Role: Landscape Design Director
Reporting to: Managing Director
Location: Global (Focusing on UAE & KSA)
Executive Summary
We are seeking an exceptionally creative and seasoned Landscape Design Director to spearhead our global design function. This is a pivotal leadership role designed for a visionary who has spent at least five years at the Director level within an international consultancy. You will be responsible for defining the creative DNA of our projects, leading a world-class multidisciplinary team, and aggressively expanding our footprint across the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The successful candidate will blend "blue-sky" thinking with the commercial acumen required to prequalify the firm with major regional clients and giga-projects.
Key Responsibilities
- Leadership & Strategic Vision
- Global Direction: Set the overarching creative and technical direction for the global landscape function across multiple offices.
- Team Mentorship: Build, inspire, and mentor a multidisciplinary team of Landscape Architects and Designers, fostering a culture of innovation and design excellence.
- Market Growth: Partner with the Managing Director to drive business strategy, positioning the company as the premier choice for landscape design in the Middle East.
- Design Excellence & Oversight
- Conceptual Mastery: Provide strong conceptual direction for large-scale, complex projects, ensuring they meet international standards of innovation and aesthetics.
- Sustainability & Innovation: Integrate future-ready design solutions, with a deep focus on sustainability and environmental resilience tailored to arid climates.
- Quality Control: Oversee the design process from inception to delivery, ensuring technical integrity and multidisciplinary integration.
- Business Development & Client Relations
- Client Liaison: Act as the primary point of contact for key clients, building high-trust relationships with government entities and private developers in the UAE and KSA.
- Prequalification: Lead the effort to prequalify the company with major regional clients (e.g., PIF, NEOM, Red Sea Global, etc.).
- Commercial Acumen: Balance high-level creativity with commercial reality, ensuring projects are delivered profitably and within scope.
Requirements & Qualifications
- Experience: 15-20 years of professional landscape design experience, with a minimum of 5 years held at the Director level within an international practice.
- Education & Accreditation: A degree in Landscape Architecture and professional registration (e.g., CMLI, ASLA, AILA, or equivalent).
- Regional Expertise: A proven track record of delivering iconic, large-scale projects within the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
- Portfolio: A robust portfolio demonstrating design excellence, aesthetic sensibility, and the ability to integrate landscape with complex engineering requirements.
- Leadership Style: A visionary leader with a "global outlook" and the cultural sensitivity required to manage diverse teams and navigate Middle Eastern business landscapes.
Core Competencies
- Entrepreneurial Mindset: The ability to see a project not just as a design, but as a business opportunity.
- Communication: Exceptional storytelling and presentation skills to win over stakeholders and major developers.
- Adaptability: Comfortable navigating the fast-paced, evolving regulatory and design environment of KSA's Vision 2030.
