Associate Director - Design Management

Shamal; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 420,000 - 640,000; Full time

Job summary

Shamal Holding seeks an Associate Director – Design Management to lead design strategies for high-value developments, ensuring delivery within budget, schedule and quality standards. You will drive architectural vision and brand consistency across projects in a fast-paced environment.

Lead cross-disciplinary teams, collaborate with executives, and push for innovative, sustainable solutions. Strong knowledge of UAE codes and digital design tools is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture or related field.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Residential, commercial, hospitality, and mixed-use developments.
• Strong understanding of architecture related design disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Design leadership: establish a consistent architectural vision and design language across projects.
• Project oversight: ensure design deliverables are complete, on time and within budget.
• Stakeholder collaboration: align internal and external design teams on a single design position.
• Quality & compliance: meet local codes, zoning and sustainability targets.
• Innovation & sustainability: pursue new materials, methods and BIM tools with measurable gains.

Skills

Design leadership

Architectural judgment

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in architecture

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

SketchUp

ArchiCAD

Rhino

Adobe Suite

BIM

Visualization tools

Job description

Overview

Shamal Holding is a diversified investment firm that cultivates the extraordinary. Born in Dubai, we curate a unique portfolio of extraordinary investments, experiences and assets to generate meaningful outcomes. The investments we make are strategically chosen and thoughtfully nurtured, mirroring Dubai’s ambition, spirit and energy. As a global investor, asset owner and developer we utilise our resources, know-how and connections, to deliver long-term value, wherever we operate. Our portfolio spans Lifestyle & Entertainment, Destinations, Real Estate, Hospitality, and F&B, including Skydive Dubai, Deep Dive Dubai, XDubai, Dubai Harbour, Kite Beach and more.

As Shamal Holding continues to grow, we’re in search of an Associate Director – Design Management. In this role you will be delivering a portfolio of developments whose design quality, brand expression and commercial performance meet Shamal’s standards. Success in this role means: design strategies that are approved first time and hold through delivery projects completed within approved budget, programme and quality benchmarks stakeholders aligned on a single design position from concept through handover and measurable gains in innovation and sustainability across the built environment. The role is judged on delivered outcomes across complex, large-scale developments, not on activity.

Responsibilities

Design Leadership

• A consistent architectural vision and design language is established and evident across every project in the portfolio.
• Concept, schematic and detailed design stages are signed off on schedule, with no rework carried into later stages.
• Delivered designs demonstrably reflect market trends, user experience and brand identity.

Project Oversight

• Design deliverables across all concurrent developments are issued complete, on time and within approved budget.
• Design documentation, drawings and specifications are aesthetically and technically reviewed and approved with no critical review comments outstanding.
• Consultant, contractor and authority approvals are secured without delay to the programme.
• Regular site visits and audits relevant to design and technical quality is upheld.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Internal teams and external design firms work to one aligned design position, with issues resolved before they affect cost or programme.
• Executive leadership receives clear, decision-ready design presentations and updates that enable timely decisions.

Quality & Compliance

• Full compliance with local building codes, zoning regulations and sustainability standards achieved at every project gateway.
• Quality assurance processes and design audits are embedded, with defects and non-conformances trending down.

Innovation & Sustainability

• Sustainability targets and certification ratings are achieved on every project.
• Innovative materials, methods and digital tools (e.g., BIM) are adopted with measurable improvement in quality, cost or delivery speed.

Key Competencies

• Strong design sensibility and architectural judgment.
• Proficient in design management processes, including preparation of design tender documents and review procedures.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills.
• Strategic thinking with commercial awareness.
• Effective communication and presentation abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple high-value projects under tight deadlines.
• Technical Proficiency - AutoCAD, Revit, Sketchup, ArchiCAD, Rhino, Adobe Suite, BIM, and visualization tools.
• Regulatory Knowledge - Familiarity with UAE/GCC building codes and permitting processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• Residential, commercial, hospitality, and mixed-use developments.
• Strong understanding of architecture related design disciplines.

For more information about Shamal, please visit our LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shamalholding/

Note:

Due to a high influx of profiles, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.