Director Cost Planning

About the Role

Qiddiya is seeking a Director, Cost Planning to lead cost planning across major General, commercial, and mixed-use developments within the General Business Unit. This full-time position is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is responsible for setting and maintaining Qiddiya's cost position across a portfolio of complex projects, guiding strategic design-to-budget decisions, and supporting executive and Stage Gate approvals. The role ensures that cost planning is integrated into business and project decision-making, directing and reviewing the work of external cost consultants and internal project teams in accordance with Qiddiya Cost Planning Technical Guidelines.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead cost planning activities for major General Business Unit projects and portfolios, ensuring alignment with approved budgets, strategic objectives, and risk management.
• Direct the appointment, governance, and performance management of executive and project cost consultants according to Qiddiya guidelines.
• Provide leadership and oversight for Qiddiya cost planning resources assigned to the General Business Unit, including Senior Managers and team members.
• Establish requirements for consultant deliverables, methodologies, and reporting standards to ensure consistency with Qiddiya governance.
• Review, validate, and challenge consultant cost plans, reconciliations, benchmarks, and design-to-budget recommendations before endorsing the Qiddiya cost position.
• Provide senior cost planning assurance for Stage Gate submissions, investment decisions, and procurement strategies.
• Maintain a current, defensible, and evidence-based cost position across assigned projects and portfolios.
• Lead strategic design-to-budget decision-making by identifying major cost drivers and advising on cost implications of scope and design changes.
• Provide early-stage and portfolio-level cost advice using approved benchmarks and market intelligence.
• Collaborate with development, design, commercial, finance, and procurement stakeholders to support integrated delivery.

Performance Measures

• Assigned projects maintain documented and current cost positions, including assumptions, risks, and cost movements.
• Cost planning inputs for governance submissions comply with Qiddiya guidelines and are provided within required timeframes.
• Consultant-produced cost plans are reviewed and challenged at key stages, with clear recommendations recorded.
• Qiddiya cost planning resources are effectively managed with clear priorities and consistent standards.
• Material cost movement, risk, and non-compliance issues are identified and escalated promptly.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Economics, Commercial Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in cost planning, quantity surveying, or estimating, with significant experience in major General or mixed-use developments.
• Demonstrated experience leading external cost consultants and reviewing cost plans across multiple design, procurement, and delivery stages.
• Strong knowledge of cost planning governance, benchmarking, design-to-budget principles, phasing, risk and contingency management, and cost reporting.
• Advanced proficiency in cost planning software and digital tools for reviewing and validating cost plans.
• Professional membership with RICS, AIQS, or equivalent is preferred.
• Experience operating within complex stakeholder environments and major governance frameworks is preferred.

Key Interfaces

This role involves regular interaction with General Business Unit leadership and project teams, the Central Development Unit Cost Planning team, Development Management and Stage Gate stakeholders, design management teams, commercial, procurement, finance, project management, and operations functions, as well as executive and project cost consultants.

Work Environment

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, requiring a mature and highly competent capability profile, operating at an Advanced level across core leadership, governance, stakeholder, and commercial capabilities.