Chief Information Officer (CIO) – Saudi Real Estate Developer

About the role

The client, one of Saudi Arabia's largest real estate developers, is seeking a Saudi national to serve as Chief Information Officer. The CIO will define and execute the overall IT strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals and regulatory frameworks.

Key responsibilities

• Define and implement a multi‑year IT roadmap aligned with the SAMA IT Governance Framework.
• Establish and enforce IT governance, architecture principles, policies and standards across the enterprise.
• Own cloud and on‑premise infrastructure, guaranteeing data residency in the Kingdom and compliance with PDPL, CITC and SAMA cloud requirements.
• Ensure 24/7 availability, performance and capacity of customer‑facing mobile apps and back‑office systems.
• Run IT operations and service management to ITIL‑aligned SLAs, covering incident, change, problem and configuration management.
• Manage critical integrations with SIMAH, Nafath/Absher, SADAD, mada, payment gateways and SAMA regulatory reporting.
• Enable API and Open Banking capabilities under the SAMA Open Banking Framework.
• Implement controls for the SAMA Cyber Security Framework, NCA Essential Cybersecurity Controls and Cloud Cybersecurity Controls.
• Oversee identity and access management, vulnerability management, security monitoring and incident response.
• Ensure compliance with finance‑company regulations, PDPL and outsourcing rules, and lead business continuity and disaster‑recovery planning.
• Manage technology vendors and outsourcing arrangements in line with SAMA outsourcing rules.
• Establish data governance, quality, classification and lifecycle management consistent with PDPL.

Required profile

• Saudi national with extensive senior IT leadership experience.
• Proven ability to develop and execute enterprise‑wide IT strategies.
• Deep knowledge of Saudi regulatory frameworks (SAMA, NCA, PDPL, CITC).
• Strong track record in managing large‑scale cloud and on‑premise infrastructures.
• Experience overseeing complex integrations and Open Banking initiatives.

Required skills

• ITIL service management
• SAMA IT Governance Framework
• Cloud infrastructure (public and private)
• On‑premise data centre operations
• API development and Open Banking
• Cybersecurity frameworks (SAMA, NCA ECC, CCC)
• Identity and Access Management (IAM)
• Vulnerability Management
• Data Governance and analytics enablement