Senior Director - Smart City & ICT Operations

About the Role

Qiddiya Investment Company is at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s transformative urban development, spearheading groundbreaking initiatives in entertainment, sports, culture, and smart city infrastructure. As part of this visionary journey, we are seeking a seasoned Senior Director of Smart City & ICT Operations to lead the strategic direction of IT operations within a dynamic, large-scale smart city environment. This pivotal role will bridge the gap between ambitious smart city aspirations and their seamless operational execution, ensuring resilient, integrated, and future-ready ICT infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

In this leadership position, you will be responsible for shaping and executing the IT operations strategy to support the operational readiness of a smart city. Your role will encompass a broad spectrum of responsibilities, including:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a comprehensive IT operations strategy aligned with the smart city vision, ensuring robust infrastructure readiness and scalability for future demands.
• Operational Excellence: Lead service operations across a complex smart city or large-scale infrastructure environment, overseeing end-to-end delivery, performance, and reliability of ICT systems.
• Incident & Problem Management: Establish and maintain robust incident and problem management frameworks to minimize disruptions and enhance service governance, ensuring high availability and operational resilience.
• Operating Model Development: Design and implement effective operating models that optimize smart city operations, fostering collaboration and efficiency across all stakeholders.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with city leadership, developers, contractors, utility providers, and ICT and operations teams to align strategic objectives, execution plans, and operational delivery, ensuring seamless integration and alignment.

Qualifications & Experience

To excel in this role, you will bring a blend of technical expertise, leadership acumen, and strategic vision. The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Educational Background: A bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, telecommunications, electrical engineering, or a closely related field. Advanced degrees or certifications in smart city technologies or ICT operations are advantageous.
• Proven Leadership: Extensive experience leading ICT operations within a smart city, large-scale real estate development, or another complex infrastructure environment, with a track record of delivering operational excellence.
• Service Operations Expertise: Demonstrated leadership in service operations, including incident and problem management, service governance, and performance optimization in high-stakes environments.
• Technical Proficiency: Deep expertise in ICT infrastructure, IoT (Internet of Things), and OT (Operational Technology) platforms, with a strong understanding of their integration within smart city ecosystems.
• Operational Models: A comprehensive understanding of smart city operations models, including best practices in governance, service delivery, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Collaborative Skills: Proven ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, including city leadership, developers, contractors, utility providers, and technical teams, to drive alignment and achieve shared objectives.

Why Join Us?

As a key member of Qiddiya Investment Company, you will play a critical role in shaping the future of smart urban living in Saudi Arabia. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead transformative initiatives, collaborate with industry leaders, and contribute to the development of a world-class smart city. If you are a visionary leader with a passion for technology and operational excellence, we invite you to apply and be part of this exciting journey.