Executive Director - Development- Hospitality - 20004063CM5

Qiddiya Investment Company 1; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 650,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Qiddiya Investment Company seeks a senior leader to oversee a portfolio of hospitality assets from concept to readiness. You will shape portfolio strategy, align stakeholders, and guide decision-making across design, delivery and operations to maximize value.

The role requires extensive experience in real estate or hospitality development, a strong track record with large-scale multi-asset programs, and the ability to lead teams and collaborate with operators to realise differentiated guest

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading portfolios of complex assets (e.g. luxury hospitality, mixed-use or destination developments).
• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate Development, Architecture, Engineering or related discipline.
• Professional membership or recognised certification preferred (e.g. RICS, RIBA, PMP or equivalent).
• 25+ years’ experience in real estate or hospitality development.
• Experience across full development lifecycle from feasibility through delivery and operational readiness.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and performance of a portfolio of hospitality assets from early-stage planning through to delivery and operational readiness.
• Define and drive portfolio-level strategy, including asset positioning, feasibility, phasing and value creation across the portfolio.
• Ensure alignment across strategy, asset management, design, delivery and operators to enable seamless progression from development through to operations.
• Provide executive oversight of key decisions across the portfolio, including positioning, room mix, amenities, guest experience and operational models.
• Balance portfolio-wide priorities, risks and interdependencies to optimise overall value and delivery outcomes.
• Lead governance, reporting and decision-making processes at portfolio level, clearly articulating priorities, risks and recommendations to executive leadership.
• Ensure consistency in quality, design standards and guest experience across assets, while enabling appropriate flexibility based on asset strategy.
• Oversee critical validation milestones, ensuring alignment between operator requirements, design intent, commercial objectives and delivery constraints.
• Proactively manage risks, dependencies and interfaces across assets and workstreams to maintain delivery momentum.
• Build and lead high-performing teams, embedding strong development capability and best-practice approaches across the portfolio.

Skills

Portfolio leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Commercial acumen

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate Development, Architecture, Engineering or related discipline

Job description

At Qiddiya Investment Company, we are shaping a landmark destination redefining entertainment, culture and 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 of design quality, guest experience and commercial performance.

In this role, you will lead a portfolio of hospitality assets across the full development lifecycle, from concept and business case through to delivery and operational readiness. You will set development strategy at a portfolio level, guide critical decisions and ensure assets collectively deliver differentiated guest experiences, strong commercial performance and long-term value for both the assets and the wider destination.

Working across multiple stakeholders and interfaces, you will drive alignment, governance and performance across the portfolio, managing complexity at scale to ensure delivery remains consistent, commercially robust and aligned with Qiddiya’s vision and development objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the strategic development and performance of a portfolio of hospitality assets from early-stage planning through to delivery and operational readiness

Define and drive portfolio-level strategy, including asset positioning, feasibility, phasing and value creation across the portfolio

Ensure alignment across strategy, asset management, design, delivery and operators to enable seamless progression from development through to operations

Provide executive oversight of key decisions across the portfolio, including positioning, room mix, amenities, guest experience and operational models

Balance portfolio-wide priorities, risks and interdependencies to optimise overall value and delivery outcomes

Lead governance, reporting and decision-making processes at portfolio level, clearly articulating priorities, risks and recommendations to executive leadership

Ensure consistency in quality, design standards and guest experience across assets, while enabling appropriate flexibility based on asset strategy

Oversee critical validation milestones, ensuring alignment between operator requirements, design intent, commercial objectives and delivery constraints

Proactively manage risks, dependencies and interfaces across assets and workstreams to maintain delivery momentum

Build and lead high-performing teams, embedding strong development capability and best-practice approaches across the portfolio

Requirements

Proven track record leading portfolios of complex assets (e.g. luxury hospitality, mixed-use or destination developments)

Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate Development, Architecture, Engineering or related discipline

Professional membership or recognised certification preferred (e.g. RICS, RIBA, PMP or equivalent)

25+ years’ experience in real estate or hospitality development

Experience across full development lifecycle from feasibility through delivery and operational readiness

Strong experience working with hotel operators (selection, negotiation, alignment and onboarding)

Experience within large-scale, multi-stakeholder or master-planned environments

GCC experience preferred

Strong experience leading portfolio-level development strategy and asset positioning

Deep commercial acumen with a clear understanding of value optimisation across multiple assets

Proven ability to manage complexity across multiple stakeholders, workstreams and development stages

Strong strategic judgement in high-value, large-scale development environments

Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive decision-making through clear, structured communication

Leadership capability to develop teams and build scalable development capability

Comfortable operating in fast-paced environments with ambiguity and evolving priorities