Senior Architect

Job category

Architecture / Master Planning / Project Development

Function / Department

Network Development & Maintenance

Location

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Reporting to

General Manager – Network Development & Maintenance

Job summary

The Senior Architect is a senior owner-side role within Network Development & Maintenance (NDM), responsible for leading architectural design governance, master planning, and project development requirements for the Rabigh Special Project.
The role ensures that Petromin’s strategic objectives, operational requirements, OEM requirements, future expansion plans, and cost-efficiency expectations are effectively translated into a coordinated, practical, and executable master plan.
The position serves as Petromin’s architectural and design interface with consultants, contractors, OEM representatives, and internal stakeholders. It ensures that design deliverables, construction activities, and project execution remain aligned with approved design intent, technical standards, and business requirements.
The role also supports the GM – Network Development & Maintenance in cross-functional requirements involving architectural planning, design reviews, project development, and strategic decision-making.

Key responsibilities & accountabilities

Master planning & design governance

• Lead the development, refinement, and progressive finalisation of the Owner’s Design Brief and master planning strategy for the Rabigh Special Project.
• Define and maintain architectural planning principles aligned with Petromin’s operational objectives and future expansion requirements.
• Review, challenge, and technically validate master planning deliverables, including:
  • Site zoning
  • Land-use planning
  • Building envelopes
  • Functional adjacencies
  • Circulation networks
  • Expansion provisions
  • Development buffers
• Ensure architectural solutions support operational efficiency, scalability, and long-term business objectives.

Consultant & design management

• Act as Petromin’s architectural and master planning representative in discussions with consultants, contractors, OEM representatives, and project stakeholders.
• Review and validate architectural design submissions from concept through IFC stages.
• Ensure consultant deliverables are complete, coordinated, technically compliant, and aligned with approved project requirements.
• Monitor consultant performance, submission quality, and adherence to project objectives.
• Maintain structured records of design assumptions, approvals, decisions, review comments, and project requirements.

Contractor design compliance oversight

• Monitor contractor compliance with approved architectural designs, layouts, specifications, and design intent during project execution.
• Review site execution against approved design requirements.
• Identify design deviations, quality concerns, or execution risks and recommend corrective actions.
• Support resolution of architectural and design-related issues during construction.
• Any recommendation to suspend works shall be subject to approval by GM – Network Development & Maintenance.

Design coordination & integration

• Coordinate closely with the Senior Infrastructure Engineer to ensure alignment between:
  • Building layouts
  • Site infrastructure
  • Utilities corridors
  • Access and circulation networks
  • Future expansion requirements
• Ensure architectural planning integrates operational requirements, OEM requirements, and technical constraints.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams to achieve integrated project delivery.

Value engineering & constructability review

• Lead architectural value engineering initiatives to optimise:
  • Cost efficiency
  • Functionality
  • Constructability
  • Phasing strategy
  • Long-term operational performance
• Review design alternatives while ensuring compliance with Petromin’s requirements.
• Identify opportunities for improvement without compromising design intent or project objectives.

Reporting & decision support

• Coordinate with the Controls & Reporting Manager to provide:
  • Design progress updates
  • Risk inputs
  • Consultant performance information
  • Decision-support data for leadership reporting
• Support executive reviews through technical assessments and architectural recommendations.
• Provide timely escalation of critical design risks and project issues.

Cross-functional support

• Support GM – Network Development & Maintenance with architectural assessments, planning reviews, and project development requirements.
• Provide architectural expertise for additional projects or organisational requirements as directed.
• Support coordination with OEM teams, specialist advisors, and technical stakeholders.

Core competencies

• Accountability and ownership
• Planning and execution discipline
• Stakeholder communication
• Problem solving and judgement
• Compliance and governance awareness

Leadership competencies

• Decision making under constraints
• Cross-functional alignment
• Consultant and contractor governance
• Risk identification and escalation
• Performance monitoring and corrective action

Technical / job-specific competencies

• Large-scale master planning
• Architectural design governance
• Owner’s Design Brief development
• Consultant deliverables review and control
• Contractor design compliance oversight
• OEM requirement integration
• Phasing and expansion planning
• Drawing review from concept to IFC stage
• Value engineering and constructability review
• Executive decision-support reporting

Qualifications & experience

Educational qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture (mandatory)

Professional certifications
Saudi Council of Engineers registration (mandatory).
Registered Architect or equivalent professional membership (preferred).
BIM / Design Coordination certifications (advantage).

Professional experience
15–20 years of experience in architectural design, master planning, and large-scale development projects.
Proven experience in industrial, automotive, logistics, or complex infrastructure environments preferred.
Strong background in owner-side roles, client representation, consultant management, and design governance.
Experience managing multidisciplinary design coordination and project development activities.

Essential job requirements

• Strong ability to lead, review, and challenge consultants constructively.
• Ability to translate business and operational requirements into effective planning and design solutions.
• Strong experience coordinating architecture, infrastructure, engineering, and execution teams.
• Ability to operate effectively within lean project environments with high accountability.
• Strong analytical, communication, and decision-making capabilities.
• High level of ownership and attention to design quality.

Language requirements

English: Advanced (mandatory)

Scope of supervision

• No direct line management responsibility initially (unless assigned by GM – NDM).
• Functional oversight of architectural and master planning consultants.
• Oversight of contractor compliance with approved design intent.
• Coordination with infrastructure, controls, OEM, and internal project teams.

Communication responsibilities

Internal stakeholders
General Manager – Network Development & Maintenance
Rabigh Special Projects Team
Senior Infrastructure Engineer
Controls & Reporting Manager
NDM Core Team
Business / Vertical Stakeholders

External stakeholders
Master Planning Consultants
Architectural Consultants
Engineering Consultants
Contractors
OEM Representatives
Specialist Technical Advisors

Key success measures

• Successful development and governance of the project master plan and architectural design strategy.
• Alignment of architectural outputs with Petromin’s operational and expansion requirements.
• Effective consultant and contractor design governance.
• Timely identification and resolution of design risks and deviations.
• Delivery of practical, cost-efficient, and constructible design solutions.
• Effective coordination between architectural, infrastructure, and project control functions.

Disclaimer

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or requirements. The Human Resources Management department reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind work assignments of different positions and make reasonable accommodations to enable qualified employees to perform the essential functions of the role.