Director - Stations

Position status: This opportunity is for a role that is due to commence in January subject to approval. If you would like to be considered as we progress with this position, please click to apply. The project: This is an opportunity to work on one of the largest programmes in Saudi Arabia. This unique project consists of major mixed-use development including sports facilities, entertainment and arts along with all associated infrastructure. Mace is one of the delivery partners requiring high-calibre and experienced professionals to lead integrated teams throughout each phase of the project. As the Director of Stations, you will provide the architectural, engineering, and technical leadership required to design and deliver a network of stations for a fully automated, Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) driverless rail transit system. Operating client-side within a fast-paced, developer-led environment, you will hold ultimate accountability for station technical integrity, passenger experience, and complex physical integration. You will lead stations from initial concept and functional architecture through detailed design, systems coordination, and construction readiness. This high-profile mandate requires managing international design consultants, enforcing rigorous internal technical governance, and negotiating structural, spatial, and MEP interfaces directly with adjacent real estate developers to safeguard the transit network's long-term performance. You’ll be responsible for: · Passenger Flow & Layouts: Own the functional design of all stations. Ensure optimal platform screen door (PSD) integration, vertical transportation capacity, emergency egress compliance, and fluid passenger circulation tailored for high-capacity driverless environments. · MEP & Systems Integration: Lead the complex coordination between station architecture, structural engineering, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems—including specialized tunnel ventilation, smoke extraction, and environmental control systems. - Transit Design: Ensure station facilities seamlessly embed critical transit sub-systems (communications, SCADA, security, signaling rooms) while maintaining design aesthetics and operational flexibility. · Design Oversight: Direct, evaluate, and hold accountable Tier 1 international architectural firms, engineering consultants, and Project Management Officers (PMOs). Drive design reviews to maintain quality, schedule, and budgetary boundaries. · Internal Governance: Establish and execute technical assurance gateways, safety-by-design protocols, and configuration control management. Ensure station designs pass strict internal stage gates and fully comply with global safety, RAMS, and local civil defense standards. - Value Engineering: Champion rigorous value engineering workshops to optimize spatial footprints, constructability, and lifecycle maintenance costs without compromising safety or passenger experience. · Real Estate Alignment: Serve as the primary technical interface for internal and external development teams. Coordinate station physical footprints, structural loads, and utility connections where stations integrate with or sit adjacent to mixed-use developments. · Commercial Boundary Management: Navigate a developer-led environment by protecting the rail asset's operational and structural rights-of-way, managing complex boundary matrices, and aligning station delivery schedules with surrounding master-planned phases. - Conflict Resolution: Proactively resolve high-stakes design conflicts between developer real estate ambitions and strict rail transit requirements, ensuring a win-win integration that enhances urban connectivity. You’ll need to have: - Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related discipline. Professional chartership (e.g., RIBA, AIA, CEng, or equivalent) is highly advantageous. - Recognised professional membership and Chartered Engineer status, or an equivalent internationally recognised professional registration. - 20 years’ relevant experience across land transport design, construction and/or operations and maintenance programmes, including at least five years in a senior leadership role within a major-project environment. - Middle East experience is advantageous. - Deep technical understanding of modern transit station design, including functional space planning, MEP systems coordination, platform screen screen integration, and specialized life-safety systems. Experience with automated/driverless (GoA4) lines is highly valued. - Proven track record of successfully delivering stations embedded within complex, multi-stakeholder real estate master plans, giga-projects, or air-rights developments. - Exceptional capability in directing, evaluating, and challenging Tier 1 international engineering and architectural consultants. - Experience managing construction, materials selection, and regulatory approvals (such as Civil Defense) within the un

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or related discipline. Professional chartership (e.g., RIBA, AIA, CEng, or equivalent) is highly advantageous. Recognised professional membership and Chartered Engineer status, or an equivalent internationally recognised professional registration. 20 years’ relevant experience across land transport design, construction and/or operations and maintenance programmes, including at least five years in a senior leadership role within a major-project environment. Middle East experience is advantageous. Deep technical understanding of modern transit station design, including functional space planning, MEP systems coordination, platform screen screen integration, and specialized life-safety systems. Experience with automated/driverless (GoA4) lines is highly valued. Proven track record of successfully delivering stations embedded within complex, multi-stakeholder real estate master plans, giga-projects, or air-rights developments. Exceptional capability in directing, evaluating, and challenging Tier 1 international engineering and architectural consultants. Experience managing construction, materials selection, and regulatory approvals (such as Civil Defense) within the un

Lead stations from initial concept and functional architecture through detailed design, systems coordination, and construction readiness. Manage international design consultants, enforce rigorous internal technical governance, and negotiate interfaces with adjacent real estate developers to safeguard network performance. Ensure passenger flow and layouts, PSD integration, vertical transportation capacity, emergency egress compliance, and fluid passenger circulation for high-capacity driverless environments. Coordinate MEP systems integration, including tunnel ventilation, smoke extraction, and environmental control systems. Oversee transit design to embed communications, SCADA, security, and signaling rooms while maintaining aesthetics and flexibility. Direct design reviews, governance, and stage-gate compliance; maintain safety-by-design protocols and RAMS standards. Champion value engineering to optimise space, constructability, and lifecycle costs without compromising safety or passenger experience. Serve as primary technical interface for internal/external development teams; coordinate station footprints, structural loads, and utility connections with adjacent developments. Navigate commercial boundaries and align delivery with master plans; proactively resolve design conflicts between real estate ambitions and rail requirements.