Director Public Realm

About the Role

Qiddiya is seeking a Director Public Realm to provide strategic and technical leadership for public realm projects across its multiple districts in Riyadh. This full-time role involves leading the planning, design governance, and delivery oversight of significant public spaces, ensuring alignment with Qiddiya's vision and standards.

Role Purpose and Scope

The Director Public Realm will ensure that parks, streetscapes, public open spaces, and associated public realm assets are delivered in accordance with approved masterplans, citywide standards, Stage Gate requirements, and programme objectives. This position supports the implementation of citywide initiatives, including the Public Realm Design Manual (PRDM) and People First Principles, while acting as a key interface between district teams, consultants, infrastructure teams, and other business units.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead public realm planning and design management for assigned districts and strategic projects.
• Provide design governance and technical assurance across CMP, DMP, Land Servicing, and detailed design stages.
• Oversee consultant performance, design reviews, and delivery of public realm packages.
• Ensure compliance with Qiddiya Vision, City Framework Plan, PRDM, development controls, and citywide public realm standards.
• Coordinate integration of public realm with infrastructure, mobility, utilities, irrigation, sustainability, and operational requirements.
• Support Stage Gate submissions and provide executive-level recommendations on design, programme, risks, and delivery strategy.
• Manage and mentor multidisciplinary public realm teams, supporting capability development and succession planning.
• Lead stakeholder engagement with District Development Teams, Delivery Partners, consultants, and internal SMEs.
• Contribute to citywide public realm strategies, standards development, phasing plans, and operational readiness initiatives.

Accountabilities

• Delivery of high-quality, standards-compliant public realm designs.
• Timely support of district programmes and Stage Gate approvals.
• Effective management of consultant teams and design budgets.
• Successful implementation of citywide public realm standards and governance processes.
• Proactive identification and mitigation of design, programme, and delivery risks.

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Over 10 years of demonstrated leadership experience within complex mixed-use, city-scale, or giga-project developments.
• Strong understanding of master planning, design governance, infrastructure integration, and project delivery.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary consultant teams and stakeholder environments.

Work Environment

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributing to the development of Qiddiya's public realm.