Director - Design Project Management (Urban Core) (SPA305)

Qiddiya Investment Company; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Qiddiya Investment Company in Saudi Arabia seeks a Design Project Management Director to lead planning, management, coordination, and delivery of design across a portfolio of mixed-use precinct developments within the Urban Core.

The role acts as the key interface between development, asset management, project delivery, design consultants, authorities, operators, and stakeholders to ensure the design vision translates into high-quality, commercially viable environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Urban Design or Landscape Architecture.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Professional accreditation preferred (RIBA, AIA, AICP, ASLA, PMP, MRICS, CEng) preferred.
• 15+ years of relevant design management & project management experience.
• Minimum 7 years in a leadership role managing large-scale mixed-use developments.
• Proven client-side experience on complex mixed-use, urban regeneration, masterplan, or destination development projects.
• Strong experience overseeing public realm and placemaking-focused developments.
• Middle East experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide design leadership across architectural, landscape, infrastructure, and public realm.
• Manage project and programme delivery for multiple mixed-use developments.
• Coordinate integration across disciplines to ensure design excellence.
• Lead stakeholder engagement with developers, authorities, operators, and consultants.
• Support commercial and development activities with design input.
• Ensure quality and regulatory compliance across projects.
• Provide team leadership and mentorship to design and delivery professionals.

Skills

Design leadership

Project management

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Quality & compliance

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture

Master’s Degree preferred

Professional accreditation preferred (RIBA, AIA, AICP, ASLA, PMP, MRICS, CEng)

Job description

The Design Project Management Director will lead the planning, management, coordination, and delivery of design across a portfolio of mixed-use precinct developments within the Urban Core business. The role will oversee the end-to-end design management process for public realm, public spaces, retail, food & beverage, commercial office, and destination-led mixed-use assets.

Working on the client side, the successful candidate will act as the key interface between development, asset management, project delivery, design consultants, authorities, operators, and stakeholders to ensure the design vision is successfully translated into high-quality, commercially viable, and operationally effective built environments.

This role requires a strategic leader capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously, driving design excellence, maintaining programme commitments, and ensuring seamless integration across architectural, landscape, infrastructure, public realm, placemaking, and commercial development disciplines.

Key Responsibilities

• Design Leadership
• Project & Programme Management
• Mixed-Use Development Integration
• Stakeholder Management
• Commercial & Development Support
• Quality & Compliance
• Team Leadership
• Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture
• Master’s Degree preferred.
• Professional accreditation preferred (RIBA, AIA, AICP, ASLA, PMP, MRICS, CEng or equivalent).
  Experience
• 15+ years of relevant experience in design management & project management
• Minimum 7 years in a leadership role managing large-scale mixed-use developments.
• Proven client-side experience on complex mixed-use, urban regeneration, masterplan, or destination development projects.
• Strong experience overseeing public realm and placemaking-focused developments.
• Demonstrated success managing international multidisciplinary consultant teams.
• Experience delivering projects throughout the full development lifecycle from concept design through construction and handover.
• Middle East experience strongly preferred.
• Experience within large-scale masterplanned communities, giga-projects, mixed-use districts, or city-scale developments highly desirable.