Executive Director - Design Management

Job description

**About the Role** Aldar is seeking an Executive Director – Design Management to lead and govern the Design Management function across three product verticals: Upper & Luxury Residential; Commercial, Retail & Hospitality; and National Housing, Education & Civic. You will own the translation of commercial development briefs into high-quality, market-differentiated design outcomes, balancing design ambition with commercial and programme constraints, and build a world-class in-house design management capability serving D-Sell, D-Hold and Government clients. **Key Responsibilities** Design Leadership & Strategy - Establish the design vision, standards and governance frameworks across all three Design Management verticals and Aldar's full asset portfolio. - Direct the design response to commercial briefs, ensuring proposals meet target customer, price point, unit mix, key features, timeline and budget requirements. - Define design standards, material palettes and innovation opportunities for each product typology. - Chair design quality reviews at every stage gate, with authority to approve or escalate to the GDS Committee. Client & Stakeholder Engagement - Act as the primary executive interface between GDS Design Management and the three client groups, maintaining strong relationships with CDOs and Development Management Directors. - Present design recommendations and stage-gate outcomes to the GDS Committee, GCEO and BU CEO. - Manage escalations where Design Management and Development Management cannot agree on brief alignment. Design Consistency & Innovation - Drive design consistency within each typology while fostering innovation with Design Innovation and Interior Design teams. - Establish shared design knowledge frameworks and cross-vertical synergies. - Oversee integration of AI-assisted design tools and modular design thinking across teams. People & Capability - Lead, develop and retain a high-performing multi-disciplinary design management team across all verticals. - Define performance goals, succession plans and capability roadmaps aligned to GDS strategy. - Identify capability gaps and drive attraction of top-tier design talent. **Required Qualifications and Experience** - Minimum 16 years' experience in architectural design management or urban development, including at least 6 years in a senior executive leadership role. - Minimum 6 years managing large, multi-disciplinary design teams at senior manager level or above. - Proven experience leading design across multiple asset classes (residential, commercial, hospitality, civic) in the GCC or comparable markets. - Master's degree in architecture, Urban Design or a related discipline. **Preferred Qualifications** - Professional registration (RIBA, AIA or equivalent). - LEED AP or equivalent sustainability credential. **Skills** - Design management across residential, commercial, hospitality and civic typologies. - Ability to read and respond to commercial development briefs with financially grounded design proposals. - Executive communication and presentation skills at C-suite and board level. - Proficiency in BIM, design management platforms and AI-assisted design and review tools. - Stakeholder management and conflict resolution across multiple client groups.