Chief Investment Officer (CIO) - Real Estate

Confidential Government; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 1,500,000 - 4,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Government in Saudi Arabia seeks a Chief Investment Officer to define and drive a multi-year real estate investment strategy across residential and commercial developments. You will lead equity and debt sourcing, deal structuring, feasibility studies, M&A, and land acquisitions.

The role blends institutional financial rigor with hands-on transaction execution to maximize risk-adjusted returns, expand asset footprints, and oversee capital allocation, SPV governance, investor

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive experience in real estate investment, real estate private equity, investment banking, or large-scale master-development firms.
• Demonstrated track record in structuring and executing multi-million/billion-dollar transactions across residential and commercial assets.
• Experience presenting to Investment Committees, Boards, and institutional investors.

Responsibilities

• Formulate and execute a multi-year investment strategy across residential, commercial, and mixed-use portfolios.
• Oversee capital allocation between Greenfield/Brownfield developments and income-generating assets.
• Establish networks to secure prime land plots and strategic assets.
• Direct underwriting models (DCF, IRR, NPV, Cash-on-Cash) for acquisitions and ventures.
• Lead deal structuring, SPV governance, and JV/PPPs for transactions.
• Secure equity and debt from institutional partners and high-net-worth investors.
• Prepare investment memos and reports for Board and Investment Committee.
• Monitor unit economics, revenue management, and capital recycling for future pipelines.
• Drive NOI growth, cap rate optimization, and long-term yield management.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Strategic thinking

Communication

Financial analysis

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Finance/Real Estate

MBA preferred

CFA/CAIA advantageous

Tools

Excel

Argus Enterprise

PowerPoint

Job description

The Chief Investment Officer (CIO) will define, drive, and execute the overall investment strategy, capital deployment, and portfolio management for the company’s multi-sector real estate developments. Operating across both residential (master-planned communities, high-density residential towers, built-to-rent) and commercial asset classes (retail centers, Grade-A office, hospitality, mixed-use), the CIO will lead equity and debt sourcing, deal structuring, feasibility studies, M&A, and land acquisition.

This executive leadership role requires a balance of institutional financial rigor, deep market intelligence, and hands-on transaction management to maximize risk-adjusted returns, optimize asset yields, and expand the company’s asset footprint.

Key Responsibilities

• Investment Thesis & Strategy: Formulate and execute a multi-year investment strategy that aligns target risk-return profiles across residential, commercial, and mixed-use portfolios.
• Capital Allocation: Oversee capital allocation between Greenfield/Brownfield developments and stabilized, income-generating commercial and residential rental assets.
• Pipeline Sourcing: Establish and leverage high-level networks with land banks, master developers, brokers, financial institutions, and government bodies to secure prime land plots and strategic assets.

2. Underwriting, Feasibility & Due Diligence

• Financial Modeling & Valuation: Direct complex underwriting models (DCF, IRR, NPV, Cash-on-Cash, sensitivity analyses) for land acquisitions, joint ventures, and asset dispositions.
• Feasibility Analysis: Evaluate product-mix feasibility, pricing strategies, absorption rates, and unit economics alongside the development and commercial teams.
• Due Diligence Management: Lead rigorous commercial, legal, financial, tax, technical, and ESG due diligence processes for all transactions.

3. Deal Structuring, M&A & Joint Ventures

• Transaction Execution: Lead end-to-end transaction management for real estate acquisitions, strategic JVs, public-private partnerships (PPPs), and asset disposition.
• Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs): Establish SPV structures, governance frameworks, and shareholder agreements to optimize tax efficiency and capital distribution.

4. Capital Markets, Investor Relations & Fund Raising

• Capital Raising: Secure equity from institutional partners, private equity funds, family offices, sovereign wealth capital, and high-net-worth investors.
• Debt Structuring: Partner with the CFO to negotiate and structure project finance facilities, mezzanine loans, bank syndications, and potential REIT conversions.
• Board & IC Reporting: Prepare comprehensive investment memos and present clear asset allocation strategies to the Board of Directors and Investment Committee.
• Residential Strategy: Monitor unit economics, off-plan sales velocity, revenue management, and capital recycling into future pipeline projects.
• Commercial Strategy: Drive Net Operating Income (NOI) growth, cap rate compression, anchor tenant negotiation oversight, turnover rent structures, and long-term yield management.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Portfolio Returns: Target vs. actual Levered/Unlevered IRR, Equity Multiple (EM), and Return on Equity (ROE).
• Capital Deployment Velocity: On-time deployment of capital into approved, high-yield development and yield-generating opportunities.
• NOI & Yield Optimization: Year-over-year Net Operating Income growth across stabilized commercial and residential rental portfolios.
• Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC): Optimization of overall debt and equity financing costs.
• Sourcing & Execution Efficiency: Pipeline conversion rate from initial deal screening to execution and closing.

Candidate Qualifications & Experience

Education & Professional Certifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Real Estate Development, Economics, Business Administration, or Civil Engineering from a recognized institution.
• Master’s / MBA in Finance, Business, or Real Estate Management is highly preferred.
• Professional Designation: CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst) is strongly advantageous.

Required Experience

• 15+ years of progressive experience in real estate investment, real estate private equity, investment banking, or large-scale master-development firms.
• Demonstrated Track Record: Direct involvement in structuring and executing multi-million/billion-dollar transactions across both residential and commercial asset classes.
• Extensive experience presenting to Investment Committees, Boards, and institutional investors.

Core Technical & Strategic Skills

• Advanced real estate financial engineering, valuation modeling, and capital structuring expertise.
• Deep knowledge of local/regional real estate regulations, land laws, and planning frameworks.
• Strong negotiation, contract drafting, and JV structuring capabilities.
• Executive presence with strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.