Director - Design - Commercial Office

The Director - Design will lead the design management discipline for Qiddiya's Commercial Office Development portfolio, a core component of the wider giga-project masterplan. The role is accountable for translating Qiddiya's design vision into deliverable, investment-grade office assets from concept and masterplan integration through to design development, authority approvals, and construction-ready documentation while managing a network of international architecture and multidiscipline engineering consultants.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead design competitions, consultant selection, and novation of architectural firms & lead design consultants for individual office assets and mixed-use commercial parcels.
• Manage a team of specialist design managers to direct the concept design, schematic design, detailed design development, and construction documentation stages, ensuring design intent is preserved through to delivery
• Interface with masterplanning, infrastructure, landscape, and sustainability teams to ensure fully coordinated design outcomes.
• Manage design consultant performance against scope, program, and fee, including chairing design review boards and technical workshops.
• Manage the development of consultant performance KPIs to measure performance across all design phases, collate KPIs and share with central QIC procurement function
• Ensure compliance with Saudi Building Code, Mostadam/LEED sustainability targets, civil defense requirements, Qiddiya design guidelines & COBU design, technical, smart, and sustainability guidelines.
• Lead value engineering exercises without compromising design quality or investment value of commercial office assets.
• Present design proposals and progress to executive leadership, investment committees, and government stakeholders.
• Support leasing and investment teams by translating market and tenant requirements into design briefs for office product.
• Mentor and build out an in-house design team as the Commercial Office Development pipeline scales.
• Review and address COBU design, technical, smart and sustainability guidelines and update with annual continuous improvement.

Bachelor s degree in Engineering, Architecture or Construction Management, Project Management or relevant field of study. Professional registration in the respective discipline (or similar i.e. Chartered Engineer) would be an advantage Registration as a Project Management Professional (PMP) would be an advantage. At least 12 years of design management experience, including senior design leadership on large-scale commercial office or mixed-use developments. Experience in leading a design team to deliver to program, balancing competing requirements on project to deliver design outcome (e.g. cost v. time v. quality). Expert knowledge of local and international design standards, codes and regulations. Previous KSA/Middle East experience preferred Track record delivering BCO Grade A / investment-grade office towers or business park product from concept through to handover. Strong command of design review processes, authority approval pathways and international best practice in commercial office design. Experience managing multi-disciplinary international consultant teams (architecture, structure, MEP, facade, sustainability). Excellent stakeholder management and executive presentation skills; comfortable operating in a fast-paced, giga-project delivery environment Major program experience managing multiple projects, conflicting priorities, and stakeholders. Supports team through periods of business change. Provides strategic oversight and guidance in managing and prioritizing the workload, deadline-driven and ability to optimize workload. Leverage exceptional written and verbal skills in English articulate ideas, strategies, and project performance to a range of audiences and to influence at senior levels. Leverage in-depth knowledge of enterprise-level digital design solutions and applications. Strong leadership skills to inspire large, diverse teams and deliver results. Strategic thinker with excellent leadership skills and the ability to lead the function's direction, specifically endorsing or opposing practices as needed.