Director - Design Governance 20004812

The Director - Design Governance is a senior member of the vertical sitting within the Design Excellence (DEx) department within CDU. Design Governance are responsible for implementing and maintaining design governance frameworks that ensure consistency, quality, and compliance across all Qiddiya (QIC) projects.The role requires an international professional with considerable design expertise in a broad range of building typologies and urban design. The successful candidate will lead an agile, high‑powered team, providing input to and communication with the Development and Projects teams, corporate functions, partners and stakeholders as required, to achieve excellence in design and the Qiddiya corporate objectives and vision.Design Governance vertical of DEx acts as a custodian of design principles, ensuring alignment of the designs with QIC objectives and unique identity. The director will have to lead the collaboration efforts with cross‑functional teams and their counterparts in various Business Units as well as manage the internal team in their efforts to monitor and ensure adherence to the established governance processes.Director of Design Governance will also drive continuous improvement of the Department and established design practices by strong collaboration with members of the DEx Senior Management Team.ResponsibilitiesLead the development and implementation of Qiddiya‑wide processes for reviewing and monitoring projects' adherence to Board‑approved CGIs and imagery, including concept and interior designsChampion the creation of a centralized repository of dated Board‑approved CGIs for reference and compliance tracking. Develop processes to ensure it is regularly updated and maintainedProactively participate in weekly departmental senior management meetings ensuring the relevant parts of the agenda are implemented and resourced with subject matter expertise responsibilitiesDrive collaboration with design, project management, and other governance teams targeted at embedding design standards and resolution of compliance issuesSupervise preparation and approval of reports on compliance status, Design Governance audit findings, and recommendations for continuous improvement in design governance proceduresEstablish and manage workflows for Design Governance proceduresCoordinate with Design Excellence (DEx) teams across business units to identify discrepancies and enforce corrective actionsProvide input to the development and implementation of the corporate programmes, continuous improvement and lessons learnedProvide quality control reviews and coordinate feedback and comments ensuring the information aligns with all activitiesDevelop culture of growth by mentoring and guiding team members in project coordination, document preparation and analytical tasksQualificationsMaster's degree in architecture, interior design, urban design, project management or another related design field – if supported by relevant working experience.Professional CertificationsHolistic experience within the full lifecycle of the project allowing for identification of opportunities for improvement and developing new processesDemonstrates real‑world problem‑solving skills with innovative and lateral thinking, identifying and resolving risks through effective managementKnowledge of existing KSA regulatory environment, relevant governing agencies and codes applicable to various design typologiesPrevious experience in tracking the progress of projects and adherence of the design to established vision and KPIs as well as its compliance with established delivery quality targetsFamiliarity with design management procedures, manuals and guidelines obtained while working with other giga‑projects in the regionExcellence driven and constantly seeking to streamline processes and procedures to increase quality and efficiencyExceptional organizational, analytical, time‑management and communication skillsProficient in MS Office suite with advanced Excel skillsConfident in stakeholder engagement at all organizational levelsFluent in English; Arabic proficiency is an advantageAccomplished leadership and technical experienceProactive, self‑driven, and solution‑orientedPrevious background in creating a culture of empowerment and where others share knowledge, insights and learningStrong interpersonal skills and ability to lead in complex and matrixed organizationsComfortable working under pressure and managing multiple deadlinesProfessionally registered with an internationally recognised professional body or authority relevant to their disciplineYears Of Experience18+ years of relevant experience in project coordination and governance, preferably within large‑scale projects and/or multidisciplinary environmentsExperience in the Middle East is essentialPrevious experience of working on client side within real‑estate sector is a distinct advantageBenefitsComprehensive benefits package.Applications closing on 5th March 2026#J-18808-Ljbffr