Director of Cost Planning – Hospitality

About the role

The Director of Cost Planning for Hospitality leads a consistent cost planning approach across the hospitality portfolio, ensuring budgets drive design decisions and cost‑value balance is maintained throughout project lifecycles. This senior position requires deep expertise in Middle‑East hospitality development and the ability to translate complex technical issues into clear guidance for non‑technical stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Provide early pre‑concept cost advice and ensure budgets influence design intent.
• Collaborate with Cost Consultants to prepare, review, and align cost plans at all project stages.
• Lead procurement, briefing, and performance management of external cost consultants.
• Ensure compliance with QIC Cost Planning Guidelines, CBS, and Stage Gate requirements.
• Represent Cost Planning in internal and external meetings, maintaining alignment on cost positions.
• Develop and maintain hospitality benchmarks and contribute to the HBU Benchmarking Database.
• Validate feasibility inputs, test development scenarios, and monitor market trends and pricing intelligence.
• Mentor senior managers, establish KPIs, and promote consistent ways of working across the Cost Planning team.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management or a related discipline.
• Professional accreditation such as RICS or AIQS preferred.
• Minimum 11 years of experience in cost planning or quantity surveying on large‑scale construction projects (value above SAR 500‑1000 m).
• Extensive experience delivering villas, townhouses, and low‑rise hospitality projects in the GCC.

Required skills

• Cost planning
• Quantity surveying
• Benchmarking
• Feasibility analysis
• NRM (New Rules of Measurement)
• IPM (International Project Management)