Co-Founder & Real Estate & Asset Lead

Sanabil Studio is a venture builder that blends industry expertise, technology, and startup know-how to turn bold ideas into real businesses. We take concepts from zero to launch, and when a venture proves its potential, we back it with seed funding and hands-on support to help it scale. At Makan, we believe homeownership in Saudi Arabia should be built on real equity, not just rent. Through a rent-to-own model, residents move in with a 10% down payment instead of the 30% banks require, build real equity every year through their rent, and use that accumulated equity to refinance into a standard bank mortgage if they qualify at year five. We are the founding team building Makan from a validated thesis to signed assets, signed investors, and a functioning company, with Sanabil Studio providing the financial model, pre-seed capital, operational backbone, and institutional governance behind us. About The Role We're looking for a highly experienced Real Estate & Asset Lead to co-found Makan and own the asset side of the business end-to-end. This role is responsible for valuing and onboarding residential assets, building the operational infrastructure to manage a growing portfolio, and forming the developer and landlord relationships that supply it. You'll work closely with a Capital & Finance co-founder, and with the Sanabil Studio Investment Committee, to turn a validated model into a real, scaled portfolio. THE ROLE: What you'll own here. • Source, value, and onboard residential or income-generating assets. • Underwrite individual units and form a clear view on price, condition, and resale value. • Build and run the operational infrastructure to manage a growing portfolio of units, vendors, maintenance, OpEx, and vacancy. • Negotiate distribution and asset-supply agreements directly with developers and landlords. • Help define and execute Makan's go-to-market and capital strategy alongside your co-founder. • Present progress regularly to the Sanabil Studio Investment Committee. • Recruit and lead Makan's founding team across commercial, operations, and product functions. • Set the culture and operating rhythm from day one. THE PROFILE: You're probably a fit if... • You have 8+ years of experience in real estate asset management, valuation, or investment at a REIT, real estate fund, or institutional asset manager (e.g. Alinma Capital, Al Rajhi Capital, Jadwa, Riyad Capital, or a comparable REIT/fund manager). • You have personally valued, underwritten, or managed a portfolio of multiple residential or income-generating assets, not a single deal. • You deeply understand how appraised value, market appreciation, and loan-to-value interact and how banks treat these at refinancing. • You have led or built a function before: an asset management team, a valuation desk, or a property portfolio. • You deeply understand the Saudi real estate market pricing dynamics, developer landscape, and buyer behaviour across Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. • You communicate clearly and directly with developers, landlords, appraisers, and internal teams. • You are currently based in or willing to relocate to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Nationals preferred. Bonus: Direct relationships with 5–10 major developers or REGA-licensed brokerages; experience with REGA frameworks, Ejar contracts, or SPV-held real estate structures; prior experience working with or inside a venture studio or venture builder. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE: Within the first year, you'll... • Have sourced, valued, and onboarded a growing pool of residential assets. • Have built a functioning operational rhythm for portfolio and vendor management. • Have secured developer and landlord relationships that reliably supply new assets. • Be recognized by the Investment Committee as a credible, independent asset leader. • Be working independently with minimal supervision alongside your co-founder. Show more Show less

8+ years of experience in real estate asset management, valuation, or investment at a REIT, real estate fund, or institutional asset manager. You have personally valued, underwritten, or managed a portfolio of multiple residential or income-generating assets. You deeply understand appraised value, market appreciation, and loan-to-value interactions and refinancing treatments. You have led or built a function such as an asset management team, a valuation desk, or a property portfolio. You deeply understand the Saudi real estate market pricing dynamics, developer landscape, and buyer behavior across Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. You communicate clearly with developers, landlords, appraisers, and internal teams. You are based in or willing to relocate to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Nationals preferred.

Source, value, and onboard residential or income-generating assets. Underwrite individual units and form a view on price, condition, and resale value. Build and run the operational infrastructure to manage a growing portfolio of units, vendors, maintenance, OpEx, and vacancy. Negotiate distribution and asset-supply agreements with developers and landlords. Help define and execute Makan's go-to-market and capital strategy alongside your co-founder. Present progress to the Sanabil Studio Investment Committee. Recruit and lead Makan's founding team across commercial, operations, and product. Set the culture and operating rhythm from day one.