Director - Operational Advisory - Hospitality

About the Role

At Qiddiya Investment Company, we are creating a landmark destination that transforms entertainment, culture, and hospitality within the Kingdom. The Hospitality Business Unit is cultivating a collection of hotel assets pivotal to this vision. As these assets evolve, experienced professionals are sought to guarantee operational excellence is integral throughout planning and design stages.

This position involves offering strategic leadership and direction for the operation planning and design development of all hotel functions tied to the guest accommodation experience. Engaging from early project phases, you will define the operational vision, governance, and decision-making framework necessary to translate operational needs into streamlined, guest-focused design solutions optimizing the guest journey and hotel functionality. Collaborating closely with senior stakeholders from Development, Design, Operators, and consultants, you will oversee the planning of front-of-house and back-of-house operational spaces, ensuring alignment with asset strategies, operator specifications, operational best practices, and Hospitality Business Unit standards. You will balance Qiddiya's design aspirations with hotel demands, challenge conventional brand protocols, and advocate innovative, forward-thinking approaches across the portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Provide overarching strategic leadership for operational planning and design development concerning guest accommodation, from initial strategy brief through to design enhancements.
• Define and approve operational concepts, guiding principles, and design standards for all Rooms Division components, including arrival areas, drives, porte cochère, parking, lobby layouts, Front Office, Concierge, Bell Services, Guest Relations, Club Lounge, Housekeeping, Laundry, and associated back-of-house support zones.
• Conduct senior-level reviews to critically assess design proposals to guarantee they support operational efficiency, service excellence, guest satisfaction, and long-term asset performance.
• Direct and sanction operational workflows, spatial adjacencies, and functional interactions between guest-facing and back-of-house facilities.
• Supervise and approve Facility Schedules and space distributions to ensure operational effectiveness and optimal space use.
• Foster senior alignment across Design Management, Design Excellence, Food & Beverage, Wellness, MEP, and Development teams to assure consolidated operational planning throughout hospitality assets.
• Lead strategic collaborations with hotel Operators to interpret and critically evaluate brand standards and operational needs, ensuring these are properly represented in designs aligned with Qiddiya's asset vision.
• Chair or lead operational design discussions at every project phase, addressing significant operational risks, promoting opportunities, and confirming integration of improvements prior to finalizing design decisions.
• Deliver final operational approvals of mock-up guest rooms, layouts, and back-of-house arrangements to verify effectiveness and enhance the guest experience.
• Own and manage the creation of operational planning standards, design guidelines, and best practices across the Hospitality Business Unit.
• Establish portfolio-wide benchmarks referencing international hospitality best practices and nascent operational trends.
• Drive ongoing enhancements in the Hospitality Business Unit's operational planning methods, standards, and governance structures.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management or closely related discipline is mandatory.
• A minimum of 15 years' expertise in luxury hotel operations, operational planning, design development, technical services, or hotel pre-opening initiatives.
• Solid leadership background within Rooms Division or similar hotel operational divisions.
• Deep senior-level operational leadership experience in luxury or upper-upscale hotel environments.
• Comprehensive knowledge of hotel operational practices, guest journey mapping, and operational design principles.
• Strong abilities in stakeholder engagement, communication, and problem-solving.
• Experience working within Saudi Arabia or the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region is preferred.

Application Deadline

Applications for this role close on 7th September 2026.