Design Director

NOW HIRING –Design Director

Our client is a Real Estate Development company based in Riyadh, currently delivering an iconic mixed-use development.

The Role

The Design Director will lead the end-to-end design delivery of residential and mixed-use projects, ensuring design excellence, technical rigor, and alignment with project objectives. The role reports directly to the Chief Development Officer and works cross-functionally to deliver high-quality, market-leading developments.

Requirements

• Minimum 20 years of experience, with strong knowledge of the Saudi market.
• Current experience with a Tier 1 developer, ideally in Saudi.
• Strong portfolio of residential, mixed-use, or large-scale developments.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture or Engineering

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the full design lifecycle from concept to IFC, maintaining design intent while ensuring technical coordination across architecture, structure, MEP, façade, and landscape disciplines.
• Ensure full compliance with the Saudi Building Code, including fire life safety, accessibility, and building systems integration.
• Direct mixed-use planning strategies within buildings, ensuring proper segregation of uses (residential vs. retail), with separate access, circulation, servicing, and parking solutions.
• Lead design quality control by reviewing drawings, specifications, and material selections to ensure consistency, buildability, and alignment with brand positioning.
• Balance design excellence with financial performance by driving value engineering, cost optimization, and efficient unit planning (NSA/GFA, unit mix, core efficiency).
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with construction, sales, and marketing teams to ensure the design meets commercial objectives and customer expectations.
• Oversee construction-stage technical processes, including shop drawing reviews, RFIs, mock-ups, and site inspections to ensure alignment with IFC documentation.
• Build and manage high-performing design teams and consultants, setting clear standards, workflows, and accountability across complex mixed-use developments.