Global Account Director

Role Overview

Global Account Director at JLL, JLL Work Dynamics | Portfolio Services, based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Company Overview

JLL is a leading global provider of real estate and investment management services. The company combines world-class services, advisory, and technology to shape the future of real estate. JLL is committed to hiring talented people and empowering them to build meaningful careers.

Role Purpose

The Global Account Director leads one of JLL's most strategically significant government sector mandates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs account. Based in Riyadh, this role serves as the client's day-to-day trusted advisor and single point of accountability for the real estate portfolio, owning delivery from strategy and lifecycle planning through to transactions and portfolio data management. The Global Account Director monitors the portfolio's end-to-end lifecycle, coordinates delivery across regional transaction leads and local subject matter experts, and acts as the first line of escalation for all account activity to ensure the client's real estate needs are met with consistent, well-governed, and proactively managed service.

Key Responsibilities

Client Relationship & Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary point of contact with local business units and client stakeholders for all account activity and as first line to manage escalations.
• Communicate information on all action items to stakeholders and provide initial advice.
• Lead a governance framework of executive sessions and structured reviews with documented ways of working endorsed by the client.
• Embed within client operations with genuine cultural understanding of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia government sector practices.

Portfolio Strategy & Lifecycle Management

• Take responsibility for the owned and leased real estate worldwide.
• Manage the end-to-end lifecycle solution across portfolio management, meeting business and real estate needs by laying out strategy, process, and tools.
• Actively monitor the end-to-end lifecycle of the portfolio.
• Identify and proactively advise on the strategic direction of Ministry of Foreign Affairs real estate portfolio, delivering measurable value through opportunity identification.
• Ensure alignment between business requirements and transaction or project delivery.

Delivery Oversight & Cross-Service Coordination

• Provide delivery oversight and interlocks across transaction management, connection to JLL markets, and portfolio data management.
• Coordinate delivery of Ministry of Foreign Affairs real estate needs in partnership with regional transaction leads and local subject matter experts.
• Ensure integrated reporting across all activities, working with the performance management function, including reporting, monitoring, and tracking of active projects.
• Foster JLL culture, connecting internal capabilities across Portfolio Services, Work Dynamics, and wider JLL service lines to deliver integrated client solutions.

Financial & Commercial Oversight

• Support account financial performance in partnership with regional and functional leads, including visibility of budget, cost, and scope against contractual terms.
• Own completion of the Bills of Quantities by February 2029, adopting a "right first time" approach so all deliverables meet minimum acceptance criteria and allow for prompt invoicing.
• Support opportunities for scope expansion and cross-service delivery as the client's needs evolve, notably the Regional Hub Facilities Management opportunity in EMEA.
• Flag commercial, contractual, or reputational risk across the account to Global Oversight leads for timely resolution.

Team Leadership

• Direct a multi-disciplinary account team spanning Portfolio Strategy, Lease Administration, Technical Due Diligence and Test Fits, Valuations, and Technology, with oversight of Transaction Management and engagement with Markets teams worldwide for transactions and sales and acquisitions.
• Build and develop a high-performing team with a strong focus on cultural competency and retention.
• Set clear delivery standards and performance expectations across the team.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree as a minimum; an advanced degree or professional qualification (MRICS, MBA, or equivalent) is preferred.
• 10–15 years of experience in commercial real estate with a strong background in portfolio strategy and management.
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-service real estate accounts at senior or director level, including end-to-end lifecycle ownership.
• Strong working knowledge of the real estate end-to-end lifecycle, including transactions and portfolio data management.
• Experience working within JLL or another matrix management structure.
• Familiarity with government or public sector clients, preferably in the GCC or Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an advantage.
• Direct experience working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with an understanding of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia government procurement and governance processes.
• Track record of growing client accounts through cross-sell, scope expansion, and strategic advisory elevation.
• Familiarity with Saudi Vision 2030 and its implications for government real estate strategy.
• Experience leading multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary teams across international markets.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and executive-level presentation skills.
• Fluency in English; Arabic language skills are a significant advantage.

Additional Information

• Contract type: Full-time, permanent.
• Reports to: Country CEO KSA and Head of EMEA Portfolio Services.
• Location: On-site, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• What Success Looks Like: The client regards the account team as a trusted, embedded partner, evidenced by strong satisfaction and continuity of the relationship. The Account P&L is managed to meet or exceed financial performance through delivery of the contract terms and adjacent services, notably sales and acquisitions arising from portfolio strategy. The portfolio's lifecycle is proactively managed and visible well ahead of need, with no surprises on active projects. Delivery across all services is well-coordinated and consistently reported. The account team is stable, engaged, and recognised internally as a benchmark for integrated account delivery.