships with pilot countries and cities with the support of colleagues.
* Identify and develop programmes with pilot cities for Years 2 and 3.
* Manage budgets, invoicing and financial reporting.
* Manage the programme and key risks.
* Co-ordinate with the aligned Quantum programme, supporting the development of new tools.
* Manage high-level stakeholders across the UK and Commonwealth to deliver the programme.
Urban Design and Sustainable Place-making
* Plan, design and co-ordinate workshops in pilot countries.
* Lead and facilitate workshops in line with existing templates.
* Manage stakeholders – including identifying and building relationships with people and organisations.
* Coordinate and correspond with consultants and partner organisations.
* Conduct in-depth research and create base map and briefing reports.
* Create strategic spatial framework plans for cities or city quarters.
* Create presentation materials and graphic illustrations.
* Write detailed reports and design documents.
Communications and Engagement
* Working with Directors in facilitating design workshops and stakeholder engagement, and collating all outputs for review.
* Providing regular communications with partners and agencies in relation to projects and coordinate with The Foundation's communications team for PR outputs.
* Supporting development and delivery of events profiling The Foundation's work, including in the UK and occasionally at international conferences.
Strategy
* Supporting fundraising applications and the development of proposals for future projects
* Working with other departments within The Foundation, including Fundraising and Education, as necessary for the advancement of the RPT and other project responsibilities.
The Foundation works with a wide range of partners, meaning it is inevitable that tasks and responsibilities may change and adapt over the life of a project. All staff are therefore expected to
work in a flexible way when the occasion arises, undertaking tasks which are not specifically covered in their Job Description.
Person Specification
The essential skills, knowledge and experience required are:
* Professional qualification in planning, urban design or relevant built environment discipline, and a minimum of five years' experience.
* Highly organised, with experience of project management, ideally including complex international networks and projects.
* Experience, interest and understanding of international development.
* Proven stakeholder management skills, with ability to manage events.
* Ability to manage research and training programmes with a range of stakeholder groups.
* Ability to work collaboratively with others, including people from diverse cultures and backgrounds at all levels.
* Fully proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, notably InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop for the creation of event materials and reports.
* Ideally proficient in AutoCAD for the creation and production of information for urban design and masterplanning projects.
* Proven ability to self-manage, coordinate travel arrangements and engagements.
* Strong oral communication skills; highly efficient administrative and report writing skills.
* Experience in hosting Zoom Meetings and Zoom Webinar events.
* Knowledge and experience using social media platforms to report on events.
Other:
* The post will be based at 19-22 Charlotte Road, London, EC2A 3SG with the requirement to travel on occasion.
* A degree of flexible hybrid working may be possible, while the position will also require periodic travel internationally, sometimes independently.
* Your working hours will be 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday.
* Length of Contract: Fixed-Term – 3-year contract
* You must have the legal right to work in the UK.
Applications: Please submit a CV and portfolio (please note four A4 page maximum for CV and 10 A4 page maximum for portfolio) to Gordon Watson, email address: - and request an application form.
Closing date for applications: Monday 20th of April 2026