COMPANY OVERVIEW
NEOM is an accelerator of human progress and a vision of what a new future might look like. A region in northwest Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea, NEOM is being built from the ground up to include hyperconnected, cognitive cities, ports, next-generation infrastructure and industries, enterprise zones, research centers, sports and entertainment venues and tourist destinations.
As a destination, it will be a home for people who dream big and want to be part of building a new model for exceptional livability, creating thriving businesses and reinventing environmental conservation.
As a workplace, it is a place for people who share our core values of care, curiosity, diversity, passion, respect, and becoming a catalyst for change.
Are you ready to help NEOM find solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges? Are you prepared to create a lasting legacy that benefits generations to come? Then we want to hear from you!
ROLE OVERVIEW
Responsible for driving long term development strategies, implementation and successful delivery across a portfolio of assets, ensuring the business optimizes value through best practice and innovation. Leads the sourcing, evaluating and executing of complex developments with particular emphasis on mixed use sectors such as luxury residential, hospitality, commercial, entertainment, F&B and retail. Provides leadership and management to the cluster development team as well as supporting the central DMO function as required. The role is key in scaling up the DM capability and its ability to operate within a highly dynamic and cutting-edge environment. The job holder will need to deliver the ambitions of the organization and be highly adaptable to drive the program at pace, forming an important part of a world class set-up and to help establish Trojena as an International destination.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES
- A highly experienced, strategically minded and results-driven practitioner, with an accomplished international background in complex high-end, mixed-use developments. The person should have a clear commitment to an integrated design philosophy and be capable of bringing together, in an innovative and efficient manner, a broad range of specialist contributors across business and disciplines.
- Lead and coordinate input as required from the following proponent team departments: Finance & Business Planning - Design Management - Hotels - Legal - PMO - Strategy & Investment Office - Estate/Asset Management - Marketing & Communications - Residential Sales & Commercial Leasing.
- Accountable for setting the development strategy, investment & business plan formulation, feasibility and value optimization, design development, requisite consents/permitting, stakeholder consultation, procurement, construction, and operational handover, i.e. overall delivery, phasing and coordination of assigned cluster assets to meet the required business performance objectives.
- Coordinate all design activities, project development and delivery activities, and asset management activities in accordance with the business case and investment analysis
- Assist the team with establishing and continuously refining product positioning for residential, hospitality, leisure & entertainment and carry this through the design activities, project development and delivery activities, and asset management activities and development strategy
- Work with the investment team to test and continuously validate market research, cost, and feasibility assumptions against the prevailing development strategy and any changes in market/business conditions.
- Maintain the project development schedule and align and coordinate with the feasibility, project phasing, and development strategy.
- Lead the development of the design briefs and scopes of work to ensure those packages meet the strategic intent and requirements as well as complying with relevant NEOM Standards and international best practice.
- Together with the team, develop the architectural, interior design, landscape, and engineering concept plans in accordance with the development strategy, product positioning, and business case.
- Carefully curate the design vision in accordance with the development strategy and create and execute best-in-class design strategies for a project with worldwide exposure and attention.
- Liaise with internal and third-party construction professionals and partners to execute the design and development strategy through the detailed design, tender, and construction phases in accordance with the project vision.
- Integrate sustainability strategies into the project in accordance with the investment case and development strategy, including LEED certification or equivalent.
- Coordinate plans between design disciplines and internal stakeholders with careful attention to detail
- Attend project and construction meetings, ensuring that project progress occurs in alignment with the development strategy and business case
- Liaise closely with senior management and stakeholders to successfully schedule and manage the effective and seamless transition of key functions and information flow through the design stage gateways, implementation and commissioning.
- Utilizing extensive business experience to ensure all business cases are reviewed by each functional head and endorsed before submitting for approval.
- Actively participate in the preparation and review of design briefs and scopes of work, from master planning to conceptual design to detailed design via close coordination with other departments.
- Ensures all governance and compliance aspects are understood and adhered to by the Cluster development team, act as a key contributor towards any changes and adaptions to “best in class” processes & procedures set by the company, establishes protocols across the cluster to enable a program of continuous learning.
- Act as the key internal and external point of contact for cluster specific formal communication.
- Oversees and drives the development vision and brief, procurement strategy and commercial management and contractual controls in knowledge, experience and skills
- Can demonstrate outward looking focus and track record of leading innovation projects in coordination with the appropriate business directors, development management and asset management teams
- Defining and setting up the individual management, resource and delivery plan for the allocated cluster.
- Ensuring a program level approach to the timing and coordination of the assets including delivery goals and milestones are being met and undertaking corrective actions as appropriate
- Manages direct reports, oversees the effective development management across the cluster, ensures capital budgeting, coordinated delivery and predictable development outcomes.
- Prepares and endorses consolidated and timely reporting requirements and clear go/no-go recommendations to the Head of Development Management and Regional Head, including expenditure, performance targets / milestones and all related governance activity, in line with specific development approvals and gateways.
- Contribute to annual strategy reviews and business plan updates to include compilation of relevant Founding Board presentations, exhibitions and reports
- Proactively manage business risk (incl H&S) and ensure that timely action is taken, including escalation, when required
- Apply the principles established through NEOMS values: Catalyst, Care, Curious, Passionate, Respect & Diversity
- In collaboration with key stakeholders ensure a consistent and proactive approach is adopted in respect of development controls, reporting and escalation protocols.
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
- 20+ years of progressively increasing responsibility in real estate development or allied activities, ideally in complex mixed-use projects, with a broad range of experience in design and development management, investment analysis, real estate market analysis, real estate product positioning, and construction.
- Possess a general working knowledge of the life cycle of the real estate development process, from project inception to asset management and operations
- Strong design experience is required, working with internationally recognized architects
- Have a passion for developing well-executed projects in a dynamic and creative environment
- Experience and understanding of working in a liberal and progressive equal opportunity team environment comprised of diverse individuals.
- Experience of high-level stakeholder facing needs.
- Able to manage and mentor teams across multiple assets.
- Ability to author reports, designs and communications for issue.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills, and the ability to develop and maintain mutually beneficial internal and external client and stakeholder relationships, frequently in highly sensitive environments.
- Ability to understand, probe and translate material produced by technical specialists for communication to clients.
- Knowledge of various 3rd party structures and operating agreements, HMAs, TSAs’, design contracts, project management as well as construction execution.
- Fluent in English, written and spoken. Spoken Arabic would be an advantage but is not essential
- Ability to work independently and proactively while simultaneously leading and managing a wide number of ongoing developments
