Executive Director ICT Operations (Technology Lead)

About the Role

Qiddiya Investment Company is seeking an Executive Director - ICT Operations (Technology Lead) for a full-time position in Riyadh, Riyadh Province. This foundational executive role is responsible for defining, governing, and delivering end-to-end sports technology strategy across all Sports Business Unit (SBU) assets. The scope extends from early planning and concept design through construction, commissioning, and structured transition into operations under the Asset Management organization.

The role ensures that sports venues are designed, delivered, and documented with full lifecycle integrity. It also guarantees that technology intent, architectural decisions, and integration logic are effectively transferred, supported, and retained as organizational knowledge. This position establishes the SBU as the custodian of technology design intent and institutional memory, enabling Asset Management and operators to run assets efficiently and evolve them safely.

Key Duties and Tasks

• Sports Technology Strategy & Governance: Define the SBU Technology Strategy in alignment with the Sports BU Target Operating Model and the Qiddiya Technology Mandate & Operating Model (QTMOM). Represent SBU at the executive level within the Qiddiya-wide Technology Board and related governance forums, establishing clear decision rights, standards, and lifecycle ownership for technologies across all assets.
• Planning, Design & Delivery Leadership: Act as the executive technology authority across Stage Gates for all sports assets, including stadiums, arenas, academies, training centers, and public sport facilities. Ensure technology requirements are embedded early in master planning, concept design, and detailed design, overseeing complex technology scopes such as digital infrastructure, smart venues, broadcast, fan experience, performance tech, data platforms, and cybersecurity.
• Complex Sports Asset Enablement: Lead technology delivery for multi-asset sports ecosystems, including integrated sports districts, mixed-use developments, and city-scale environments. Ensure seamless integration with mobility, smart city platforms, digital identity, payments, and city operations.
• Industry-Leading Technology Partnerships & Commercial Value: Co-create and lead an industry-leading Sports Technology Partnership Program in collaboration with Qiddiya Strategy and Commercial teams. Structure long-term partnerships with OEMs, integrators, telcos, cloud providers, media, data, and performance tech companies to generate direct revenues, Capex savings, and Opex efficiencies.

Qualifications and Experience

• 15+ years of senior technology leadership experience, including executive ownership of technology for major sports venues and sports organizations.
• Proven experience delivering large-scale, complex sports and entertainment assets from design through live operations (*, stadiums, arenas, mixed-use districts).
• Demonstrated success integrating technology across sports districts or metropolitan-scale developments (*, stadium + entertainment + commercial + public realm).

Required Executive Capabilities

• Former or current CTO / EVP / Executive Technology Leader for Tier-1 stadiums, sports franchises, or major sports entertainment districts.
• Deep hands-on leadership across venue technology architecture & delivery, broadcast & live production ecosystems, digital fan platforms & data monetization, wireless & fiber mega-infrastructure, and cybersecurity & mission-critical operations.
• Exceptional ability to operate at the intersection of technology, design, and executive governance.