Team Director for Gehl’s City Strategy team

With significant growth in our portfolio, we’re increasingly guiding complex, multidisciplinary teams through all aspects of urban transformation projects, from high level visioning, to strategy, concept design and detailed design plans. As trusted advisors to our clients, our obligation is to deliver the best possible quality in all our projects – from advocacy for change, to the delivery of concrete solutions to complex problems.

The new City Strategy Director will lead a team of 15 highly talented and ambitious people, who strive towards delivering projects of high quality that create a positive impact in the places where we work. It is the responsibility of the director to constantly develop the talent base in the team, to attract new talent and to ensure that existing skills and ongoing projects match.

Leading a portfolio of urban strategy, mobility and public realm projects, as well as the associated sales effort of bringing in the right projects with the right clients, the director will help enable Gehl to constantly develop and create positive change.

Projects in the City Strategy team are core to Gehl and have been essential in defining who we are and how we’ve worked for the past two decades. Projects are located in Scandinavia, the UK and Germany but also in places further afield such as Australia and China.

A strong outward focus is needed in the role to maintain and grow client relationships and networks and to profile Gehl in this particular field.

About you

You will be part of a management team of directors who lead different business areas within Gehl. Here you’ll take part in setting the direction for how Gehl should develop.

City Strategy Director will report to Managing Director Henriette Vamberg. A team of BD Leads, Communication, Finance and Operations is ready to support. You will be based in Copenhagen but will be working on an international portfolio which will require some travel abroad.

• Lead a successful high performing team.
• Drive and develop a portfolio of interesting project work.
• Lead and develop projects in parallel with managing the team.
• Represent Gehl externally to clients, collaborators, external partners, media and the wider public.
• Ensure a positive work culture where team members flourish.
• Help set and fulfil economic targets.
• Develop the urban strategy service area at Gehl, including innovation around methodology, process and implementation.

The candidate must possess the following skill set

• Educational background as an urban designer, anthropologist, urban planner, geographer or similar.
• Driven by ambition and idealism, but pragmatic and realistic to achieve good outcomes.
• Ability to inspire others and set direction for a team.
• Ability to delegate work to others and provide guidance and effective feedback.
• Good collaboration skills – open, listening, constructive problem solving.
• Good people skills – trustworthy, honest, collaborative.
• Ability to work in a diverse team with diverse clients where cultural sensitivity is important.
• Professional attitude at all levels.
• Fluent in English – spoken and written. German is a plus.
• Minimum 10 years experience.
• Understanding of the professional work field.

By joining Gehl, you will be part of …

• A leading global brand within urban design with a focus on making cities for people.
• Making a global impact towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals – specifically focusing on how urban design can promote better outcomes for health, climate action & equity.
• A group of skilled, passionate, highly professional, international and social colleagues based in Copenhagen, New York and San Francisco.
• An inspiring working environment with a culture for sharing and learning.

We want to see your CV and portfolio as well as a cover letter.
Salary will be negotiated with the selected applicant.

Application deadline 15th September. Interviews will be held on a running basis during the search period.