Lead Architect – Sports Stadiums

One95 Global; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 800,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

One95 Global is seeking a Lead Stadiums Architect to lead senior design across a major stadium programme in Saudi Arabia. You will guide concepts to handover, ensuring FIFA/AFC standards are met and design quality is upheld in a multi‑discipline international team.

Ideal candidates will have 15+ years in senior design roles, proven FIFA stadium delivery, and strong English proficiency. Experience in the GCC, especially Saudi Arabia, is highly advantageous.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture from an internationally recognised institution.
• Chartered/registered with an international body (e.g. RIBA, AIA, ARB, RAIC or equivalent).
• Minimum 15+ years’ post‑qualification experience, including significant time in a senior design leadership role.
• Demonstrable, verifiable experience delivering FIFA World Cup or other FIFA/AFC‑sanctioned stadium projects.
• Deep working knowledge of FIFA and AFC stadium design and technical guidelines.
• Experience delivering mega‑scale sports infrastructure projects (multi‑billion SAR/USD value).
• Fluent English and strong experience operating within international, multidisciplinary design and delivery teams.
• Prior experience working in the GCC, ideally Saudi Arabia, is highly advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior architectural design leadership across multiple stadium projects, from concept through detailed design, construction support and handover
• Ensure all stadium designs meet FIFA, AFC and relevant international federation technical standards and guidelines
• Set and uphold design quality, consistency and technical rigour across the stadium portfolio
• Act as the primary architectural authority in coordination with client, engineering, and specialist stadium-design consultants
• Lead design reviews and approvals, ensuring alignment with programme, budget and quality requirements
• Oversee integration of architectural design with structural, MEP, seating bowl, pitch, roofing and overlay systems
• Manage relationships with international design consultants, contractors and governing‑body technical delegates
• Resolve complex technical and design‑compliance issues as they arise across the programme
• Support testing, commissioning and pre‑event readiness from a design‑compliance perspective
• Lead, mentor and direct a team of architects and design managers across the programme

Skills

Design leadership

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Fluent English

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture

Job description

We are seeking a Lead Stadiums Architect to take a senior design leadership role across a major stadium development programme in Saudi Arabia.

This is a career-defining opportunity for an architect with genuine, hands-on experience delivering FIFA-standard stadiums to join a high-profile programme central to the Kingdom's sporting infrastructure ambitions, working alongside a multidisciplinary international team to shape venues that will host football at the highest level.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide senior architectural design leadership across multiple stadium projects, from concept through detailed design, construction support and handover
• Ensure all stadium designs meet FIFA, AFC and relevant international federation technical standards and guidelines
• Set and uphold design quality, consistency and technical rigour across the stadium portfolio
• Act as the primary architectural authority in coordination with client, engineering, and specialist stadium-design consultants
• Lead design reviews and approvals, ensuring alignment with programme, budget and quality requirements
• Oversee integration of architectural design with structural, MEP, seating bowl, pitch, roofing and overlay systems
• Manage relationships with international design consultants, contractors and governing‑body technical delegates
• Resolve complex technical and design‑compliance issues as they arise across the programme
• Support testing, commissioning and pre‑event readiness from a design‑compliance perspective
• Lead, mentor and direct a team of architects and design managers across the programme

Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture from an internationally recognised, accredited institution
• Chartered/registered status with a recognised international body (e.g. RIBA, AIA, ARB, RAIC or equivalent)
• Minimum 15+ years’ post‑qualification experience, including significant time in a senior design leadership role
• Demonstrable, verifiable experience delivering FIFA World Cup or other FIFA/AFC‑sanctioned stadium projects
• Deep working knowledge of FIFA and AFC stadium design and technical guidelines
• Experience delivering mega‑scale sports infrastructure projects (multi‑billion SAR/USD value)
• Fluent English and strong experience operating within international, multidisciplinary design and delivery teams
• Prior experience working in the GCC, ideally Saudi Arabia, is highly advantageous
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and leadership skills