Senior Design Manager | Real Estate | Residential & Commercial

Al-Futtaim; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Al-Futtaim Group seeks a Senior Design Manager for Resicom+ to oversee architectural design and delivery of high-quality projects in Dubai. The role emphasizes managing timelines, budgets, and diverse teams to ensure aesthetic and technical excellence aligned with corporate goals.

The successful candidate will lead design strategies, solve complex challenges, and drive projects from concept through construction documentation while coordinating across disciplines and ensuring regulatory

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in architecture.
• 12+ years design/management experience.
• Experience with residential and commercial office projects; UAE regulations knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Project Excellence: Deliver high-end quality projects focusing on user experience.
• Timeline management: Ensure on-time or earlier completion; proactively manage schedules.
• Budget management: Maintain budgets while delivering tangible results; optimize cost, quality, time.
• Adhere to processes: Align projects with strategic goals and company policies.
• Foster collaboration: Promote a collaborative team environment and stay updated on architectural trends.
• Design Management: Support the Director of Architecture in strategy development and implementation.
• End-to-end design: Manage briefs through procurement, including technical reviews and consultant appointments.
• Documentation: Deliver from concept to tender and construction documents; obtain permits.
• Creative problem solving: Address design issues with effective communication.
• Task prioritization: Prioritize requests efficiently.
• Risk and Collaboration Management: Create templates and processes for complex tasks.
• Risk management: Clarify uncertainties and manage stakeholder expectations.
• Stakeholder communication: Maintain effective communications across site and procurement processes.

Skills

Project management

Problem solving

Communication skills

Architectural knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in architecture

12+ years design/management experience

UAE regulations knowledge

Job description

About Al-Futtaim

Established in the 1930s, Al-Futtaim is one of the most diversified and progressive privately held regional businesses, headquartered in Dubai. Operating across more than 20 countries, the Group spans automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and health. With more than 40,000 employees, Al-Futtaim represents over 200 of the world’s most recognised brands, including Toyota, Lexus, IKEA, ACE and Marks & Spencer. Driven by its purpose to enrich lives and elevate communities, Al-Futtaim focuses on digital innovation, AI, sustainable growth and strategic partnerships, creating long-term value for customers, communities and partners while building a responsible legacy for future generations.

Overview Of The Role

The Senior Design Manager at Resicom+ within Al-Futtaim Group is responsible for overseeing the design and delivery of high-quality architectural projects. The role demands excellence in managing timelines, budgets, and collaborating with diverse teams to ensure projects are aesthetically pleasing and technically sound while aligning with organizational goals. The Senior Design Manager is pivotal in developing design strategies, solving complex challenges, and continually delivering projects that enhance user experiences.

What You Will Do

Project Excellence

• Deliver high-end quality projects focusing on the best user experience.
• Ensure projects are completed on time or earlier, proactively managing timelines.
• Maintain project budgets while delivering tangible results, focusing on cost, quality, and time-saving measures.
• Adhere to company processes, strategic goals, and policies ensuring projects align with set objectives.
• Foster a collaborative and respectful team environment, promoting continuous development and staying updated on architectural trends.

Design Management

• Support the Director of Architecture in developing and implementing design strategies for various projects.
• Independently manage the end-to-end design process, from brief preparation to procurement, including technical reviews and consultant appointments.
• Deliver projects from concept through to tender and construction documentation, including obtaining building permits.
• Solve design issues creatively and communicate solutions effectively.
• Identify and prioritize tasks for addressing new requests efficiently.

Risk and Collaboration Management

• Create systems with typical processes and templates for handling complex tasks consistently.
• Anticipate and manage risks by clarifying uncertainties between stakeholders.
• Maintain effective communication with all project stakeholders, including managing complexities at site and throughout the procurement process.

Required Skills To Be Successful

• Excellence in project management and delivery within budget and timeline constraints.
• Strong problem-solving skills with an ability to manage complex design challenges.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills to lead consultants and stakeholders.
• In-depth knowledge of architectural practices with a focus on user experience and technical efficiency.

What Qualifies You For The Role

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in architecture.
• At least 12 years of experience in design and management roles, preferably with leading local developers.
• Extensive experience managing residential and commercial office projects.
• Comprehensive knowledge of coordinating across architectural, interior, landscape, structural, MEP, and infrastructure disciplines.
• Ability to prepare and deliver compelling presentations to executive management.
• Familiarity with UAE local requirements and regulations.

About Al-Futtaim Real Estate

With a legacy of more than six decades in real estate and asset management, Al-Futtaim Real Estate – part of Al-Futtaim – creates real impact on the communities it serves through long-term investment and growth. As one of the region’s leading private developers, the company plans, creates and manages developments across the MENA region. Al-Futtaim Real Estate has a diversified, multi-billion-dollar portfolio across the real estate value chain and asset types such as residential, commercial, malls and industries including hospitality, healthcare, infrastructure and education. Flagship mixed-use urban communities include Dubai Festival City and Cairo Festival City. Al-Futtaim Real Estate is also responsible for Al-Futtaim Contracting, a fully integrated, end-to-end specialist division operating across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt. The business has delivered industry-leading construction, engineering, technology and FM solutions for more than 50 years.