Executive Director Design Excellence📣 Job Ad

About the Role

The Qiddiya Investment Company is seeking an Executive Director - Design Excellence to lead the design strategy and execution for its hospitality portfolio. This full-time position is based in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. The role requires a senior design authority to ensure all hospitality assets meet the highest standards of design quality, guest experience, and commercial performance, aligning with Qiddiya’s overarching vision.

Role Context and Purpose

As part of the Hospitality Business Unit, the Executive Director - Design Excellence will set the creative and technical design agenda from strategy through to delivery. This involves ensuring all developed environments are distinctive, high-quality, and commercially robust, underpinned by strong design integrity and innovation. The role is central to delivering Qiddiya’s vision for a landmark destination redefining entertainment, culture, and hospitality.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Design Excellence function across creative disciplines, design standards, BIM, and project-embedded design management resources.
• Shape and endorse design direction across the portfolio, guiding outcomes through key governance stages.
• Curate creative design responses, integrating Qiddiya, district, and Operator visions to deliver distinctive and commercially viable assets.
• Define design principles, typologies, and benchmarks for each hotel tier, establishing consistent design baselines.
• Lead consultant strategy and governance, including scope definition, briefing, selection, and performance management.
• Provide technical input to development briefs and integrated coordination across disciplines, shaping planning and spatial configuration.
• Offer technical design oversight through design and construction, resolving interfaces to maintain quality and design intent.
• Guide design reviews at key milestones to ensure alignment with project objectives.
• Oversee value engineering and design optimization, assessing impacts on design intent and asset performance.
• Champion sustainability and low-carbon design, embedding ESG and Vision 2030 priorities.
• Mentor teams and drive continuous improvement of design processes and best practices.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Candidates should possess:

• A proven track record in delivering large-scale hospitality portfolios, including luxury assets.
• Experience governing external consultants and multi-disciplinary design teams.
• Experience working with hotel Operators and brand standards.
• Experience within large-scale or multi-asset development environments.
• Experience in KSA/GCC or similar large-scale development environments is preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience.

Work Environment and Location

This is a full-time position located in Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. The role involves leading a critical function within the Qiddiya Investment Company's Hospitality Business Unit, contributing to the development of a significant new destination.