Development Manager

Job description / Role

Role overview

The Development Manager will play a pivotal role in shaping Qiddiya’s world-class football training centres. Working within a multidisciplinary team, the role helps drive front-end development from pre-concept stages through detailed design and delivery, ensuring every detail reflects Qiddiya’s ambition for design excellence, technical performance, and operational functionality. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to best in class facilities that will inspire athletes, elevate communities, and set new benchmarks for sporting infrastructure.

Key responsibilities

Development leadership
Assist with the development of the football training centres, from pre-concept through schematic design, tender, delivery and completion.
Manage project scope, budgets, schedules, and key performance indicators.
Coordinate with Qiddiya’s internal stakeholders and delivery teams to ensure integration and implementation.
Coordinate and manage internal and external reporting and governance, ensuring compliance with program, policies and alignment with Qiddiya’s stakeholders.

Design & technical management
Manage architects, engineers, cost consultants and specialist designers through concept, schematic, and detailed design phases.
Oversee the design process, ensuring alignment with Qiddiya’s stakeholders, standards, and operational requirements.
Review and approve design deliverables to ensure technical compliance, cost efficiency, and constructability.

Stakeholder & interface management
Ensure coordination with infrastructure, utilities, sustainability, and mobility teams during design and early delivery planning.
Support stakeholder approvals, permitting, and regulatory submissions.

Commercial & risk management
Support procurement workflows to align with company standards.
Identify and mitigate project risks during development.
Assist with value engineering and design optimization to achieve cost and schedule targets without compromising quality.

Key competencies

• Strategic project planning & execution
• Cross-functional coordination & leadership
• Contract and consultant management
• Design review & technical oversight
• Stakeholder engagement & approvals
• Governance and presentations

Requirements

Qualifications & experience

• Bachelor’s degree in real estate development, architecture, engineering, or construction management
• At least 7 years of experience in real estate development, ideally sports-related development is highly desirable
• Comprehensive understanding of the full development lifecycle from concept through design, procurement, and governance
• Proven ability to coordinate multidisciplinary interfaces and support the leadership of design and consultant teams
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder engagement, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams
• Fluency in English; Arabic is advantageous