One95 Global Recruitment

Lead Architect – Sports Stadiums

We are seeking a Lead Stadiums Architect to take a senior design leadership role across a major stadium development programme in Saudi Arabia.

This is a career-defining opportunity for an architect with genuine, hands-on experience delivering FIFA-standard stadiums to join a high-profile programme central to the Kingdom's sporting infrastructure ambitions, working alongside a multidisciplinary international team to shape venues that will host football at the highest level.

Responsibilities

  • Provide senior architectural design leadership across multiple stadium projects, from concept through detailed design, construction support and handover
  • Ensure all stadium designs meet FIFA, AFC and relevant international federation technical standards and guidelines
  • Set and uphold design quality, consistency and technical rigour across the stadium portfolio
  • Act as the primary architectural authority in coordination with client, engineering, and specialist stadium-design consultants
  • Lead design reviews and approvals, ensuring alignment with programme, budget and quality requirements
  • Oversee integration of architectural design with structural, MEP, seating bowl, pitch, roofing and overlay systems
  • Manage relationships with international design consultants, contractors and governing-body technical delegates
  • Resolve complex technical and design-compliance issues as they arise across the programme
  • Support testing, commissioning and pre-event readiness from a design-compliance perspective
  • Lead, mentor and direct a team of architects and design managers across the programme

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture from an internationally recognised, accredited institution
  • Chartered/registered status with a recognised international body (e.g. RIBA, AIA, ARB, RAIC or equivalent)
  • Minimum 15+ years’ post-qualification experience, including significant time in a senior design leadership role
  • Demonstrable, verifiable experience delivering FIFA World Cup or other FIFA/AFC-sanctioned stadium projects
  • Deep working knowledge of FIFA and AFC stadium design and technical guidelines
  • Experience delivering mega-scale sports infrastructure projects (multi-billion SAR/USD value)
  • Fluent English and strong experience operating within international, multidisciplinary design and delivery teams
  • Prior experience working in the GCC, ideally Saudi Arabia, is highly advantageous
  • Excellent stakeholder management, communication and leadership skills

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