Role summary
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 ensure operational excellence is embedded throughout the planning and design process. In this role, you will provide strategic leadership and direction for the operational planning and design development of all hotel operating areas related to the guest accommodation experience. Working from the earliest project stages, you will establish the operational vision, governance and decision-making framework required to translate operational requirements into efficient, guest-centric design solutions that optimize both the guest journey and hotel operations. Partnering with senior stakeholders across Development, Design, Operators and consultants, you will direct the planning of guest-facing and back-of-house operational areas, ensuring alignment with asset strategy, operator requirements, operational best practices and Hospitality BU standards. You will balance Qiddiya's design vision with hotel requirements, challenge traditional brand approaches and champion innovative, forward-looking solutions across the portfolio.
Responsibilities
- Lead and provide portfolio-level oversight of operational planning and design development for hotel operating areas related to guest accommodation experience from Strategy Brief through design development
- Develop operational concepts, planning principles and design criteria for all Rooms Division functions including arrival experience, driveway, porte cochère, parking, lobby planning, Front Office, Concierge, Bell Services, Guest Relations, Club Lounge, Housekeeping, Laundry and associated back-of-house support areas
- Provide executive-level review and challenge of design proposals to ensure support of operational efficiency, service delivery, guest experience and long-term asset performance
- Define and approve operational workflows, adjacencies and functional relationships between guest-facing and back-of-house areas
- Review Facility Schedules and space allocations to ensure operational functionality and efficient space utilization
- Coordinate with Design Management, Design Excellence, Food and Beverage, Wellness, Mechanical Electrical Plumbing and Development teams to ensure integrated operational planning across all hospitality assets
- Work collaboratively with hotel Operators to interpret brand standards and operational requirements, ensuring appropriate reflection in design while supporting Qiddiya's asset vision
- Lead operational input into design reviews throughout all project stages identifying operational risks, opportunities and improvements before design decisions are finalized
- Provide operational endorsement of mock-up rooms, operational layouts and back-of-house planning to validate operational functionality and guest experience
- Establish, maintain and govern Hospitality BU operational planning standards, frameworks and best practices across the hospitality portfolio
- Set portfolio-wide benchmarks against international hospitality best practices and emerging operational trends
- Drive continuous improvement of Hospitality BU operational planning processes, standards and governance
- Represent Operational Advisory in senior project governance forums including Project Control Groups and provide strategic operational advice
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management or a related field
- Twelve to fifteen or more years of experience in luxury hotel operations, operational planning, technical services, design development or pre-opening projects with significant leadership experience in Rooms Division or related hotel operations disciplines
- Strong leadership experience within Rooms Division or related hotel operations
- Extensive operational leadership experience within luxury or upper-upscale hotels
- Strong knowledge of hotel operations, guest journey planning and operational design
- Understanding of furniture, fixtures, equipment and operating supplies standards and their integration into hospitality design and operational planning
- Experience reviewing hotel layouts, guest journey planning and back-of-house operations
- Preferred experience in Saudi Arabia or the Gulf Cooperation Council region
Education
Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management or a related field
Experience
Twelve to fifteen or more years of experience in luxury hotel operations, operational planning, technical services, design development or pre-opening projects with significant leadership experience in Rooms Division or related hotel operations disciplines
Skills
- Strong leadership experience within Rooms Division or related hotel operations
- Extensive operational leadership experience within luxury or upper-upscale hotels
- Strong knowledge of hotel operations, guest journey planning and operational design
- Understanding of furniture, fixtures, equipment and operating supplies standards and their integration into hospitality design and operational planning
- Experience reviewing hotel layouts, guest journey planning and back-of-house operations