Senior Development Manager

Job Description

About Miral

Miral is the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, that contributes to the growth of the leisure and entertainment industry and Abu Dhabi's economic diversification. It conceives, creates, operates, and manages immersive destinations and experiences that attract visitors from across the world to create unforgettable memories, accelerating the realisation of the Emirate's tourism vision and growth.

Miral also has several projects being developed on Yas Island and across the emirate, including a Harry Potter-themed land within Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, and a Disney Theme Park Resort.

About the Role

The role also identifies and evaluates new development opportunities, partnerships and investment initiatives that support Miral's future growth and sustained portfolio value creation.

• Contribute to the Development function's strategy, objectives, standards and performance measures in alignment with Miral's corporate and portfolio priorities.
• Identify and evaluate new development and investment opportunities through market analysis, site and asset due diligence, feasibility studies, development scenarios and business cases.
• Translate strategic priorities into clear development briefs, project requirements, delivery strategies and measurable success criteria.
• Assess market trends, consumer demand, competitive positioning and emerging destination concepts to inform portfolio expansion and value creation.

• Lead assigned projects from initiation through feasibility, planning, design, procurement, delivery, asset transfer and operational handover.
• Establish and manage integrated development programmes, budgets, governance pathways, decision gates and stakeholder responsibilities.
• Coordinate cross-functional workstreams to ensure projects remain aligned with approved scope, business case, programme, quality and commercial objectives.
• Manage consultants, specialist advisors, engineers, contractors and delivery partners, including scopes, tenders, appointments, performance and deliverables.
• Ensure the full asset lifecycle, including operations, maintenance, revenue performance and future adaptability, is considered at key decision points.

• Support the planning and development of theme parks, attractions, entertainment destinations, hospitality assets and mixed-use developments.
• Work with operators, intellectual property partners, attraction specialists and internal teams to assess concepts and convert them into actionable development requirements.
• Champion guest experience, operational efficiency, safety, sustainability and commercial performance throughout planning, design and delivery.
• Influence design decisions to protect the project vision and achieve strategic, operational, experiential and financial outcomes.

• Lead or coordinate financial appraisals, cost plans, forecasts, value-engineering assessments and investment recommendations, validating continued alignment with the approved business case.
• Manage development-related commercial activities, including consultant procurement, agreements, leasing and retail delivery interfaces, intellectual property agreements, land or asset transactions and asset transfers, as applicable.
• Support commercial negotiations with operators, investors, partners, consultants and intellectual property holders.
• Monitor financial performance and recommend corrective action where cost, programme, quality or commercial outcomes are at risk.

• Prepare high-quality governance submissions for relevant committees and executive forums, ensuring compliance with Miral's delegation of authority and approval requirements.
• Maintain clear project controls, risk registers, mitigation plans, decision logs and performance reporting across the development lifecycle.
• Provide concise, accurate executive reports and recommendations, escalating material issues and decisions in a timely manner.
• Ensure projects comply with company policies, contractual obligations, authority requirements and relevant industry standards.

• Build trusted relationships across Miral, aligning Development with Investment Analysis, Strategy, Asset Management, Design and Master Planning, Finance, Legal, Project Controls, Delivery, Operations, Marketing, HR and HSSE.
• Manage relationships with government authorities, operators, intellectual property partners, development partners, consultants, contractors and specialist advisors.
• Facilitate timely decisions, inputs and approvals by presenting clear options, implications and evidence-based recommendations.
• Represent the Development function professionally in project, partner and authority engagements.

• Lead development-side handover and asset transfer activities, ensuring operators and end users are engaged early, and readiness requirements are incorporated into project plans.
• Coordinate completion, commissioning, documentation, training, obligations and acceptance requirements with Delivery, Asset Management and Operations.
• Capture lessons learned and improved development processes, standards and controls for application across future projects.
• Contribute to team capability by sharing knowledge, supporting colleagues and reinforcing accountability for high-quality execution.

• Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Engineering, Architecture, Urban Planning, Construction Management, Finance, Business Administration or a related discipline. A relevant master's degree is preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive development experience, with a strong track record in leading complex, large-scale destination, entertainment, hospitality, mixed-use or leisure developments.
• Demonstrable end-to-end development management experience, spanning opportunity evaluation, feasibility and business case development, master planning, design, commercial structuring, procurement, delivery oversight, asset transfer and operational handover.
• Meaningful experience within the theme park, attractions, entertainment or destination development sectors is strongly preferred, supported by a practical understanding of operator requirements, intellectual property considerations and guest experience principles.
• Strong client-side or developer-side experience, with clear accountability for project scope, program, budget, quality, risk and commercial outcomes.
• Proven commercial and financial capability, including development appraisals, financial modelling, investment analysis, cost planning, forecasting, value engineering and preparation of investment recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience identifying development opportunities, shaping commercially viable propositions and supporting negotiations with operators, investors, strategic partners, brands and intellectual property holders.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage complex relationships with senior internal stakeholders, consultants, contractors, operators, development partners, government authorities and other external entities.
• Experience preparing and presenting development proposals, business cases and governance submissions to senior leadership and investment or executive committees.
• Strong knowledge of development governance, authority approvals and regulatory requirements within the UAE or wider GCC is preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, financial modelling, executive presentations and project reporting tools.
• Professional accreditation such as MRICS, PMP, CFA or an equivalent internationally recognized designation is preferred.
• Fluency in English is required. Arabic language capability is an advantage.