Director of Urban Design

Job Category: Policy, Planning & Research

Division & Section: City Planning, CP Urban Design

Work Location: City Hall, 100 Queen St. W, Toronto

Job Type & Duration: Full-time, Permanent Vacancy

Ideal Hiring Zone: $ - $

Shift Information: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week

Affiliation: Non-Union

Number of Positions Open: 1

Posting Period: 10-Feb-2026 to 03-Mar-2026

The City of Toronto is seeking an experienced and visionary leader for the role of Director of Urban Design within the City Planning Division. A passion for cities and for the importance of architecture, urban design and heritage as part of successful city-building is essential to this role.

Reporting directly to the City’s Chief Planner and Executive Director of City Planning, the Director will provide the overall vision and strategic direction, guiding the work of professional, multi-disciplinary staff within the Urban Design, Graphics and Visualization, and Heritage Planning teams.

The Urban Design team plays a critical role in how people experience our city every single day—from the vibrancy of our public buildings and spaces to our heritage resources to the way new development supports equity, sustainability, and beauty in our built environment. In this role, you will help guide transformative projects, influence major policy directions, and champion a city-building agenda rooted in inclusion, equity, beauty, sustainability, and resilience.

Toronto deserves bold ideas and thoughtful leadership – and if you are driven by a desire to shape a more liveable, joyful, and connected city for generations to come, we would love to hear from you.

• Champions and delivers design excellence across all aspects of the City’s work.
• Works across city divisions and with external partners to elevate design outcomes.
• Leads research and innovation that positions Toronto as a leader in urban design and heritage.
• Leads staff in the development of innovative, strategic urban design policies, guidelines and practices.
• Directs, manages and assists in the development / design review process and ensures that development projects achieve high quality urban design.
• Oversees the City’s Design Review Panel and celebrates best‑in‑class outcomes through programs such as the Toronto Urban Design Awards, promoting a culture of design leadership and learning.
• Leads the teams responsible for heritage listing and designation, Heritage Conservation Districts, archaeology, and sensitively integrating the City’s heritage with new development through the development review process.
• Directs the graphic and visualization unit in the preparation of presentation material, including legislative mapping (Official Plan and Zoning By-law) and thematic mapping, 3D computer modeling, and digital rendering for both the City Planning and Development Review Divisions.
• Develops, designs and implements functional policies and programs that assist with the delivery of major changes in overall business performance and service delivery.
• Contributes to the continuous improvement of divisional performance through the development and implementation of sound management practices and procedures.
• Provides staff with direction, guidance, processes and tools to increase efficiencies and improve effectiveness of the services provided by this section.
• Directs, through urban design management staff, all activities of the section.
• Leads and motivates a diverse workforce, ensures effective teamwork, provides resolution to controversial labour relations issues, ensures high standards of work quality and organizational performance, supports continuous learning. and encourages innovation in others.
• Develops, recommends and administers the annual budget for the section, and ensures that the section's expenditures are controlled and maintained within approved budget limitations.
• Represents the City Planning Division at Council, Community Councils, other standing committees, Agencies, Boards and Commissions and administrative tribunals such as the Ontario Land Tribunal.
• Participates as a member of the management team in advancing the mission of the City Planning Division.
• Advances the Division's…