Role summary
Lead the creative interior design agenda for the hospitality portfolio, defining narratives, signature elements and material strategies across all asset tiers to unlock distinctive, innovative and commercially effective designs that define each asset's identity, and ensure this is carried through concept, mock-up and design freeze.
Responsibilities
- Lead interior design definition of hotel concepts from development brief to approved design direction
- Curate distinctive, emotive and commercially viable environments aligned with Qiddiya, district and Operator visions
- Articulate and position design proposals through compelling narratives, visuals and presentations to secure alignment and timely outcomes across governance and investment stages
- Define interior design principles, narratives, material strategies and signature elements for each hotel tier
- Oversee consultant briefing and scope definition, validating interior design scope, specialist inputs and FF&E requirements
- Oversee visualisation and design communication, including CGI strategy, ensuring concepts are clearly articulated and aligned with design narratives and stakeholder expectations
- Lead and govern interior design and specialist consultants, driving strategic approaches on appointment, scope and deliverables
- Provide functional governance to project-embedded design management teams, reviewing and endorsing interior design deliverables
- Conduct structured review of design submissions across key milestones, providing clear feedback and endorsement
- Provide technical input to development briefs and coordinate across disciplines, embedding experiential intent across layouts, guest journeys, FF&E and key touchpoints
- Oversee FF&E strategies and specifications, ensuring commercial alignment, procurement integration and consistency with design intent and Operator requirements
- Lead mock-up and design validation processes, defining mock-up briefs, guiding inspections and ensuring quality through to design freeze
- Provide creative and technical design oversight through design and construction, resolving interfaces and deviations to maintain quality and design integrity
- Guide value engineering and design optimisation, balancing design intent with guest experience, cost, programme and operational requirements
- Champion innovation in guest experience, materials and sensory design, embedding ESG and Vision 2030 priorities
- Mentor teams and drive continuous improvement of design processes, standards and best practices across the portfolio
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture or related discipline
- Professional membership or recognised certification preferred (e.g. RIBA, NCIDQ, BIID or equivalent)
Requirements
- Strong interior design literacy, creative judgement and design review capability across all project stages
- Deep understanding of creative and technical hospitality design, including guest experience, spatial planning, materials, lighting and FF&E specification
- Exceptional storytelling and visual communication, translating design narratives into compelling presentations and concept outputs
- Ability to manage design consultants and influence creative outcomes
- Commercial awareness of cost and programme impacts as well as FF&E budgets, procurement timelines and value engineering trade-offs
- Strong stakeholder management and creative leadership, articulating design intent to secure alignment and drive decision-making
- Proficiency in design and coordination tools (e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud, SketchUp, Revit, BIM, CDE platforms, Aconex, Autodesk Construction Cloud)
Education
Bachelor's degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture or related discipline
Experience
15+ years' experience in interior design with strong hospitality focus and senior creative leadership experience
Skills
- Strong interior design literacy and creative judgement
- Design review capability across all project stages
- Creative and technical hospitality design understanding
- Guest experience, spatial planning, materials and lighting knowledge
- FF&E specification expertise
- Storytelling and visual communication
- Design consultant management
- Commercial awareness of cost and programme impacts
- FF&E budgets and procurement timeline understanding
- Value engineering trade-off management
- Stakeholder management and creative leadership
- Design and coordination tool proficiency (Adobe Creative Cloud, SketchUp, Revit, BIM, CDE platforms, Aconex, Autodesk Construction Cloud)
- Senior creative leadership role experience (Design Director, Studio Director or equivalent)
- Hospitality asset delivery track record
- Luxury and ultra luxury tier experience
- FF&E strategy management
- Mock-up programme management
- Design concept and narrative presentation to senior stakeholders
- International hotel Operator and brand standards experience
- KSA/GCC large-scale development environment experience
Education · Experience · Type
Bachelor'sRequires 15+ yearsSalary not stated