The Head of the Design Center KSA is the on-the-ground leader for all Design Center activities in Saudi Arabia, acting as the link between the AMEWA Design Center team in Dubai and local customers, partners, and stakeholders. He/she is responsible for representing the Design Center locally, engaging directly with government and enterprise customers, key account managers, and project teams to ensure workshops, user research, and co-design projects are successfully delivered. The role requires a design thinking mindset, strong stakeholder management skills, and the ability to operate effectively in the complex Saudi business and governmental environment.
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Roles & Responsibilities
Strategic & Operational Leadership
- Act as the primary representative of the Design Center in KSA, building strong relationships with local stakeholders and ensuring the DC’s value proposition is clearly understood.
- Ensure full alignment between local activities and the AMEWA Design Center’s strategy and methodologies.
- Coordinate with Dubai DC team to ensure consistent quality and timely delivery of workshops, design projects, and innovation initiatives.
Stakeholder & Client Engagement
- Work closely with Thales KSA Key Account Managers to identify opportunities for design-led engagement with customers.
- Build and maintain trust with senior stakeholders, especially within Saudi government entities and strategic accounts.
- Facilitate and mediate multi-party conversations to align customer expectations with project goals.
Design Thinking & User Research
- Lead and facilitate high-level design thinking workshops in partnership with customers and internal teams.
- Drive user research activities to capture insights that inform solution design and value propositions.
- Translate research findings into clear, actionable deliverables in collaboration with Dubai DC specialists.
Project Coordination & Delivery
- Oversee the successful planning and execution of design projects in Saudi Arabia, ensuring customer satisfaction and alignment with business priorities.
- Coordinate resources between the Riyadh and Dubai Design Centers to maximise efficiency and impact.
- Monitor project progress, manage risks, and ensure delivery excellence.
Capability Building & Advocacy
- Promote a culture of design thinking and innovation within Thales KSA.
- Support the professional development of local team members through mentoring and knowledge sharing.
- Act as an ambassador for the Design Center’s methodologies and tools.
Work Experience Requirements
- Proven experience in design thinking facilitation, strategic design, or innovation project management.
- Strong track record of stakeholder management in complex organisational and governmental contexts.
- Experience working in or with the Saudi market; existing relationships with key public sector stakeholders is a plus.
- Familiarity with large, multinational corporate environments.
Qualification, Certification & Educational Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Strategic Design, Innovation, Marketing, Business, or a related discipline.
- Design Thinking / Innovation / Service Design certification preferred.
- Additional training in stakeholder engagement or business development is an asset.
Preferred Skills
- Stakeholder engagement & relationship building
- Workshop facilitation & co-design leadership
- Design thinking & user research
- Cross-cultural communication
- Project coordination across multiple locations
- Strategic marketing mindset
- Fluent in English; Arabic strongly preferred.
