Associate Director - Mechanical

Black & White Engineering; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Black & White Engineering in Abu Dhabi is seeking an Associate Director - Mechanical Engineering to lead and shape technically complex MEP projects. You will guide design, manage multi-disciplinary teams, and build capability while delivering on client expectations.

You will influence project strategy, commercial outcomes, and technical direction, with involvement in business growth and client development. This is a leadership role designed to accelerate senior leadership progression.

Qualifications

• Strong background in mechanical building services design within MEP consultancy.
• Experience leading complex projects and managing multi-disciplinary teams.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to manage budgets and project profitability.
• Confident communicator who can engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Solid understanding of relevant codes, standards, and regulatory frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Leading and developing a team of engineers, creating a high-performance culture.
• Acting as the technical authority on projects, guiding design and delivery.
• Managing projects end-to-end, ensuring client expectations are met on time and within budget.
• Building strong relationships with internal teams, clients, and external stakeholders.
• Contributing to commercial performance, including fee proposals and project profitability.
• Playing an active role in the office leadership team and wider business strategy.
• Ensuring health, safety, and compliance standards are consistently met across your team.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Budget awareness

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Degree in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent)

Chartered status preferred

Tools

AutoCAD

Cymap

IES

Job description

Associate Director - Mechanical Engineering

Here's the thing, this isn't just another step up the ladder. It's a role where you move from delivering projects to genuinely shaping them, from managing teams to building capability, and from contributing to strategy to influencing it.

If you're at that point in your career where you want more ownership, more visibility, and the chance to lead complex, high-value projects while growing a team around you, this is where it starts to get interesting.

You’ll be working closely with senior leadership, leading multi-disciplinary teams, and playing a key role in both project delivery and business growth.

What's in it for you

• The opportunity to lead technically complex, high-impact MEP projects across diverse sectors
• A genuine leadership role where you shape teams, not just manage them
• Direct exposure to senior stakeholders, both internally and with clients
• A platform to influence project strategy, commercial outcomes, and technical direction
• Involvement in business growth, including fee proposals and client development
• A collaborative environment where your input actually carries weight
• Clear progression toward senior leadership roles within the business

What you'll be doing

• Leading and developing a team of engineers, creating a high-performance culture
• Acting as the technical authority on projects, guiding design and delivery
• Managing projects end-to-end, ensuring client expectations are met on time and within budget
• Building strong relationships with internal teams, clients, and external stakeholders
• Contributing to commercial performance, including fee proposals and project profitability
• Playing an active role in the office leadership team and wider business strategy
• Ensuring health, safety, and compliance standards are consistently met across your team

What we're looking for

• Strong background in mechanical building services design within MEP consultancy
• Experience leading complex projects and managing multi-disciplinary teams
• Commercial awareness with the ability to manage budgets and project profitability
• Confident communicator who can engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Solid understanding of relevant codes, standards, and regulatory frameworks
• Proficiency in industry design tools (e.g. AutoCAD, Cymap, IES or similar)
• Degree qualified in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent)
• Chartered status (or working towards) is preferred

About us

We're a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy focused on delivering high-quality, practical solutions to complex design challenges. Our approach is grounded in a few simple principles: take ownership, communicate openly, keep things straightforward, and support each other to succeed.

That culture isn't just words on paper, it shows up in how we work, how we lead, and how we deliver for our clients.