Senior Development Director Residential📣 Job Ad

About the Opportunity

Our client, a prominent residential business operating within one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant destination-led developments, is seeking a Senior Development Director Residential. This full-time position is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is critical for leading the front-end development of a substantial portfolio encompassing villas, apartments, and townhouses.

Role Context and Influence

This senior client-side development appointment focuses on the initial stages of the development cycle, where product, investment, and overall development strategy are established. The role carries direct influence across product strategy, feasibility, design direction, commercial planning, and delivery readiness. It offers long-term portfolio scale, direct access to senior decision-makers, and significant impact on the development direction within new neighbourhoods being created.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead projects from initial feasibility through to delivery readiness.
• Define product strategy, unit mix, positioning, phasing, and development briefs.
• Oversee feasibility studies, financial modelling, business planning, and commercial optimisation.
• Balance market demand, product quality, design, cost, programme, and profitability.
• Manage masterplanning, design development, consultants, approvals, and procurement strategy.
• Test and challenge assumptions across design, commercial, and delivery teams.
• Represent the development function in senior stakeholder and investment discussions.
• Build effective relationships with internal teams, external consultants, authorities, and delivery partners.
• Improve development governance, decision-making, and processes across the portfolio.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Over 10 years of substantial residential development experience gained with a recognised developer, investor, or development organisation.
• A clear record of leading multiple projects from feasibility and product definition through design and into delivery.
• Strong financial appraisal, feasibility, and commercial decision-making capability.
• Experience defining residential products, unit mixes, positioning, and development briefs.
• Ability to balance design quality with commercial performance, programme, and delivery risk.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams, consultants, and senior stakeholders.
• Credibility to present recommendations, defend a business case, and challenge constructively.
• Stable career tenure with evidence of increasing responsibility.
• Middle East development experience is preferred.

Candidate Profile

This position is suited for an individual who has created and delivered residential products, rather than primarily managed construction after principal development decisions have been made. While accountability spans the full development cycle, the principal focus remains on the front-end. Candidates whose experience is predominantly contractor, PMC, consultancy, or site delivery-led will not align with this mandate. This is not a pure project management, design management, construction delivery, operations, asset management, sales, or marketing role.

Application Information

This full-time position offers a competitive salary, which will be discussed during the interview process. Qualified candidates are invited to apply.