Associate Director Design Management (Stadiums)

About Mace

Mace combines construction expertise with consultancy to enhance projects and redefine ambition. The company's values guide its consultancy approach and define the individuals sought to join its team.

The Project and Role

Mace is providing strategic project management consultancy for significant new build stadiums, multiple stadium redevelopments, and broader precinct transformations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This scope includes delivering new stadiums, increasing existing stadia capacity, providing major mixed-use amenities, and implementing robust knowledge transfer to ensure operational excellence and long-term sustainability beyond construction. The Associate Director Design Management (Stadiums) will play a key role in this initiative, requiring over 15 years of experience. This is a part-time position.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage post-contract design management and coordination for complex projects across multiple disciplines and asset types.
• Oversee the contractor-led design process, including detailed design completion, specialist subcontractor design, shop drawings, material submittals, samples, and method-related design inputs.
• Lead the review and resolution of RFIs, technical queries, site instructions, design clarifications, and field-change requests within agreed response periods.
• Establish and maintain design governance processes, design review procedures, and approval workflows.
• Oversee design assurance and compliance reviews against employer requirements, authority conditions, relevant codes, international standards, and venue operational requirements.
• Lead technical reviews and design assurance activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate closely with project management, commercial, procurement, construction, and stakeholder teams.
• Manage design-related risks, opportunities, and change management processes.
• Oversee value engineering initiatives while maintaining design intent and quality standards.
• Manage design interfaces with contractors, specialist subcontractors, and suppliers, ensuring technical submittals and design information are coordinated with procurement and construction requirements.
• Provide senior-level reporting and presentations to executive stakeholders.
• Drive innovation, best practice, and continuous improvement across the design management function.
• Work closely with site teams to resolve buildability, sequencing, installation, and multidisciplinary interface issues affecting construction progress.
• Oversee the review and close-out of as-built drawings, design changes, technical documentation, and handover requirements.

Required Competencies

• Leadership: Strategic thinking and decision-making, team leadership and capability development, executive stakeholder engagement.
• Technical Excellence: Multidisciplinary design coordination, design governance and assurance, quality management and value engineering.
• Programme Delivery: Risk and change management, schedule and design performance management, cross-functional collaboration.
• Stakeholder Management: Client engagement and relationship management, consultant management, influencing and negotiation skills.

Success Measures

• Delivery of coordinated, high-quality design packages in line with programme milestones.
• Effective management of design risks and interface issues.
• Positive stakeholder feedback and successful design approvals.
• Achievement of programme objectives relating to quality, cost, schedule, and functionality.
• Successful coordination between design, commercial, procurement, and construction teams.

Company Values

Mace operates on core values that include Safety first, ensuring a safe, diverse, and inclusive working environment. Client focus emphasizes delivering on promises and building long-term relationships. Integrity guides actions to influence positive outcomes while adhering to compliance. Creating opportunity fosters a continuous improvement culture for employee development.