Associate Director - Design Management

Mace Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 1,102,000 - 2,020,000; Full time

Job summary

Mace Group is seeking a senior architectural and interior design leader to direct all design activities across a major UAE masterplan. You will ensure top design quality, operational functionality, and strong customer experience while integrating multiple asset classes within a unified vision.

You will oversee design reviews, stakeholder engagement, and risk management to deliver a world-class destination in line with the client’s vision, sustainability goals, and commercial targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture or related discipline; Master’s preferred.
• Significant experience leading architectural and interior design management on large-scale developments.
• Proven track record acting for a client, developer, or similar organisation.
• Experience leading internationally recognised design consultants.
• Strong understanding of mixed-use development design, planning, and customer experience.

Responsibilities

• Act as the client's representative, providing leadership and governance of all architectural and interior design activities.
• Drive design excellence through concept to handover.
• Integrate Grade A+ office, luxury hotels, branded residences, retail and public realm into a cohesive masterplan.
• Lead design reviews and provide strategic direction to design teams.
• Review proposals to ensure alignment with objectives, sustainability, and commercial targets.
• Oversee consultant performance, design programmes, approvals, and compliance.
• Engage with stakeholders, authorities, operators, brands and end-users to capture requirements.
• Identify and mitigate design risks across the project lifecycle.
• Contribute to net zero carbon transition and manage carbon emissions reductions.

Skills

Design management

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Communication

Coordination

Client liaison

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Mace combines construction expertise with consultancy to unlock potential in every person or project and redefine the boundaries of ambition. Our values shape the way we consult and define the people we want to join us on our journey.

The project:

This is an opportunity to work on one of the largest and most prestigious mixed-use developments in the UAE. The project comprises a landmark masterplan incorporating a Grade A+ office tower, luxury hotels, branded residences, retail, hospitality, public realm, and associated infrastructure.

Mace is supporting the delivery of this flagship development and is seeking high-calibre professionals to help realise a world-class destination that sets new benchmarks in design excellence, functionality, commercial performance and user experience.

The role:

Responsible for leading, directing and integrating all architectural and interior design activities across the development lifecycle, ensuring the project achieves the highest standards of design quality, operational functionality, commercial performance, and customer experience.

A key aspect of the role will be ensuring the successful integration of multiple asset classes, maintaining a unified vision whilst preserving the unique identity of each component within the wider masterplan.

You'll be responsible for:

• Acting as the client's representative, providing leadership, governance, and oversight of all architectural and interior design activities across the development.
• Driving design excellence throughout all project stages from concept, schematic and detailed design through construction and handover.
• Ensuring the successful integration of the Grade A+ office tower, luxury hotels, branded residences, retail, hospitality, and public realm into a cohesive masterplan.
• Leading design reviews and providing strategic direction to design teams to achieve world-class outcomes aligned with the client's vision.
• Reviewing and challenging design proposals to ensure alignment with project objectives, operational requirements, sustainability goals, and commercial targets.
• Overseeing consultant performance, design programmes, deliverables, approvals, and compliance with project requirements.
• Engaging with key stakeholders, authorities, operators, brands and end users to ensure project requirements are successfully incorporated into the design.
• Identifying and mitigating design-related risks, ensuring effective resolution of issues throughout the project lifecycle.
• Works collaboratively towards the common goal of net zero carbon transition and share responsibility for the proactive identification and management of the associated carbon emissions and reductions during the delivery of work.

You'll need to have:

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Architectural Engineering, or a related discipline (Master's preferred).
• Significant experience in architectural and interior design management on large-scale mixed-use, hospitality, residential, commercial, or master-planned developments.
• Proven experience acting on behalf of a client, developer, project management consultancy, or similar organisation managing complex design programmes.
• Demonstrable experience leading internationally recognised architectural and interior design consultants.
• Strong understanding of mixed-use development design, planning principles, operational requirements, and customer experience considerations.
• Experience delivering luxury hospitality, branded residences, premium commercial, retail, and public realm projects.
• Strong design management, consultant management, and multidisciplinary coordination experience.
• Experience working across all project phases from concept design through construction and handover.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, presentation, and leadership skills.
• Experience working within the Middle East on complex, high-profile developments preferred.

Our values

Safety first - Going home safe and well: We champion a safe, diverse, and inclusive working environment, understanding the importance of well-being in every team.

Client focus - Deliver on our promise: We own the quality of deliverables and strategic outcomes and build long-term relationships with our clients.

Integrity - Always do the right thing: We influence positive outcomes within our industry while always aligning with our compliance obligations.

Create opportunity - For our people to excel: We champion a continuous improvement culture throughout all activities, inspiring our people and teams to develop.

We are also open to discussing part-time, flexible, and hybrid working options if suitable within the role.

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