Summary
Qiddiya Investment Company is seeking a Director of Architecture to lead architectural design across its hospitality portfolio in Riyadh. The role covers hotel concepts and design principles, consultant oversight, design governance, technical coordination, and maintaining design intent through delivery. Candidates need a bachelor’s degree in Architecture or a related discipline and 15+ years of architectural design experience with a strong hospitality focus. Professional membership or certification such as RIBA, AIA, or RICS is preferred, along with experience using tools such as Revit, BIM, Aconex, or Autodesk Construction Cloud.
The posting
As published on qiddiya.com. Pulled from the employer's site and shown as they wrote it.
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 the creative architectural design agenda across the hospitality portfolio, defining design principles and shaping hotel concepts from development brief to endorsed design direction, while overseeing consultants and ensuring design integrity, technical compliance and performance are maintained through delivery.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the architectural definition of hotel concepts from development brief to approved design direction, curating distinctive, emotive and commercially viable responses aligned with Qiddiya, district and Operator visions
- Articulate and position architectural design proposals to secure alignment and timely outcomes through key governance stages
- Define architectural design principles, typologies and performance benchmarks for each hotel tier, establishing consistent and validated design baselines across the portfolio
- Oversee consultant briefing and scope definition, validating architectural scope and specialist inputs to ensure alignment with development briefs, asset positioning, Operator requirements and governance approvals
- Oversee visualisation and design communication (including CGI strategy), ensuring concepts are clearly articulated and aligned with design narratives and stakeholder expectations
- Lead and govern architecture and specialist consultants, driving strategic approaches on appointment, scope and deliverables and overseeing performance, quality and creative alignment
- Provide functional governance to project-embedded design management teams, reviewing and endorsing architectural deliverables to ensure approved design intent is maintained through delivery
- Lead technical input to development briefs, shaping planning efficiency, gross-to-net ratios, spatial configuration and system integration for hospitality assets
- Drive integrated coordination across architecture, interiors, landscape and technical disciplines, resolving interfaces and ensuring cohesive design outcomes
- Lead structured review of design submissions across key milestones, providing clear feedback and endorsement to support design progression
- Provide creative and technical design oversight through design and construction, resolving interfaces and deviations to maintain design quality and intent
- Guide value engineering and design optimisation, balancing design intent, guest experience and asset performance
- Champion sustainability and climate-responsive design, embedding ESG and Vision 2030 priorities
- Mentor teams and drive continuous improvement of design processes, standards and best practices
Requirements
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Architecture or related discipline
Professional Certifications
- Professional membership or recognised certification preferred (e.g. RIBA, AIA, RICS or equivalent)
Years of Experience
- 15+ years’ experience in architectural design with a strong hospitality focus across luxury and mixed-tier projects
Skills & Attributes Required
- Strong architectural design literacy, judgement and technical review capability across all project stages
- Fluent understanding of hospitality planning (areas, efficiencies etc.) and building systems (structural, MEP integration etc.)
- Ability to manage consultants and influence design outcomes
- Commercial awareness of cost and programme impacts
- Strong stakeholder management skills, articulating design intent to secure alignment and drive decision-making
- Comfortable operating in fast-paced environments, managing ambiguity and shifting priorities
- Proficiency in design management and coordination tools (e.g. Revit, BIM, CDE platforms, Aconex, Autodesk Construction Cloud etc.)
Preferred Background & Experience
- Experience in a senior design leadership role (Design Director, Principal or similar) within a major architecture practice or developer environment
- Proven track record of managing architect and multi-disciplinary consultant environments across multiple projects
- Strong experience presenting architectural concepts to senior stakeholders and Operators
- Experience working with international hotel Operators and brand standards
- Experience in KSA / GCC or similar large-scale development environments preferred