Associate Director Cost Estimating and Management (Aviation)

AtkinsRéalis; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tax-free salary

Life insurance

Medical insurance

Annual leave balance

Company gratuity scheme

Discretionary bonus program

Annual flight contribution

Transportation & housing allowances

Employee Wellbeing Program

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis invites an Associate Director Cost & Commercial (Aviation) to lead cost advisory for major airport programmes in the Middle East. You will develop oversight and governance of cost and commercial strategies, lead bids, client engagement and project delivery, and mentor a regional team.

With 18+ years in aviation cost management, you will influence investment decisions, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and drive growth while upholding governance and financial controls.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quantity Surveying or related field.
• 18+ years in aviation cost and commercial roles.
• 5+ years in a senior leadership or managerial role.
• Proven track record on large aviation projects and capital programmes.
• Strong knowledge of aviation infrastructure and procurement models.
• Excellent communication, leadership and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Lead cost and commercial advisory services to aviation clients in the Middle East at a strategic and program level.
• Define and implement regional aviation cost and commercial strategy aligned with global best practices.
• Act as trusted advisor to senior stakeholders including airport authorities and investors.
• Lead development of capex plans, cost models and investment strategies for complex aviation infrastructure.
• Oversee commercial structuring, procurement strategies and contract frameworks for major programmes.
• Lead and mentor a team of cost and commercial professionals, ensuring high-quality delivery.
• Develop and maintain a robust aviation cost benchmark database to support decision-making.
• Drive business development, client engagement and key account management in aviation.
• Lead preparation of strategic bids, proposals and commercial submissions.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams for integrated solutions across large programmes.
• Ensure governance, risk management and financial control across engagements.

Skills

Aviation cost

Cost modelling

Stakeholder mgmt

Leadership

Commercial strategy

Proposal development

Client advisory

Data analysis

Excel advanced

Contract frameworks

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Quantity Surveying

Tools

Primavera

CostX

SAP

Job description

Job Description Overview

We are seeking an Associate Director Cost & Commercial (Aviation) to join our team and take the lead in providing our airport clients with expert cost advice and advisory services.

Utilising your extensive experience across global aviation projects and within the Middle East you will lead the development oversight and governance of cost and commercial strategies for major aviation programmes and capital investments. You will be responsible for leading cost advisory services commercial structuring and financial planning across large and complex airport developments.

You will act as the regional focal point for aviation cost and commercial excellence leading bids client engagement and project delivery while driving growth of the aviation cost advisory capability. You will possess a strong track record in strategic cost leadership commercial management and client advisory with deep aviation sector expertise.

You will operate with a top-down strategic cost approach leveraging global benchmarks deep understanding of aviation asset development procurement methodologies and commercial frameworks to influence client investment decisions and project outcomes.

This role will be highly client-facing operating at senior stakeholder and executive level while also acting as the interface between the Aviation Market team and broader Cost Consultancy and Management teams across the region and globally.

Your role

• Lead all aspects of cost and commercial advisory services to aviation clients across the Middle East at a strategic and program level.
• Define and implement regional aviation cost and commercial strategy ensuring alignment with global best practices.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders including airport authorities government entities and private investors.
• Lead development of capital expenditure plans cost models and investment strategies for complex aviation infrastructure projects.
• Oversee commercial structuring procurement strategies and contract frameworks for major programmes.
• Lead and mentor a team of cost and commercial professionals ensuring high-quality delivery and capability development.
• Develop and maintain a robust aviation cost benchmark database to support advisory services and strategic decision-making.
• Drive business development client engagement and key account management within the aviation sector.
• Lead preparation of strategic bids proposals and commercial submissions for major aviation opportunities.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver integrated solutions across large-scale programmes.
• Ensure strong governance risk management and financial control across all engagements.

About you

Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Engineering Quantity Surveying or a related field.
• Minimum 18 years of experience including:
• Extensive experience in cost and commercial roles within the aviation sector
• At least 5 years in a senior leadership or managerial role
• Proven track record in leading large-scale aviation infrastructure projects and capital programmes and delivering strategic cost advisory and commercial management services
• Strong understanding of Aviation infrastructure including terminals airside and landside developments
• Strong understanding of Procurement and commercial models (EPC Design & Build PPP etc.)
• Proficiency in cost management tools (e.g. Primavera CostX SAP or similar).
• Advanced Excel and data analysis skills.
• Excellent communication leadership and stakeholder management abilities.
• Strong analytical commercial and strategic thinking skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certification (e.g. MRICS FRICS PMP CCP) is preferred.
• Experience with major international airport operators or aviation authorities.
• Familiarity with ICAO FAA or EASA standards.
• Experience working across multiple geographies with Middle East experience highly desirable.

Rewards & benefits

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive at every stage of your life and your career.

This includes:

• Tax-free salary.
• Life insurance coverage.
• Medical insurance.
• Annual leave balance.
• Company gratuity scheme.
• Discretionary bonus program.
• Annual flight contribution.
• Transportation & housing allowances.
• Employee Wellbeing Program: 24/7 access to specialists in finance legal matters family care personal health fitness and nutrition.

Seize every opportunity to sharpen your skills expand your expertise and be recognized for the impact you make.

About AtkinsRéalis

Were AtkinsRéalis a world‑class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people data and technology to transform the worlds infrastructure and energy systems. Together with our industry partners and clients and our global team of consultants designers engineers and project managers we can change the world. Were committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Find out more.

#CMME

Worker Type

Employee

Job Type

Contractual (Fixed Term)

At AtkinsRéalis we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world‑class talent makes no distinctions based on gender ethnic or national origin sexual identity and orientation age religion or disability but enriches itself through these differences.

Required Experience:

Director