Director - Development

Role overview

Development and planning

• Extract development parameters from strategy briefs, local laws, environmental constraints, and future area needs.
• Prepare development briefs, stage-gate presentations, and governance approval papers; coordinate internal consensus.
• Evaluate land-use proposals and proposed changes to district plans; assess impacts and manage framework-plan updates.
• Review infrastructure, network, and public-realm proposals for capacity, location, constructability, sequencing, and program.
• Contribute to procurement packaging, budget estimates, project programs, agreements, design reviews, and risk mitigation.
• Support project teams, monitor progress, budgets, and risks, resolve disputes, and propose measures to reduce delays.
• Manage permits, approval processes, interface records, consultant instructions, scopes of work, dashboards, and reporting.
• Advocate for approved plans and processes; promote safety, quality, innovation, and value management.

Stakeholder coordination

• Coordinate with developers, architects, engineers, government agencies, utilities, community stakeholders, and investors.
• Align city-level strategies with district designs and coordinate regulatory approvals with development programs.
• Arrange management visits, meetings, and site inspections.

Education and experience

• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least 15 years of relevant development-project experience.
• Proven experience securing permits for complex, large-scale developments.
• At least 5–10 years in land-use planning, permitting and compliance, development approvals, master planning, and/or land development, including at least 3 years on large-scale projects.
• Infrastructure theming and façade installation experience is desirable; In-Kingdom supplier and contractor relationships are desirable.
• Private-sector development experience is highly desirable.

Technical and professional skills

• Strong understanding of master planning, end-to-end land development, stakeholder management, and process management.
• Strong knowledge of zoning laws, entitlement processes, and regulatory frameworks, ideally within the GCC.
• Familiarity with GIS tools, CAD software, and environmental impact analysis is desirable.
• Requires leadership, analytical, problem-solving, negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills, plus the ability to influence decision-makers through presentations.