Head of Design

Role/Designation: Head of Design

Location : Dubai , United Arab Emirates

Industry: Real Estate Development

Immediate Joiners preferred

This is a full-time role located in Dubai for a Head of Design. The Head of Design will lead the Design function and be accountable for the overall design vision, quality, consistency, coordination and delivery across the company's real estate developments. The role will provide strategic and technical leadership from concept development through design, construction and final handover, ensuring that every project reflects IMAN's brand standards, commercial objectives and expected level of quality.

Key Responsibilities

1. Design Leadership & Strategy: Lead the overall design direction across projects, establishing design principles, standards and guidelines for architecture, interiors, landscape, FF&E and related disciplines. Ensure the design vision supports the company's positioning, customer expectations and commercial objectives.

2. Design Quality & Governance: Own the design review and approval process and ensure all designs, materials, finishes and specifications meet IMAN's quality standards, project requirements and approved design intent.

3. Team Leadership: Lead, mentor and manage the Design team, allocate responsibilities across projects, review team output and build a high-performing design function with clear accountability and delivery standards.

4. Consultant & Stakeholder Management: Lead coordination with architectural, interior design, landscape, lighting, specialist and other design consultants. Work closely with Projects, Engineering, Procurement, Commercial, Marketing, Sales and Customer Experience teams to ensure coordinated and buildable solutions.

5. Design Development & Delivery: Oversee the complete design lifecycle from feasibility, concept and schematic design through detailed design, tender, construction, mock-ups and final delivery. Monitor design programmes, deliverables and key approvals to protect project timelines.

6. Value Engineering & Commercial Alignment: Drive design optimisation and value engineering without compromising the intended quality, functionality or brand positioning. Support Procurement and Commercial teams in evaluating materials, specifications, vendors and alternatives.

7. Construction & Site Design Support: Provide senior design leadership during construction, resolve design-related issues, review site conditions and conduct inspections to ensure execution is aligned with approved drawings, specifications, mock-ups and quality benchmarks.

8. Brand & Product Consistency: Ensure the final product maintains a consistent design language and reflects IMAN's standards across architecture, interiors, landscape, amenities, common areas and customer-facing spaces.

Detailed Scope

• Review and approve drawings related to interiors, exteriors, architecture, landscape and FF&E across all project stages.

• Lead material, finish and sample reviews and selections for interiors, exteriors, architecture, landscape and FF&E.

• Oversee landscape design reviews, including hardscape, softscape and plant selections.

• Review lighting concepts and packages for indoor and outdoor areas, balancing design intent, efficiency and functionality.

• Conduct site inspections and design audits covering fit-out, main contractor works and external works during execution.

• Supervise and approve CGI imagery, scaled models, show units, mock-ups and other design-related launch materials to ensure alignment with the approved project vision.

• Review space planning, layouts, amenity allocation and 3D design proposals to optimise functionality, customer experience and efficient use of space.

• Evaluate and recommend design consultants, specialist consultants, vendors, suppliers and contractors from a design and quality perspective.

• Review consultant deliverables across preliminary, concept, schematic and detailed design stages and ensure comments are closed out in a timely manner.

• Provide design solutions and executive decisions for design issues arising during procurement and construction.

• Coordinate with the Projects team and architectural consultants on authority-related design requirements and submissions, while the Projects team manages the formal submission process.

• Establish and maintain a structured design library covering approved samples, materials, finishes, specifications and reference standards across projects.

• Identify design risks, coordination gaps and potential delays early and escalate with clear recommendations and mitigation plans.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Architecture, Interior Design or a related discipline.

• Minimum 12–15+ years of progressive experience in architectural/design management, including significant leadership responsibility across residential and/or mixed-use real estate developments.

• Strong UAE experience is preferred, with a solid understanding of local development, consultant coordination, authority requirements and construction processes.

• Proven experience working with a reputable real estate developer and/or leading design consultancy; developer-side experience is strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary design consultants and internal design teams across multiple projects.

• Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality residential, hospitality, commercial or mixed-use projects from concept through delivery.

Key Competencies

• Strategic design leadership and strong aesthetic judgement.

• Excellent technical understanding of architecture, interiors, landscape, FF&E, materials and construction interfaces.

• Strong stakeholder, consultant and team-management capability.

• Commercial awareness and ability to balance design quality, cost, programme and buildability.

• Strong decision-making, problem-solving, presentation and communication skills.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and design workstreams in a fast-paced developer environment.