Executive Director - Design Management

United Arab Emirates·Abu DhabiExperienced hiresexecutive

OtherExecutive Director

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Overview

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,

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OtherExecutive Director

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.