Design Interface Manager

Role Overview

We are looking for a seasoned Design Interface Manager to join our project team in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The ideal candidate will possess a robust architectural background along with substantial expertise in managing design interfaces among multidisciplinary teams including consultants, contractors, and diverse project stakeholders. This role involves ensuring effective cross-disciplinary communication, timely resolution of design conflicts, and alignment with project scope, schedule, and quality standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate design interface efforts among all project disciplines, external consultants, contractors, and relevant stakeholders.
• Implement and uphold a rigorous design interface management process throughout the project's lifecycle.
• Identify, monitor, and resolve design clashes, gaps, inconsistencies, and interface challenges arising between disciplines.
• Oversee coordination across architectural, structural, MEP, infrastructure, landscape, and specialized design requirements.
• Review design submissions to ensure seamless coordination and conformance with project requisites.
• Conduct routine design coordination meetings, ensuring clear documentation of action points and their follow-up.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation including the Design Interface Register, interface matrices, and action trackers.
• Collaborate closely with BIM and design teams to identify and resolve multidisciplinary coordination issues and conflicts.
• Track the progress of design interfaces, escalating critical or unresolved matters to senior project leadership.
• Ensure proper coordination of design interfaces prior to issuing drawings, specifications, and construction documents.
• Manage design modifications and evaluate their impacts on other disciplines, project schedule, cost, and constructability.
• Assist the design management team in assessing technical submissions, RFIs, design amendments, and consultant deliverables.
• Work with construction teams to identify site-related interface issues and help enable prompt technical solutions.
• Guarantee compliance with project standards, Saudi Building Code (SBC), local authority mandates, and approved procedures.
• Support timely project delivery by managing design interfaces in line with the approved project schedule.
• Prepare regular reports summarizing design interface status, key risks, challenges, and pending actions for management.
• Perform additional design management and interface duties as assigned by leadership.

Candidate Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture is required.
• At least 15 years of relevant experience in architecture, design management, interface management, or project coordination.
• Demonstrated experience working on large-scale, mixed-use development projects.
• Proven ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary consultants, contractors, and project teams.
• Prior work experience within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is mandatory or highly preferred.

Essential Skills

• Comprehensive understanding of multidisciplinary design coordination and interface management practices.
• Strong grasp of architectural design concepts and construction methodologies.
• Skilled at identifying and resolving conflicts in design coordination.
• Experienced with BIM technology and design coordination workflows.
• Proficient in reviewing and interpreting architectural, structural, MEP, infrastructure, and specialist engineering drawings.
• Knowledgeable about design management procedures including document control and review processes.
• Excellent communication, coordination, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to document and report effectively.
• Capable of managing multiple interfaces, priorities, and deadlines in a dynamic project environment.

Preferred Attributes

• Expertise in design interface management and multidisciplinary coordination.
• Proficiency in architectural design management and stakeholder relationship management.
• Demonstrated problem-solving ability and risk/issue management skills.
• Strong leadership and team coordination qualities.
• Attention to detail and proficiency in time and program management.
• Experience working in Saudi Arabia’s regulatory and business environment.