Thales is seeking a Design Center Leader and Strategic Designer to oversee all Design Center activities in Saudi Arabia, acting as a key link between the AMEWA Design Center in Dubai and local customers, partners, and stakeholders. The ideal candidate will embody a design thinking mindset and possess strong stakeholder management skills, crucial for operating effectively within the intricate Saudi business and governmental landscape.
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Roles & Responsibilities:
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Strategic & Operational Leadership:
- Act as the primary representative of the Design Center in KSA, fostering strong relationships with local stakeholders and ensuring that the Design Center's value proposition is clearly understood.
- Align local activities with the AMEWA Design Center’s strategy and methodologies while ensuring consistent quality and timely delivery of workshops and projects.
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Stakeholder & Client Engagement:
- Collaborate with Key Account Managers to identify design-led engagement opportunities.
- Build trust with senior stakeholders, particularly within Saudi government entities and strategic accounts.
- Facilitate multi-party conversations to align customer expectations with project goals.
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Design Thinking & User Research:
- Lead high-level design thinking workshops alongside customers and internal teams.
- Conduct user research to extract insights that inform solution design and value propositions.
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Project Coordination & Delivery:
- Oversee planning and execution of design projects in Saudi Arabia, ensuring customer satisfaction.
- Coordinate resources between Riyadh and Dubai Design Centers to maximize efficiency.
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Capability Building & Advocacy:
- Promote a culture of design thinking within Thales KSA.
- Support the professional development of local team members through mentoring and knowledge sharing.
Work Experience Requirements:
- Proven experience in design thinking facilitation, strategic design, or innovation project management.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, especially in complex governmental contexts.
- Experience working in or with the Saudi market; existing public sector relationships are a plus.
Qualification, Certification & Educational Requirements:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Strategic Design, Innovation, Marketing, Business, or related fields.
- Certification in Design Thinking, Innovation, or Service Design preferred.
- Additional training in stakeholder engagement or business development is advantageous.
Preferred Skills:
- Stakeholder engagement and relationship building
- Workshop facilitation and co-design leadership
- Design thinking and user research
- Cross-cultural communication
- Project coordination across multiple locations
- Strategic marketing mindset
Language Requirements: Fluent in English; proficiency in Arabic is strongly preferred.
At Thales, we prioritize careers, not just jobs, and our mobility policy enables employees to develop their careers at home and abroad. Embracing flexibility is key to our working philosophy.
