Director - Development - 20002658 - CM5

Qiddiya; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 350,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

Qiddiya Investment Company in Riyadh is seeking a senior professional to lead the end-to-end development of hospitality assets, from concept and business case through to delivery and handover. You will shape development strategy, guide critical decisions and ensure assets deliver distinctive guest experiences and long-term value.

You will coordinate across strategy, asset management, design, delivery and operators, balancing commercial requirements with Qiddiya’s vision and quality benchmarks

Qualifications

• Experience shaping development strategy, feasibility and positioning.
• Strong commercial acumen and understanding of value creation.
• Strong judgement in complex, high-value development environments.
• Ability to manage complexity across stakeholders, workstreams and project stages.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive key decisions through clear communication and storytelling.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced environments, managing ambiguity and shifting priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development of hospitality assets from early-stage briefing through to delivery, handover and operational readiness.
• Shape asset strategy, feasibility and business plans to define positioning, guest experience and value creation.
• Drive cross-functional alignment across strategy, asset management, design, delivery and Operators to ensure seamless progression from development through to operations.
• Ensure assets align with Qiddiya’s vision and quality benchmarks, delivering best-in-class design and guest experience.
• Provide strategic oversight of key asset decisions, including positioning, room mix, amenities, guest experience and operational planning to maximise differentiation and portfolio performance.
• Lead key asset validation milestones, including mock-up rooms reviews and critical gateway decisions, balancing Operator, design, commercial and delivery requirements.
• Proactively manage interfaces, risks and opportunities across all development workstreams to protect value and maintain delivery momentum.
• Lead governance and executive reporting processes, clearly articulating asset strategy, development priorities, risks and recommendations in key forums.
• Mentor, guide and develop teams, embedding strong development capability and best-practice approaches across the portfolio.

Skills

Development strategy

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Communication/storytelling

Project management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate Development, Architecture, Engineering

Job description

About the role

At Qiddiya Investment Company, we are shaping a landmark destination redefining entertainment,cultureand hospitality in the Kingdom. The Hospitality Business Unit is developing a portfolio of hotel assets central to this vision. As these assets progress, we are seeking experienced professionals to help deliver them to the highest standards ofdesign quality,guestexperienceand commercial performance.

In this role, you willleadthe end-to-end development of hospitality assets, from concept and businesscasethrough to delivery. You willshape development strategy, guide criticaldecisionsandensureassets deliverdistinctive guest experiences, strong commercialperformanceand long-term valueforboththeasset and across the wider destination. Working across keystakeholders andinterfaces, you willdrive alignment,managecomplexityandensure assets are commercially robustandin line with Qiddiya’s vision and developmentobjectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development ofhospitalityassets from early-stage briefingthrough to delivery,handoverand operational readiness

• Shape asset strategy,feasibilityand business plans to define positioning, guestexperienceand value creation

• Drive cross-functional alignment across strategy, asset management, design,deliveryandOperators to ensure seamless progression from development through to operations

• Ensure assets align with Qiddiya’s vision and quality benchmarks, delivering best-in-class design and guest experience

• Provide strategic oversight of key asset decisions, including positioning, room mix, amenities, guestexperienceand operational planning tomaximisedifferentiation and portfolio performance

• Lead keyassetvalidation milestones,includingmock-uproomsreviewsand criticalgateway decisions,balancingOperator, design,commercialand deliveryrequirements

• Proactively manage interfaces,risksand opportunities acrossall development workstreamsto protect valueandmaintaindeliverymomentum

• Leadgovernance andexecutive reporting processes, clearly articulating asset strategy, development priorities,risksand recommendationsin key forums

• Mentor,guideand developteams, embedding strong development capability and best-practiceapproaches across the portfolio

Skills & Attributes Required

• Experience shapingdevelopment strategy,feasibilityand positioning

• Strong commercial acumen and understanding of value creation

• Strong judgement in complex, high-value development environments

• Ability to manage complexity across stakeholders, workstreams and project stages

• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive key decisions through clear communication and storytelling

• Comfortable operating in fast-paced environments, managing ambiguity and shifting priorities

• Proficiencyin project management and reporting tools (e.g.Aconexetc.)

Preferred Background & Experience

• Proventrack recorddelivering complex assets (e.g.luxury hospitality,mixed-use)

• Experience developing hospitality assets withOperatorengagement (selection,onboardingor alignment)

• Experience across full development lifecycle from feasibility through delivery and handover

• Experience working within multi-stakeholder, large-scaledestinationormaster plannedenvironments

• GCC experience preferred

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate Development, Architecture,Engineeringor related discipline

Professional Certifications

• Professional membership orrecognisedcertificationpreferred(e.g.RICS, RIBA, PMP or equivalent)

Years of Experience

• 15+ years’ experience in real estate or hospitality development