Chief Development Officer – Real Estate Development

About the role

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will lead the real estate development portfolio of a fast‑growing mixed‑use developer in Saudi Arabia. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CDO translates strategic objectives into commercially viable programmes and ensures delivery to the highest standards of quality, profitability and compliance.

Key responsibilities

• Define and execute the group’s real estate development strategy aligned with corporate growth plans.
• Oversee the full development lifecycle – feasibility, land acquisition, design, planning, financing, construction, sales, leasing and handover.
• Take overall responsibility for commercial, operational and technical performance of development projects.
• Identify and evaluate new development, investment and acquisition opportunities in the Saudi market.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of projects, strategic partnerships and investors.
• Convert CEO strategic direction into clear execution plans, milestones and measurable deliverables.
• Provide regular reporting to the CEO and Board on progress, financial performance, risks and KPIs.
• Establish operating frameworks, governance structures and performance metrics for the development function.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams across development, construction, finance, legal, sales, marketing and procurement.

Required profile

• Minimum 10 years of experience in real estate development, preferably in mixed‑use projects.
• Proven executive leadership experience reporting to C‑suite stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver large‑scale projects on time and within budget.

Required skills

• Risk management
• Real Estate Development
• Project management
• Stakeholder Management
• Financial management
• Construction
• Commercial negotiations
• Investment