Director Design Commercial Office📣 Job Ad

About the Role

Qiddiya Investment Company is seeking a Director - Design - Commercial Office to lead the design management discipline for its Commercial Office Development portfolio. This full-time position, based in Riyadh, Riyadh Province, is integral to the wider giga-project masterplan. The role involves translating Qiddiya's design vision into deliverable, investment-grade office assets, from concept and masterplan integration through to design development, authority approvals, and construction-ready documentation.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead design competitions, consultant selection, and novation of architectural firms and lead design consultants for individual office assets and mixed-use commercial parcels.
• Manage a team of specialist design managers to direct concept design, schematic design, detailed design development, and construction documentation stages, ensuring design intent is preserved.
• Interface with masterplanning, infrastructure, landscape, and sustainability teams to ensure fully coordinated design outcomes.
• Manage design consultant performance against scope, program, and fee, including chairing design review boards and technical workshops.
• Develop consultant performance KPIs to measure performance across all design phases, collate KPIs, and share with the central QIC procurement function.
• Ensure compliance with Saudi Building Code, Mostadam/LEED sustainability targets, civil defense requirements, Qiddiya design guidelines, and COBU design, technical, smart, and sustainability guidelines.
• Lead value engineering exercises without compromising design quality or investment value of commercial office assets.
• Present design proposals and progress to executive leadership, investment committees, and government stakeholders.
• Support leasing and investment teams by translating market and tenant requirements into design briefs for office product.
• Mentor and build out an in-house design team as the Commercial Office Development pipeline scales.
• Review and address COBU design, technical, smart, and sustainability guidelines, updating them with annual continuous improvement.

Candidate Profile and Experience

Candidates for this role must possess at least 12 years of design management experience, including senior design leadership on large-scale commercial office or mixed-use developments. This includes a track record of leading a design team to deliver projects on program, while balancing competing requirements such as cost, time, and quality. Expert knowledge of local and international design standards, codes, and regulations is essential. Previous experience in KSA or the Middle East is preferred, along with a history of delivering BCO Grade A or investment-grade office towers or business park products from concept through to handover.

Key Skills and Attributes

• Strong command of design review processes, authority approval pathways, and international best practice in commercial office design.
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary international consultant teams (architecture, structure, MEP, facade, sustainability).
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive presentation skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal English skills to articulate ideas, strategies, and project performance to diverse audiences and influence at senior levels.
• In-depth knowledge of enterprise-level digital design solutions and applications.
• Strong leadership skills to inspire large, diverse teams and deliver results.
• Strategic thinking capabilities.

Project Context and Leadership

The ideal candidate will be comfortable operating in a fast-paced, giga-project delivery environment. This includes major program experience, managing multiple projects, conflicting priorities, and diverse stakeholders. The ability to support teams through periods of business change, provide strategic oversight in managing and prioritizing workload, and maintain a deadline-driven approach to optimize output is critical for success in this role.

Application Information

This role offers an opportunity to contribute to a significant development within Qiddiya Investment Company. Salary details will be discussed during the interview process.