Executive Director - Design Excellence

About The Role

Qiddiya Investment Company is pioneering a remarkable destination that transforms entertainment, culture, and hospitality within Saudi Arabia. The Hospitality Business Unit is developing a diverse portfolio of hotel properties that are key to this vision. We are inviting seasoned experts to ensure these assets meet exceptional design standards, offer outstanding guest experiences, and excel commercially.

This leadership position entails heading the Design Excellence function across the hospitality portfolio. You will establish and oversee the strategic and creative design directives from initial vision through to final implementation. Serving as the top design authority, you will guarantee that each asset delivers unique, premium-quality, and commercially sound environments, anchored by strong design integrity, innovation, and alignment with Qiddiya's overarching vision.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct the Design Excellence team across creative fields, design regulations, BIM, and embedded project design leadership, influencing design direction and supervising outcomes through critical governance milestones.
• Develop and integrate creative design solutions that marry Qiddiya’s brand, district characteristics, and Operator inputs to craft distinctive and emotionally resonant assets that are financially viable.
• Set design benchmarks, typologies, and principles tailored to various hotel categories, ensuring consistent and validated design foundations.
• Manage consultant strategies, governance, scope definition, briefing, selection, and monitor their performance portfolio-wide.
• Lead technical input for development briefs and coordinate multispecialty design disciplines, influencing planning, space allocation, and system integration.
• Oversee technical design quality during design and construction, resolving clashes and deviations to uphold design intent.
• Steer design assessments at key project stages to confirm alignment with objectives and design vision.
• Lead value engineering and design optimization while carefully measuring effects on design integrity and asset performance.
• Supervise consultants to maintain quality, coordination, and cross-disciplinary alignment.
• Advocate for sustainable and low-carbon design strategies, incorporating ESG and Saudi Vision 2030 goals.
• Mentor design teams and promote ongoing enhancements in design workflows, protocols, and best practices.

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Demonstrated success delivering large-scale hospitality projects, with a focus on luxury properties.
• Strong background in managing external consultants and diverse design teams.
• Hands-on experience collaborating with hotel Operators and adhering to brand standards.
• Familiarity with large-scale or multi-asset project development contexts.
• Preferred experience within Saudi Arabia, GCC, or comparable large-scale development settings.
• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Interior Design, or a related field.
• Professional memberships or certifications such as RIBA, AIA, or RICS are advantageous.
• 18+ years of experience in design management, architecture, or interior design, including senior leadership roles.

Benefits

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered for this senior leadership position.