Director Development (Retail Resort Core)

About the Role

Qiddiya Investment Company is seeking a Director - Development (Retail Resort Core) to lead the development and execution of retail resort core projects. This full-time position is based in Riyadh, Riyadh Province, and requires a professional with over 10 years of experience. The Director will manage the entire development lifecycle, from concept to operational readiness, ensuring alignment with business objectives, development requirements, and asset positioning, while optimizing financial value and ensuring governance compliance.

Core Responsibilities

• Develop implementation approaches, delivery schedules, and execution activities for assigned developments, ensuring alignment with approved business objectives and asset positioning.
• Manage end-to-end development delivery, spanning concept development, delivery coordination, handover, and operational readiness to achieve approved objectives and opening milestones.
• Evaluate feasibility assessments, financial evaluations, and business case inputs to inform investment decisions and commercial alignment.
• Ensure compliance with organizational standards, governance requirements, development policies, and regulatory obligations.
• Manage coordination among planning, design, commercial, delivery, and operational workstreams for integrated execution.
• Manage engagement with tenants, operators, partners, brands, service providers, and internal stakeholders for operational and activation readiness.
• Monitor development performance, delivery progress, and execution outcomes, and manage development risks, mitigation actions, and issue resolution.

Specific Responsibilities for Resort Core Retail

• Develop retail planning approaches, commercial positioning recommendations, and tenant mix recommendations for Resort Core developments.
• Evaluate customer demand, market trends, retail categories, and commercial opportunities to optimize retail offerings and tenant mix.
• Manage retail development activities from strategy and development brief stages through design, delivery coordination, activation, and handover.
• Ensure alignment with host development teams regarding retail requirements and customer experience objectives throughout the development lifecycle.
• Manage integration of retail requirements across hotels, attractions, public realm, transport, residential, and mixed-use developments within Resort Core.
• Develop go-to-market requirements, leasing readiness plans, tenancy delivery requirements, and activation approaches for successful commercial activation.
• Manage coordination with leasing, tenancy delivery, asset management, and host development teams to enable successful activation and operational readiness.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in development and execution of retail resort core projects.
• Demonstrated ability to manage the entire development lifecycle, from concept to operational readiness.
• Experience in optimizing financial value and ensuring governance compliance within development projects.

Skills and Attributes

• Strong understanding of market requirements, demand considerations, and asset positioning.
• Proficiency in financial management, value optimization, and disciplined expenditure management.
• Ability to ensure compliance with organizational standards, policies, and regulatory obligations.
• Effective coordination and collaboration skills with various stakeholders, including business units, consultants, contractors, and operators.
• Capability to manage development risks, implement mitigation actions, and resolve issues effectively.

Work Environment

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, within the Qiddiya Investment Company. The role involves working within a dynamic environment focused on large-scale retail resort core developments.