Associate Director

Aon plc; Dubai; On-site; AED 700,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Aon plc in Dubai seeks an Associate Director – Construction & Infrastructure to lead growth, client engagements, and delivery of cross-border projects. You will direct multidisciplinary teams, shape proposals, and develop strategic relationships with contractors, developers, and clients.

The role emphasizes market development, governance, and commercial oversight, driving revenue, margins, and client satisfaction while upholding the highest standards of service and risk management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field (essential)
• Professional certification in construction, engineering, project management, risk management, commercial management, or a related field. (preferred)

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary engagements from mobilisation through completion with defined scope, objectives and governance.
• Coordinate delivery plans, resources, and dependencies across functions and geographies.
• Monitor progress against scope, budget, schedule, quality, and commercial commitments.
• Provide senior oversight of deliverables to ensure accuracy, consistency, and professional quality.
• Close engagements effectively and capture lessons learned for follow-on opportunities.
• Develop commercially appropriate scopes, pricing approaches, and fee structures.

Skills

Leadership

Client relationship management

Strategic thinking

Delivery management

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field

Job description

Associate Director – Construction & Infrastructure

The Associate Director will promote the expansion of the Construction & Infrastructure portfolio by directing client engagements, cultivating new business opportunities, and reinforcing client partnerships. The position is accountable for supervising project delivery, performance, and business initiatives while leading multidisciplinary teams to accomplish client goals.

Operating with a degree of autonomy, the candidate will identify and convert market opportunities. They will provide strong project leadership. They will deliver measurable commercial, client service, and business growth results through sound judgement, collaboration, and focused execution.

Aon is in the business of better decisions

At Aon, we shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world.

As an organization, we are united through trust as one inclusive team, and we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

What the day will look like

1.. Business Growth and Market Development

• Develop and complete a focused growth plan for the Construction & Infrastructure portfolio, aligned with wider business priorities.
• Identify, initiate, qualify, and convert new business opportunities through market engagement, strategic relationships, tenders, referrals, and cross-selling.
• Build and maintain a robust opportunity pipeline, applying disciplined qualification, prioritisation, forecasting, and follow‑up.
• Monitor sector developments, investment trends, client challenges, and evolving risk requirements, translating insight into relevant and commercially viable solutions.
• Lead the preparation and delivery of pitches, proposals, presentations, scopes of work, fee structures, and commercial discussions.
• Develop sustainable relationships with contractors, developers, consultants, investors, lenders, government‑related entities, and other relevant collaborators.
• Support retention and expansion of existing accounts by identifying unmet needs and coordinating appropriate expertise across the organisation.

2. Client Engagement and Relationship Oversight

• Act as a senior point of contact and trusted adviser for clients, developing an understanding of their strategic, commercial, operational, and risk priorities.
• Establish engagement rhythms, governance, and communication channels with senior collaborators.
• Provide clear, practical advice and ensure that suggested solutions align with client objectives and limitations.
• Manage expectations proactively, communicate progress and emerging issues transparently, and address client concerns promptly and with sound judgement.
• Maintain high standards of client service and contribute to agreed retention, satisfaction, and relationship‑development outcomes.

3. Project and Engagement Leadership

• Lead sophisticated engagements from mobilisation through completion, defining scope, objectives, deliverables, governance, achievements, resources, dependencies, and accountabilities.
• Convert client requirements into actionable delivery plans and confirm that duties are clearly communicated among multidisciplinary teams.
• Coordinate specialist contributors across functions, fields, and geographies to deliver integrated client outcomes.
• Monitor progress against agreed scope, budget, schedule, quality, and commercial commitments.
• Manage risks, issues, changes, and dependencies through appropriate controls, addressing blocking issues, and decision‑making.
• Provide senior review and oversight of deliverables to maintain accuracy, consistency, compliance, and professional quality.
• Close engagements effectively, confirming completion, capturing lessons learned, and identifying appropriate follow‑on opportunities.

4. Commercial and Financial Management

• Take ownership of agreed revenue, retention, margin, and client‑service outcomes within the assigned portfolio.
• Develop commercially appropriate scopes, pricing approaches, and fee structures, with clear assumptions and accountabilities.
• Maintain reliable pipeline and revenue forecasts and provide timely information to support business planning.
• Apply commercial rigor to resource deployment, project economics, scope control, and change management.
• Identify potential threats to delivery or profitability early and implement corrective action where required.

5. Strategy, Proposition, and Market Positioning

• Contribute market insight and client feedback to business strategy and portfolio planning.
• Support the development and refinement of propositions, service offerings, thought leadership, and go‑to‑market activity.
• Represent the business at client forums, industry events, and professional networks, strengthening market visibility and credibility.
• Encourage cooperation across specialties and regions to provide clients with the most pertinent capabilities.

6. Leadership and Team Contribution

• Provide clear direction to project teams and create an environment of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Coach and support colleagues, sharing sector knowledge, commercial insight, and delivery experience.
• Encourage continuous improvement by identifying lessons, strengthening working practices, and promoting consistent standards.
• Show integrity, composure, inclusiveness, and good judgement when engaging with clients and colleagues.

Key Working Relationships

• External: Senior leaders and decision‑makers across contractors, developers, consultants, investors, lenders, government‑related entities, and other project collaborators.
• Internal: Business leaders, client relationship owners, sector specialists, project teams, commercial and operational functions, and colleagues across relevant geographies.

How this opportunity is different

This opportunity lets you join a global organization with strong local market knowledge. Colleagues work together to solve complex client challenges and make a meaningful impact.

Skills and experience that will lead to success
Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field (essential)
• Professional certification in construction, engineering, project management, risk management, commercial management, or a related field. (preferred)

Knowledge

• Solid grasp of the commercial, contractual, operational, and risk‑related challenges impacting construction and infrastructure projects.
• Solid understanding of business growth, client relationship management, and project delivery principles.
• Understanding of financial performance drivers, pipeline management, forecasting, and commercial decision‑making.

Experience

• Extensive background in construction, infrastructure, engineering, professional services, insurance, risk advisory, consultancy, or a related field.
• Proven track record of winning new business, growing client relationships, and converting complex opportunities into revenue.
• Experience leading complex, multidisciplinary projects to successful commercial, quality, and delivery outcomes.
• Proven ability to engage, influence, and build credibility with senior clients and collaborators.
• Experience preparing client proposals, scopes of work, fee structures, presentations, and executive‑level deliverables.
• Experience working across multiple fields, functions, or geographic markets (desirable).
• Established connections within the construction and infrastructure market (desirable).

Skills & Attributes

• Commercially focused with the capability to recognize, assess, and rank growth opportunities.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to unite and manage teams.
• Excellent client relationship, collaborator management, and influencing capabilities.
• Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and report‑writing skills.
• Strategic and analytical problem solver with sound judgement and decision‑making ability.
• Highly collaborative and able to work effectively across organisational boundaries.
• Flexible and resilient, able to thrive in a dynamic and constantly changing environment.
• High levels of integrity, accountability, and professional credibility.