Director of Development

JOB PURPOSE The Director – Development is a senior executive responsible for the front-end planning, business planning and delivery of high-value real estate projects. As Business Case Owner for assigned assets, the role bridges strategy and execution—ensuring developments are financially viable, contextually relevant and operationally successful. The Director owns new business plans (with financial models prepared by the Investment Manager), operates the stage-gate governance framework through which every development is approved and controlled, and steers projects from concept to handover. KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Strategic & Front-End Development • Lead front-end development—site evaluation, concept, market testing, highest-and-best-use analysis and scenario modelling—across residential, hospitality, commercial and mixed-use components. • Drive masterplan programming and commercial deal structuring with anchor tenants, operators and JV partners. • Review and provide development input to sub-developer proposals (use mix, GFA / FAR compliance with development controls, phasing, utility demands, masterplan fit) and support term sheet and development agreement negotiations. Business Planning & Business Case Ownership • Own and lead new business plans—concept, product mix, area schedules, cost, programme, phasing, procurement route and risk; brief and direct the Investment Manager, who prepares the financial model, validate its outputs, and present recommendations to the Investment Committee and Board. • Act as Business Case and P&L Owner for assigned assets, including the LC Hotel (under construction) and the residential villas and apartments (planned), accountable for approved scope, cost, programme, quality and returns. • Residential: own product mix, specification, pricing and absorption (with Sales), cost, phasing, cash flow and margin from concept through launch and delivery. • Maintain a live business case for each asset, report variances against the approved baseline, and trigger re-approval where tolerances are breached. Stage-Gate Governance • Establish and embed a stage-gate framework from opportunity through concept, feasibility, design, investment decision, procurement, construction, handover and post-completion review. • Define gate deliverables, go / hold / recycle / stop criteria and approval authorities in line with the Delegation of Authority; ensure no project advances or commits spend without gate approval. • Lead gate reviews, maintain the governance register, report to the CDO, Investment Committee and Board, and feed lessons learned into future business plans. Execution Oversight & Handover • Work with project management, design and construction teams to protect design intent, budget and programme; manage change control within business case and gate tolerances; support resolution of technical, permitting and procurement issues. • Lead the development-to-operations handover with Asset Management and operators, ensuring lifecycle costs and end-user needs are designed in and assets are operator-ready. Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership • Act as lead point of contact for regulators, JV partners, sub-developers, consultants and operators; secure timely approvals while safeguarding design and investment integrity. • Build and mentor a results-driven development team and represent the company in high-level forums and negotiations. Key Performance Measures • Assets delivered within approved business case tolerances (cost, programme, IRR / margin); business plans delivered to programme and approved. • All projects progressed only through approved gates, with complete gate documentation. • LC Hotel opened on programme and within budget; residential launched to programme at target sales velocity and margin. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE • Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning, or a related field (Master’s preferred). • 15+ years in large-scale real estate development with P&L ownership, including branded hospitality and residential for-sale product taken from concept through handover. • Proven experience leading business plans, directing financial modelling and preparing Investment Committee and Board submissions. • Experience designing or operating stage-gate / project governance frameworks, and working with hotel operators through pre-opening. • Strong command of feasibility, development economics, investment returns and value engineering. • Excellent leadership, negotiation and stakeholder skills; familiarity with development approvals in Oman and the wider GCC. Show more Show less