Executive Director - Hospitality Construction (Tier 1 Contractor)

Confidential; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential seeks an Executive Director to lead luxury hotel construction in the region, delivering premier hotels, resorts, and hospitality developments with full strategic and operational responsibility.

You will drive governance, budgets, schedules, design coordination, and supplier relationships, ensuring world-class quality, safety, and on-time handovers, leveraging an experienced Tier 1 GC background in the luxury sector.

Qualifications

• 20+ years of experience in luxury hotel/hospitality construction.
• 12+ years in executive leadership overseeing large projects.
• Proven Tier 1 General Contractor background delivering complex hospitality builds.
• Strong background in operations, engineering management, project execution, commercial management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience delivering five-star hotels and luxury resorts or landmark hospitality projects.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all phases of planning, development, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover to ensure technical, financial, and operational success.
• Establish project governance frameworks and manage budgets, schedules, procurement strategies, and resource allocation to achieve cost efficiency and timely project delivery.
• Lead quality assurance, health & safety, compliance, and risk management initiatives in alignment with company standards and luxury hospitality requirements.
• Direct design management, engineering coordination, construction supervision, and contractor performance, ensuring adherence to specifications, brand requirements, and world-class quality standards.
• Manage relationships with owners, investors, hotel operators, consultants, contractors, and government authorities while ensuring all commercial and contractual obligations are successfully delivered.
• Utilize ERP systems (preferably SAP) for project controls, cost management, financial reporting, performance monitoring, and operational transparency.
• Provide executive leadership in team development, succession planning, dispute resolution, and performance management while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and excellence.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic planning

Budget & cost control

Quality & safety leadership

Risk management

Tools

SAP ERP

Job description

Executive Director – Luxury Hotel Construction

We are seeking an accomplished Executive Director – Luxury Hotel Construction from a leading Tier 1 General Contractor background to lead the delivery of prestigious luxury hotels, resorts, and hospitality developments. The role carries full responsibility for project strategy, governance, planning, execution, and delivery, ensuring all milestones are achieved on time, within budget, and to the highest international hospitality standards. The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership to multidisciplinary teams, oversee consultants and contractors, manage key stakeholder relationships, and drive operational excellence throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee all phases of project planning, development, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover to ensure technical, financial, and operational success.
• Establish project governance frameworks and manage budgets, schedules, procurement strategies, and resource allocation to achieve cost efficiency and timely project delivery.
• Lead quality assurance, health & safety, compliance, and risk management initiatives in alignment with company standards and luxury hospitality requirements.
• Direct design management, engineering coordination, construction supervision, and contractor performance, ensuring adherence to specifications, brand requirements, and world-class quality standards.
• Manage relationships with owners, investors, hotel operators, consultants, contractors, and government authorities while ensuring all commercial and contractual obligations are successfully delivered.
• Utilize ERP systems (preferably SAP) for project controls, cost management, financial reporting, performance monitoring, and operational transparency.
• Provide executive leadership in team development, succession planning, dispute resolution, and performance management while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and excellence.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 20 years of experience, including 12+ years in executive leadership roles overseeing large-scale luxury hotel, resort, and hospitality construction projects.
• Proven experience working with a Tier 1 General Contractor, leading the delivery of complex, high-value hospitality projects from pre-construction through final handover.
• Strong background in construction operations, engineering management, project execution, commercial management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Demonstrated track record in delivering five-star hotels, luxury resorts, mixed-use hospitality developments, or landmark hospitality projects of significant scale and complexity.
• Extensive experience managing major subcontractors, international consultants, hotel operators, client representatives, and large multidisciplinary project teams.
• GCC experience preferred, with a strong understanding of regional construction practices, regulatory frameworks, and hospitality development requirements.
• Exceptional leadership, commercial acumen, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.