Director - Design And Projects Delivery

Apparel Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 500,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Apparel Group in Dubai seeks an experienced Senior Project Leader to drive delivery of store openings, refurbishments, and hospitality-related developments.

Responsibilities include governance, risk management, and leading a cross-functional team across geographies, ensuring brand standards and sustainability benchmarks are met. Requires 12-15 years in PM with 5+ years in leadership.

Qualifications

• 12-15 years of experience in project management.
• 5+ years in leadership overseeing multi-site retail expansion or hospitality developments.
• Strong knowledge of international design standards, construction methodologies, procurement practices, and fit-out execution.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale CAPEX programs across geographies with multiple stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering / Architecture; Master’s in Project Management or MBA preferred.
• Certifications in PMP, LEED, or related disciplines are an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Define the project delivery strategy for all store openings, refurbishments, and infrastructure developments.
• Lead long-term planning, capital budgeting, and program prioritization with Finance, Brand Heads, and Maintenance.
• Establish governance frameworks and SOPs to ensure project control, standardization, and regulatory compliance.
• Serve as final authority for risk mitigation, conflict resolution, and major vendor negotiations.
• Oversee the execution lifecycle from concept and approvals to handover and post-opening evaluation.
• Ensure adherence to brand guidelines, principal expectations, and sustainability benchmarks.
• Monitor program dashboard for cost, quality, safety, and schedule metrics with KPIs and corrective actions.
• Supervise a multi-layered team of managers, engineers, planners, and consultants.
• Manage relationships with contractors, consultants, architects, and principal design teams.
• Validate design intents, BOQs, space planning, and material specifications for compliance with brand identity.
• Approve procurement and contracting strategies ensuring cost competitiveness and delivery assurance.
• Build and lead a high-performing project delivery organization; succession planning and performance reviews.
• Drive talent development and retention across project teams and site operations.
• Cultivate a culture of innovation, ownership, and continuous improvement across the department.
• Act as the key interface with global brand principals; provide updates to C-level on pipeline, risks, and priorities.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Vendor management

Budget planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering / Architecture

Master’s in Project Management or MBA

PMP certification

LEED certification

Job description

Job Description:

Key Responsibility

• Define the project delivery strategy for all store openings, refurbishments, and infrastructure developments across.
• Lead long-term planning, capital budgeting, and program prioritization in collaboration with Finance, Brand Heads, and Maintenance
• Establish governance frameworks and SOPs to ensure project control, standardization, and regulatory compliance.
• Serve as the final authority for risk mitigation, conflict resolution, and major vendor negotiations.

Project Oversight & Execution Excellence

• Oversee the execution lifecycle for high-value projects - from conceptual design and approvals to handover and post-opening evaluation.
• Ensure adherence to brand guidelines, principal expectations, and sustainability benchmarks in all project deliverables.
• Monitor the program dashboard for cost, quality, safety, and schedule metrics, ensuring adherence to KPIs and corrective actions as needed.
• Supervise a multi-layered team of managers, engineers, planners, and consultants to ensure seamless coordination across departments.

Vendor, Design & Technical Supervision

• Manage relationships with contractors, consultants, architects, and principal design teams to align with group expectations and timelines.
• Validate design intents, BOQs, space planning, and material specifications for compliance with brand identity and functional requirements.
• Approve procurement and contracting strategies ensuring cost competitiveness and delivery assurance.

People Leadership & Development

• Build and lead a high-performing project delivery organization through succession planning, mentorship, and performance reviews.
• Drive functional learning, talent development, and retention strategies across project teams and site operations.
• Cultivate a culture of innovation, ownership, and continuous improvement across the department.

Stakeholder & Principal Engagement

• Act as the key interface with global brand principals, ensuring design approvals, progress updates, and compliance are maintained.
• Provide periodic updates to C-level leadership on project pipeline, risks, and strategic priorities.

Desired Experience

• 12-15 years of experience in project management, with 5+ years in a leadership capacity overseeing multi-site retail expansion or hospitality developments.
• Strong knowledge of international design standards, construction methodologies, procurement practices, and fit-out execution.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale CAPEX programs across geographies with multiple stakeholder interfaces.
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering / Architecture; Master’s in Project Management or MBA preferred.
• Certifications in PMP, LEED, or related disciplines are an advantage.