Director -eVOTL Planning and Implementation (CDU11) 20003943

Qiddiya Investment Company; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading transport authority in Saudi Arabia seeks a senior leader to drive the development of an integrated eVTOL ecosystem. This role involves strategic planning, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder engagement to ensure successful implementation. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in transport planning and innovation, with strong leadership and communication skills.

Qualifications

• 10–15 years of senior experience in transport planning/regulation/operations.
• Proven track record in mobility innovation and major programme delivery.
• Experience in safety, control frameworks, licensing/approvals.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of strategic roadmap for eVTOL deployment.
• Prepare business cases, cost-benefit analyses, and financial models.
• Develop and implement regulatory frameworks for eVTOL.

Skills

Mobility innovation

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory frameworks

Strategic planning

Safety oversight

Commercial acumen

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Transport Planning, Engineering, Aviation, Business

Master’s degree or MBA preferred

Job description

Job Summary

To lead the development, planning, programming, and delivery of an integrated eVTOL (electric vertical take‑off and landing) ecosystem within the transport business unit. This includes benchmarking global best‑practice, preparing business cases and transactions, integrating with other transport modes, establishing regulatory/licensing frameworks, licensing/approval processes, safety oversight, control & monitoring frameworks, stakeholder and partner engagement, financing including procurement model evaluation and contracting and commercial strategy, training, and capability building. This role will ensure that the eVTOL programme is delivered promptly in a safe, efficient, scalable, and sustainable manner, contributing to the overall multi‑modal transport strategy of the authority.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Planning

• Develop the overall strategic roadmap for eVTOL deployment (short-, medium- and long-term horizons) aligned with the broader city and business unit strategic transport planning.
• Lead benchmarking of global eVTOL deployment models, regulatory frameworks, commercial operating models, and case‑study analysis to inform strategy and decision‑making.
• Undertake market scans, competitor/peer reviews, scenario planning, and risk/opportunity analysis for eVTOL integration.
• Develop and collaborate for multi‑modal integration planning: ensure eVTOL connects to other modes (bus, rail, metro, road, micro‑mobility) and is planned as part of the wider transport network.
• Program development and management: define the planning & programming (projects, pilots, scaling phases), set milestones, progress tracking, dependencies, budgets, and deliverables.

Transaction Preparation & Commerciality

• Lead the preparation of business cases, cost‑benefit analyses, financial models, funding/financing models, procurement strategies, and partner models for eVTOL infrastructure/operators.
• Define commercial frameworks: pricing/leasing/licensing of eVTOL operations, vertiport development, service provider models, public‑private partnership structures, and risk allocation.
• Interface with internal commercial/legal teams to structure transactions, contracts, and operator agreements.
• Monitor market developments (technology, aviation certification, battery/propulsion, infrastructure) and ensure commercial propositions remain viable and competitive.

Regulation, Licensing & Approvals

• Lead development and implementation of regulatory frameworks specific to eVTOL (including vertiport siting, airspace integration, operations, maintenance, safety, noise/emissions, certification).
• Consult with civil aviation authorities, local municipal/regional authorities, airports/helipads authorities and other relevant agencies to define licensing, permit and approval pathways.
• Oversee the approval process for eVTOL operators, vertiport developers, infrastructure planning consents, and ongoing compliance monitoring.
• Ensure alignment with aviation safety, air‑traffic management, environment, land use planning, and transport policy/regulation.

Safety, Control & Monitoring

• Establish and maintain safety frameworks, governance, and control functions for eVTOL operations (risk management, incident investigation, safety audits, performance monitoring).
• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) for eVTOL pilot programmes and full operations (safety, reliability, availability, cost, customer satisfaction).
• Set up monitoring, reporting and control systems (data collection, dashboards, management reports) for the eVTOL programme and partner/operator performance.
• Ensure integration of safety and security considerations in planning and operations (e.g., vertiport security, emergency response, airspace intrusion, cyber‑threats).

Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships

• Function as the interface with internal stakeholders (e.g., transport planning, infrastructure, regulatory, commercial, finance, legal, environment) and external stakeholders (operators, technology providers, airports/vertiports, municipal government, aviation regulator, community groups).
• Develop and manage partnerships with private sectors, technology firms, operators, research organisations, academic institutions, and other authorities to support the eVTOL ecosystem.
• Lead communications (internal/external), stakeholder consultation, public engagement around eVTOL introduction (including community concerns, noise, safety, land use).
• Manage change: build awareness, obtain buy‑in, address stakeholder concerns and support the transition to eVTOL‑enabled mobility.

Training, Capability & Integration

• Define training programmes and capability building for the authority and partner organisations (regulatory, operations, safety oversight, maintenance, vertiport operations).
• Ensure integration of eVTOL operations into existing transport systems and institutional frameworks (operations, asset management, planning, control centre, incident response).
• Drive innovation, continuous improvement, and lessons‑learned processes from pilots to scaling operations.

Implementation and Delivery

• Lead the implementation of pilot projects through to full scale roll‑out: manage scope, schedule, budget, risk, and quality.
• Coordinate across multiple work streams (planning, infrastructure, regulation, commercial, operations) to ensure timely, cost‑effective delivery.
• Monitor, evaluate and refine implementation based on performance data, benchmark results, and stakeholder feedback.
• Report to senior leadership, provide regular updates, escalations as required, manage governance and oversight of the programme.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline (Transport Planning, Engineering, Aviation, Business). Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
• Minimum 10–15 years of progressively senior experience in transport planning/regulation/operations preferably in a multi‑modal context.
• Proven track record in mobility innovation, regulatory frameworks, commercial transactions, business case development, and major programme delivery.
• Strong experience in safety, control frameworks, licensing/approvals, stakeholder engagement, and multi‑disciplinary project delivery.
• Understanding of aviation/air‑mobility ecosystems (desirable) and of the emerging eVTOL/urban air mobility domain.
• Commercial acumen: experience developing business models, conducting financial analyses, structuring partnerships/PPPs.
• Excellent leadership, communication (verbal & written), stakeholder management, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with ability to translate strategy into operational plans and delivery.
• Ability to work across functions, with internal and external stakeholders, in a dynamic innovation environment.
• Willingness to travel and engage internationally, as required.

Competencies & Attributes

• Visionary and strategic mindset: able to set direction, anticipate emerging trends and drive transformation.
• Results‑oriented, pragmatic with strong delivery focus.
• Excellent stakeholder relationship builder, with credibility across government, industry, and private sector.
• Comfortable dealing with ambiguity, recent technologies, and regulatory uncertainty.
• Strong risk‑management mindset and commitment to safety and quality.
• High integrity, credibility, and professional maturity.
• Collaborative style, able to lead cross‑functional teams and manage multiple work‑streams simultaneously.
• Adaptable and resilient in a fast‑moving environment of mobility innovation.

Key Relationships

• Reports to: Director / Head of Mobility Innovation / Planning.
• Direct reports: Programme managers, commercial leads, regulatory/licensing leads, safety & compliance leads (varies by organisation).
• Internal stakeholders: Planning, infrastructure, operations, regulatory, finance, legal, communications.
• External stakeholders: Civil Aviation Authority, local municipal/regional government, vertiport developers, eVTOL operators/manufacturers, airports/heliports, community groups, research institutions, industry associations.

Performance Metrics

• Development of approved strategic roadmap and programme plan for eVTOL deployment.
• Successful completion of business‑case/transaction work‑streams and funding/partner commitments.
• Establishment of regulatory/licensing frameworks and number of approvals/licenses delivered.
• Safety performance metrics (incident/accident rate, audit findings, compliance results) for pilot and operations.
• On‑time / on‑budget delivery of pilot projects and transition to operations.
• Stakeholder satisfaction and effective partner relationships.
• Commercial outcomes: cost‑efficiency, return on investment, effective partnerships/alliances.
• Training and capability build: number of staff trained, partnerships established, institutional integration achieved.

Work Environment & Travel

• The role is based within the transport authority office, with frequent interaction across divisions and external agencies.
• Travel may be required—both domestic and international—for benchmarking, site visits, partnership / regulator meetings, and global best‑practice review.
• May at times require working beyond standard hours due to programme demands, stakeholder events or project escalation.