Director - Interior Design - Hospitality - 20013112 HS8

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 help deliver them to the highest standards of design quality, guest experience and commercial performance.In this role, you will 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.Key ResponsibilitiesLead the interior design definition of hotel concepts from development brief to approved design direction, curating distinctive, emotive and commercially viable environments aligned with Qiddiya, district and Operator visionsArticulate and position design proposals through compelling narratives, visuals and presentations to secure alignment and timely outcomes across governance and investment stagesDefine interior design principles, narratives, material strategies and signature elements for each hotel tier, establishing consistent and distinctive design baselines across the portfolioOversee consultant briefing and scope definition, validating interior design scope, specialist inputs and FF&E requirements to ensure alignment with design intent, Operator standards and governance approvalsOversee visualisation and design communication (including CGI strategy), ensuring concepts are clearly articulated and aligned with design narratives and stakeholder expectationsLead and govern interior design and specialist consultants, driving strategic approaches on appointment, scope and deliverables and overseeing performance, quality and creative alignmentProvide functional governance to project-embedded design management teams, reviewing and endorsing interior design deliverables to ensure approved design intent is maintained through deliveryLead structured review of design submissions across key milestones, providing clear feedback and endorsement to support design progressionLead technical input to development briefs and coordinate across disciplines, embedding experiential intent across layouts, guest journeys, FF&E and key touchpointsOversee FF&E strategies and specifications, ensuring commercial alignment, procurement integration and consistency with design intent and Operator requirementsLead mock-up and design validation processes, defining mock-up briefs, guiding inspections and ensuring quality through to design freezeProvide creative and technical design oversight through design and construction, resolving interfaces and deviations to maintain quality and design integrityGuide value engineering and design optimisation, balancing design intent with guest experience, cost, programme and operational requirementsChampion innovation in guest experience, materials and sensory design, embedding ESG and Vision 2030 prioritiesMentor teams and drive continuous improvement of design processes, standards and best practices across the portfolio QualificationsBachelor’s degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture or related discipline Professional Certifications Professional membership or recognised certification preferred (e.g. RIBA, NCIDQ, BIID or equivalent) Years of Experience15+ years’ experience in interior design, with strong hospitality focus and senior creative leadership experienceSkills & Attributes RequiredStrong interior design literacy, creative judgement and design review capability across all project stagesDeep understanding of creative and technical hospitality design, including guest experience, spatial planning, materials, lighting and FF&E specificationExceptional storytelling and visual communication, translating design narratives into compelling presentations and concept outputsAbility to manage design consultants and influence creative outcomesCommercial awareness of cost and programme impacts as well as FF&E budgets, procurement timelines and value engineering trade-offsStrong stakeholder management and creative leadership, articulating design intent to secure alignment and drive decision-makingProficiency in design and coordination tools (e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud, SketchUp, Revit, BIM, CDE platforms, Aconex, Autodesk Construction Cloud etc.)Preferred Background & ExperienceExperience in a senior creative leadership role (Design Director, Studio Director or equivalent) within a leading design practice or developer environmentProven track record delivering hospitality assets, including luxury and ultra luxury tiersExperience managing interior design consultants across multiple projectsExperience managing FF&E strategies, specification development and mock-up programmesStrong experience presenting design concepts and narratives to senior stakeholdersExperience working with international hotel Operators and brand standardsExperience in KSA / GCC or similar large-scale development environments preferred