Director - Digital Smart Cities Solutions

Role overview

This leadership position serves as a co-head for the IT-focused team, with responsibility for helping steer business objectives, allocating technology resources, and supporting technical delivery. The role also shares accountability for squad performance indicators such as NPS1, market share, and related outcomes.

Key responsibilities

• Shape squad strategy, purpose, vision, and goals so the team delivers technical outcomes aligned with cluster objectives.
• Review customer requirements and guide the design and refinement of technology solutions that respond to those needs.
• Work closely with architects to understand infrastructure constraints and determine the most effective way to operate within them.
• Translate Digital Cluster priorities and technical challenges into clear direction for product owners so the right products and features are built.
• Make decisions across the product lifecycle, including piloting, scaling, and decommissioning, while maintaining quality expectations.
• Run the tribe’s Quarterly Business Review.
• Develop strong working relationships with external stakeholders such as clients and cluster CEOs, while managing expectations effectively.
• Monitor squad health and performance using relevant KPIs.
• Oversee technical blockers across the tribe and ensure issues are resolved with the appropriate stakeholders.

People management

• Hold regular one-to-one sessions with product owners and squad members.
• Support and develop the squad by setting clear expectations and providing coaching.
• Track adherence to financial targets and approve extension of economic limits for initiatives when their potential supports it.
• Manage shared resource allocation across multiple squads.

Strategic responsibilities

• Build and maintain the squads’ technical roadmap.
• Manage squad budgets and solution-related costs, and propose alternatives to stay within expectations.
• Lead cross-functional efforts to simplify processes and introduce best practices that improve operational performance.
• Evaluate squad risks and define mitigation actions to reduce exposure.
• Prepare and present regular updates to senior leadership covering financial, operational, and market performance data.

Qualifications and experience

A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related discipline is required; a master’s degree is considered an advantage. Candidates should have at least 15 years of experience in a similar position, including work as an IT leader or business manager within a relevant product, customer, or enabler segment.

Language and leadership profile

Strong English communication is essential, and Arabic is a plus. The role calls for someone who understands market trends and customer needs, can shape a compelling value proposition and tribe vision, and communicates confidently across commercial and finance contexts. The ideal candidate brings servant leadership, the ability to influence and guide diverse teams, strong analytical judgment, urgency in prioritization, comfort in giving and receiving feedback, critical thinking, and a collaborative mindset rooted in transparency, trust, and a non-hierarchical way of working.