Senior Design Manager

BuroHappold; As Sudiyah; On-site; OMR 39,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Buro Happold in Riyadh seeks a Senior Design Manager – Architect to lead architectural design delivery on a landmark luxury project. You will coordinate consultants, manage stakeholders, and ensure architectural integrity throughout the design lifecycle.

The role requires senior leadership in design management, strong communication and coordination skills, and experience with high-value, luxury developments in the GCC. Saudi Arabia experience is highly valued.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture.
• Significant experience in architectural design management on complex, high-value projects.
• Experience on luxury, hospitality, cultural, residential or mixed-use developments is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication, report writing and stakeholder management skills.
• Middle East experience, ideally within Saudi Arabia or the GCC.

Responsibilities

• Lead architectural design management across concept, developed, detailed and IFC stages.
• Coordinate inputs from consultants and technical advisors across the design lifecycle.
• Review and challenge design deliverables to meet project brief, quality expectations and technical requirements.
• Oversee multidisciplinary design coordination with interiors, MEP, structures, landscape and infrastructure.
• Lead design reviews, technical workshops and gateway submissions.
• Manage design risks, issues, changes and programme impacts related to the architecture package.
• Support value engineering, buildability and cost alignment exercises.
• Prepare and review reports, presentations and client-facing design updates.
• Contribute to consultant procurement, scope development and technical bid evaluations.
• Mentor junior team members and reinforce design management standards.

Skills

Architectural design management

Stakeholder management

Multidisciplinary coordination

Communication & reporting

BIM workflows

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture

Tools

BIM

Job description

Want to lead architectural design management on one of Riyadh’s most ambitious luxury developments? Your experience in architectural design leadership might make you our new Senior Design Manager – Architect.

Here, expect the exceptional.

This is a senior role with responsibility for leading architectural design delivery, consultant coordination and technical excellence across a landmark project.

Your next role

The purpose of this role is to provide proactive architectural design management to deliver a major luxury project in Riyadh. You will be responsible for successful design execution, consultant coordination, stakeholder management and ensuring the technical and aesthetic integrity of the architecture package throughout the design lifecycle.

Your key duties

• Lead architectural design management across concept, developed, detailed and IFC stages.
• Manage architectural consultants and coordinate inputs from specialist designers and technical advisors.
• Review and challenge design deliverables to ensure they meet project brief, quality expectations and technical requirements.
• Oversee multidisciplinary design coordination with interiors, MEP, structures, landscape and infrastructure.
• Lead design reviews, technical workshops and gateway submissions.
• Manage design risks, issues, changes and programme impacts related to the architecture package.
• Support value engineering, buildability and cost alignment exercises.
• Prepare and review reports, presentations and client‑facing design updates.
• Contribute to consultant procurement, scope development and technical bid evaluations.
• Mentor junior team members and support consistent application of design management standards.
• Act as a key point of contact for architectural design matters with internal and external stakeholders.

Your Skills And Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture.
• Significant experience in architectural design management on complex, high-value projects.
• Strong knowledge of design stages, consultant management and multidisciplinary coordination.
• Experience working on luxury, hospitality, cultural, residential or mixed‑use developments is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication, report writing and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong technical review capability and attention to detail.
• Familiarity with BIM‑led design management workflows is preferred.
• Middle East experience, ideally within Saudi Arabia or the GCC, is strongly preferred.

What We Offer You

• A senior role on a flagship luxury project in Riyadh.
• Career‑defining project exposure and the opportunity to shape high‑quality design outcomes.
• An attractive salary and benefits package.
• A collaborative and ambitious project environment.

At Buro Happold, everyone else’s extraordinary is just our everyday.

A place for everyone

Buro Happold values individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of the way you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.

We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment and are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing difference allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments, we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you.