A confidential client is seeking a Medical Director to lead the clinical function of a newly established Sports Medicine Center in Riyadh.

This facility forms part of a broader healthcare platform and is being developed as an integrated sports medicine, performance, and rehabilitation environment. It will operate as a live clinical and operational asset ahead of a larger flagship centre planned within a major destination development.

The role sits at the intersection of elite sport, medicine, and performance, with a dual remit of clinical leadership and active surgical practice. The Medical Director will play a central role in establishing a high-performance, multidisciplinary model aligned to international best practice, supporting both elite athletes and an active population.

The position operates within a multi-stakeholder environment, requiring close collaboration with strategic leadership, an established hospital operator, and external advisory partners to ensure alignment on quality, safety, and clinical standards.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership & Governance

• Lead all clinical services across sports medicine, surgery, and rehabilitation
• Establish clinical governance frameworks covering safety, quality, and risk management
• Develop treatment pathways and protocols aligned to international sports medicine standards
• Set the clinical vision for an integrated, performance-led care model

Medical Operations & Team Oversight

• Build and lead a multidisciplinary clinical team including physicians, surgeons, and rehabilitation specialists
• Support recruitment, credentialing, and development of specialist talent
• Ensure consistent clinical standards, documentation, and reporting across the centre
• Work within a dual-operating model alongside a hospital partner

Athlete Care & Performance Integration

• Lead diagnosis, surgical intervention, and return-to-play decision-making
• Oversee coordination between medical, rehabilitation, and performance functions
• Support the development of integrated athlete management systems and performance monitoring
• Ensure a seamless pathway from injury through to recovery and optimisation

Service Development & Build Phase Contribution

• Contribute to the establishment of the clinical model during the centre’s build-out phase
• Support the development of service lines across sports medicine, rehab, and performance
• Help shape workflows, clinical pathways, and team structures in a live start-up environment

Quality, Compliance & Continuous Improvement

• Ensure compliance with regulatory, licensing, and clinical standards
• Establish KPIs and clinical performance dashboards
• Monitor outcomes, patient experience, and service quality
• Drive continuous improvement through data and performance insight

Strategic Contribution & Stakeholder Management

• Collaborate with senior leadership to align clinical services with broader organisational objectives
• Engage with external advisory partners to ensure alignment with international benchmarks
• Support the positioning of the centre as a leading sports medicine and performance capability within the region
• Contribute to readiness for major international sporting events, including upcoming Asian competitions and FIFA tournaments

Candidate Profile

• Medical degree with board certification in Sports Medicine, Orthopaedics, or a related field
• Practicing sports medicine surgeon with strong clinical reputation
• Significant experience within high-performance or athlete-focused environments
• Track record working with elite athletes, sports organisations, or specialist sports medicine centres
• Experience leading multidisciplinary clinical teams
• Strong understanding of clinical governance, compliance, and performance integration
• Ability to operate effectively within a complex, evolving organisational structure

 

We are working with a confidential PIF-backed development vehicle that is playing a central role in shaping the future of Riyadh. They are now looking to appoint a Senior Executive Director of Development to take ownership of large scale, city-defining programme.

This is a proper leadership role. You will sit at the heart of decision making, guiding complex, multi billion dollar developments from early vision and masterplanning through to delivery. It suits someone who is comfortable operating at scale, enjoys joining the dots across planning, commercial, design and delivery, and knows how to turn ambition into something that actually gets built.

What you will be doing

You will lead the masterplanning and development management of major urban districts and infrastructure-led developments, with responsibility from feasibility and early concept through to execution. You will set direction, challenge assumptions, and make sure projects stack up commercially while still delivering long term value.

A big part of the role is coordination. You will work closely with internal teams, consultants, government stakeholders, and delivery partners to keep programmes aligned and moving forward. This includes managing feasibility work, development strategies, and the inevitable trade offs that come with projects of this scale.

You will also be a visible senior figure externally, building trusted relationships with ministries, investors, and international partners, and representing the client with confidence and credibility. Sustainability, quality, and long term impact matter here, so innovation is encouraged, but it needs to be practical rather than theoretical.

What we are looking for

You will already be operating at a senior leadership level within development. That might be as a CDO, CEO, or senior executive leading large scale masterplanned or district level projects. You will have experience across the development lifecycle, including feasibility, planning, commercial structuring, and governance.

You should be comfortable leading large, multidisciplinary teams and navigating complex stakeholder environments. Strong judgement, clear communication, and the ability to make decisions in imperfect conditions are essential.

Experience in the Middle East is highly beneficial, but what matters most is your ability to operate at scale and complexity. 

Why this role

Opportunities like this do not come around often. You will be directly involved in shaping the future fabric of Riyadh and contributing to projects aligned with Vision 2030.

We are open to confidential conversations with senior development leaders who are curious, credible, and ready for their next real challenge.