Design Director

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Job Description:

The Design Director in The LINE Design team will lead and manage the design of different assets related to The Line. The Creative Design Director for THE LINE Design team will oversee the design quality of neighborhood master plans and architectural designs for THE LINE Module 46. This role entails ensuring creative design excellence for a module consisting of eight neighborhoods, covering approximately 4,000,000 square meters of assets. The Director will maintain a comprehensive overview of the module, guiding and understanding the creative design development, and will challenge the design teams to deliver optimal design solutions.

The Design Director will work in close collaboration with the Design Management Director and the Neighborhood Design Directors to ensure consistency across various neighborhoods within the module.

Time will be allocated 80% on Neighborhoods designs, and 20% on NEOM Business responsibilities.

Responsibilities:

• Drive quality of Neighborhoods design and implementation of the Vision for THE LINE
• Manage the design by creative approach, spatial qualities, and aesthetic / architectural character
• Oversee the quality of Neighborhood master planning, public realm design, architectural, and engineering design.
• Lead the design quality delivery from concept through schematic design for various architectural Asset types: residential, hospitality, commercial, retail, mixed use, healthcare, educational, cultural, etc.
• Understand the importance of urban design in context of master planning and architecture
• Commitment to innovation and design excellence
• Manage the creative design interfaces of Neighborhoods with City-level designers (City Planning Consultant, City Asset Design Architect, and City Infrastructure Engineers), and Urban Designers / Public Realm Designers
• Coordinate the creative design interfaces between Neighborhoods, and of Neighborhoods with Anchor Assets
• Collaborate with THE LINE Development and THE LINE Projects Neighborhood teams, to ensure integrated delivery.
• Creative role in Design and Asset Brief compliance, conformance to Development Control Regulations, Guidelines, and Design KPIs, including design coordination of architectural designs with other disciplines.
• Single point of contact for project Leadership
• Escalation point for Design Consultants

Key design related roles:

• Develop THE LINE architecture design and ensures implementation across the module.
• Responsible as part of the senior management team for delivering THE LINE Design Management mandate, including stakeholder engagement internally and externally
• Managing the design by creative approach and aesthetic design
• Design delivery from concept design to completion.
• Responsible to deliver the design of various architectural typologies: residential, mixed use, commercial, public, healthcare, educational, civic and cultural, etc.
• Manage architectural design consultants to deliver NEOM architectural content and context
• Strong ability to prepare, develop and edit drawings and presentations
• Supervise the production of visualization, pre-concept, concept, developed and detailed design
• Acts as Lead reviewer of qualitative architectural design review process, providing analysis, comment, and recommendation to executive management.
• Management and oversight of Senior Architects, Architects, Designers within the department and across different sectors/departments.
• Draft comprehensive architectural sets from concept until detailed design documents
• Manages Design and Asset Brief compliance, completeness and accuracy, including design coordination within architecture and across disciplines
• Lead, develop and review design asset briefs
• Prepare SoW, specifications, reports and related data tables
• Lead and develop design manuals, standard design documents
• Manages preparation of and checks materials schedules and sample boards and mock-ups
• Manages preparation of and checks FF&E schedules and sourcing, including samples and mock-ups as appropriate
• Understanding materiality and its specifications
• Understanding Public realm design and application
• Technical detailing and construction administration experience
• Ability to solve design issues in a creative and pragmatic way by developing multiple designs options that meet the design approach and budget
• Manage communication, coordination, and management of consultants, contractors, various NEOM departments/sectors
• Produce deliverables in accordance with NEOM standards and policies.

Leadership

• Prepare and deliver presentations, reports, and other communication materials tailored to stakeholder needs.
• Ensure that all stakeholder engagement activities comply with the relevant regulations and ethical standards.
• Utilize data analytics to drive strategies and decisions.

Culture and Values

• Embrace NEOM’s culture and Values
• Act with honesty and integrity by following best practices, and upholding the robust standards and expectations set out in NEOM’s Code of Conduct.
• Maintain fair, ethical and professional work practices in accordance with NEOM’s Values and Code of Conduct.
• Adhere to NEOM’s Policies, procedures, and controls to ensure compliance with rules.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge:

• Excellent conceptual and design skills, with emphasis on aesthetics
• Fluent in writing and speaking English, spoken and written
• Ability to negotiate
• Flexibility and attitude towards company objectives.
• Cordial relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Commitment to innovation and design excellence
• Solid knowledge of products, materials, zoning / building codes and construction methods
• A keen eye for attention to detail and accuracy
• Proactive and self-motivated, with the ability to take initiative in response to direction from project managers, directors and partners
• A team player, with a flexible and open attitude towards new ways of working and collaborating
• Understanding of financial and commercial management of projects.
• Full understanding of risk management and ability to transmit the same to others.
• Understanding of scope definition, interface and ability to transmit the to others.
• Full knowledge of international standards, policies, codes and procedures and ability to transmit the same to others.
• Full knowledge of Statutory Authorities requirements
• Knowledge of international and local codes, regulations and submission requirements.
• Developed knowledge of Sustainable Design principles.

Skills:

• Excellent relationship-building and interpersonal skills, communication with clarity, purpose and accuracy
• Strong organizational skills, ability to work under pressure, meet tight deadlines on budget and on time
• Strong leadership skills
• Attention to detail and a methodical approach to work.
• Outstanding presentation skills.
• Excellent ability in Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino, Adobe Suite; Grasshopper and V-Ray is a plus

Experience:

• 20+ years of post-graduate outstanding architectural design and management experience
• Proven related experience in an Architectural Practice, including management of international design consultants across sectors and typologies
• Experience working in signature architecture design studios
• Design experience in various architectural types: residential, mix use, commercial, public, healthcare, educational, etc.
• Experience and extensive knowledge on design and construction materials and their application
• Design experience of public realm design and application
• Extensive project experience with emphasis on large projects and programs
• Experience in Middle East is appreciated

Qualifications:

• B.Arch or B.Sc. in Architecture from a recognized university
• Postgraduate in Architecture or Urban Design
• International accreditation (RIBA, AIA, or equivalent)

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