Executive Director - Design Excellence - 20013062 CM5

Role Overview

Executive Director - Design Excellence at Qiddiya Investment Company, based in the Kingdom. You will lead the Design Excellence function across a landmark hospitality portfolio, setting the creative and technical design agenda from strategy through delivery.

Company Overview

Qiddiya Investment Company is shaping a landmark destination redefining entertainment, culture and hospitality in the Kingdom. The Hospitality Business Unit is developing a portfolio of hotel assets central to this vision.

Role Purpose

You will act as the senior design authority, ensuring all hospitality assets deliver distinctive, high-quality and commercially robust environments, underpinned by strong design integrity, innovation and alignment with Qiddiya's vision.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Lead the Design Excellence function across creative disciplines, design standards, BIM and project-embedded design management resources
• Shape and endorse design direction across the portfolio and guide outcomes through key governance stages
• Define design principles, typologies and benchmarks for each hotel tier, establishing consistent, validated design baselines
• Curate creative design responses, integrating Qiddiya, district and Operator visions to deliver distinctive, emotive and commercially viable assets

Consultant & Team Management

• Lead consultant strategy and governance across the portfolio, including scope definition, briefing, selection and performance management
• Oversee consultant performance to ensure quality, coordination and alignment across disciplines
• Mentor teams and drive continuous improvement of design processes, standards and best practices

Technical Design & Coordination

• Lead technical input to development briefs and integrated coordination across disciplines
• Shape planning, spatial configuration and system integration
• Provide technical design oversight through design and construction, resolving interfaces and deviations to maintain quality and design intent

Design Review & Quality Assurance

• Guide design reviews across key milestones to ensure alignment with design intent and project objectives
• Guide value engineering and design optimisation, assessing impact on design intent and asset performance

Sustainability & Best Practice

• Champion sustainability and low-carbon design, embedding ESG and Vision 2030 priorities

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Interior Design or related discipline
• 18+ years' experience in design management, architecture or interior design, with senior leadership experience
• Proven track record delivering large-scale hospitality portfolios, including luxury assets
• Experience governing external consultants and multi-disciplinary design teams
• Experience working with hotel Operators and brand standards
• Experience within large-scale or multi-asset development environments
• Experience in KSA / GCC or similar large-scale development environments preferred
• Professional membership or recognised certification preferred (e.g. RIBA, AIA, RICS or equivalent)

Additional Information

• Attractive compensations and benefits package