General Manager Lifestyle/Cultural Hub📣 إعلان

About the Role

MATERIA Development is seeking a General Manager for Common Futures, a new global network of lifestyle and cultural hubs launching at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh. This role is a contract position requiring over 10 years of experience. Common Futures is envisioned as a large creative sanctuary integrating art, design, wellness, food, and community, serving as the first hub of an international network. The soft opening is targeted for the end of 2026.

Role Overview

The General Manager will oversee all operations of Common Futures, focusing on driving performance, maintaining cultural excellence, and ensuring long-term profitability. This position is critical in shaping the member experience, fostering a positive team culture, and embedding the purpose and values of Common Futures into the daily operations. The role requires strategic alignment with ownership and investors, alongside cultivating strong relationships within the local community.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the strategic liaison between ownership, leadership, and operations, balancing cultural objectives with commercial goals.
• Represent the brand to key external stakeholders, building partnerships with government, landlord, and institutional entities.
• Lead the pre-opening and launch phases to ensure operational readiness and seamless execution.
• Drive commercial performance and financial management across all revenue streams and business initiatives.
• Develop and lead a high-performing senior management team, fostering a culture of excellence, international hospitality, and local engagement.
• Oversee the delivery of exceptional experiences for members and guests, enhancing community engagement and brand relevance.
• Implement robust governance, safety, and risk management protocols.
• Develop a comprehensive operating manual based on learnings and processes to support international expansion.

Qualifications and Experience

• 8–15 years of leadership experience in premium hospitality, members' clubs, lifestyle, or multi-purpose cultural venues.
• Proven track record of managing complex venues from construction through stabilization.
• Demonstrated success in premium markets, with the ability to adapt to new cities and build local networks quickly.
• Strong commercial acumen with extensive P&L ownership, understanding recurring revenue, F&B operations, and monetization strategies.
• Experience operating at the intersection of culture, lifestyle, and business, including programming and partnerships.
• Exceptional leadership and mentoring skills, with a history of building and aligning diverse teams.
• An entrepreneurial mindset, comfortable with building systems and policies from scratch in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong judgment and presence to represent the brand effectively with high-level stakeholders.
• Fluency in English is required; Arabic language skills are highly valued.

Work Context

This contract role is based in Riyadh. Common Futures is a new venture backed by Materia and institutional capital, designed by Carl Gerges Architecture and AHB, and a team of local creatives. It is a core component of the Riyadh Creative District.