Executive Director - Asian Games Planning and Coordination (REQ1370)

Role overview

Strategy, leadership and delivery

• Set the Sports SBU's major-events strategy, objectives, priorities, and measures of success.
• Build the department, organizational structure, resourcing plan, and high-performing team.
• Oversee event engagement, governance, integrated planning, reporting, readiness, and resolution of interdependencies.
• Oversee venues, infrastructure, facilities, budgets, forecasts, and resources against event requirements and timelines.
• Report strategy implementation, relationships, event readiness, risks, opportunities, and recommendations to senior management and the Board.
• Promote a legacy-focused approach incorporating community benefit, fan experience, and long-term destination value.

Stakeholders and coordination

• Represent Qiddiya with international sports federations, organizing committees, government entities, rights holders, and strategic partners.
• Build trusted executive relationships and oversee stakeholder mapping and coordinated communications.
• Align internal teams and Strategic Business Units; translate external host obligations into internal priorities and actions.

Candidate requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Real Estate Development, or Events.
• 15+ years of senior leadership experience in major sporting events, sports governance, government relations, diplomacy, or large-scale stakeholder management.
• Involvement in bidding, planning, or delivering multi-sport or mega-events such as the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, or equivalent.
• Executive-level organizational strategy experience and experience building or scaling teams or business units.
• Strong knowledge of Saudi Vision 2030 and experience leading cross-functional programs and major-event or venue readiness.
• Credibility with international sports federations, governing bodies, governments, and senior industry leaders.
• Strong diplomacy, negotiation, representation, leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Understanding of host city agreements, event governance, commercial rights, and legacy planning; ability to work in sensitive, changing environments.