Director Design Planning & Services

About the role

The Director of Design Planning & Services will act as the central backbone of Aldar’s Group Design Studio, linking master planning, infrastructure, architecture, interior design and innovation. Reporting to the Group Chief Design Officer, the role is responsible for establishing governance, programme and performance frameworks that enable coordinated, high‑quality design delivery across a multi‑project portfolio.

Key responsibilities

• Define and implement end‑to‑end design frameworks, standards and decision pathways across all design disciplines.
• Lead design programme planning, resource orchestration and milestone governance, managing inter‑dependencies between planning, infrastructure, buildings and interiors.
• Develop and oversee an integrated design procurement strategy, coordinating consultant scopes, performance expectations and commercial compliance.
• Own the studio’s data and systems architecture, providing visibility of progress, risks and resources, and embed AI‑enabled tools for scenario planning and risk detection.
• Deliver portfolio insights to senior governance committees and drive operational support, setting team objectives and building capability for scalable delivery.

Required profile

• At least 168 months (14 years) of experience in design planning, design management or related multidisciplinary design environments.
• Proven ability to lead large, cross‑functional design teams and manage complex consultant ecosystems.

Required skills

• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Excel
• Project and portfolio management platforms
• AI‑enabled workflow optimisation