Director of Technical Compliance, Quality Assurance & Quality Control

Miral; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 700,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Miral is seeking a Director of Technical Compliance, Quality Assurance & Quality Control to establish and run Miral’s independent QA/QC governance across its theme parks, attractions and developments in Abu Dhabi. The role reports to the Chief Portfolio Officer and ensures designs, construction, testing and handover meet approved intent, codes and safety standards.

You will lead risk-based assurance across disciplines, challenge deviations, and drive lessons learned to raise delivery standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management or related technical discipline.
• Master’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management or quality/project management preferred.
• Professional registration with a recognized engineering, architectural body is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in technical compliance, QA/QC, engineering, or construction delivery.
• Experience leading enterprise-level QA/QC frameworks across full project lifecycles, including design to handover.
• Experience in UAE or GCC and familiarity with regional regulations is preferred.
• Fluency in English is required; Arabic language skills are advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead enterprise-wide Technical Compliance and QA/QC framework across projects.
• Provide independent oversight of design, construction, testing, commissioning and handover.
• Challenge deviations, assess risks and ensure corrective actions to protect asset value.
• Lead reviews at key design gateways and ensure adherence to codes, standards and IP requirements.
• Capture lessons learned and drive continuous improvement across the portfolio.
• Collaborate with operators, consultants, contractors and vendors to ensure quality and safety standards.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Quality assurance

Problem solving

Communication

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management or related technical discipline

Master’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management or quality/project management (preferred)

Tools

ISO 9001 knowledge

Job description

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.

Responsible for the development and destination management of Yas Island and overseeing Saadiyat Island's Destination Management Strategy, Miral's portfolio of world-class assets incorporates entertainment, leisure, culture, sport, dining, retail, and hospitality experiences, aiming to deliver millions of memorable moments for residents and international guests alike. These include Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi (now includes 70+ rides and experiences following its expansion); Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; CLYMB™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi; Yas Marina; and Yas Bay Waterfront, home to the UAE's largest indoor multi-purpose venue Etihad Arena, amongst others. 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 Director of Technical Compliance, Quality Assurance & Quality Control is responsible for establishing and leading Miral’s independent technical assurance and quality governance function across its growing portfolio of theme parks, attractions, entertainment destinations, hospitality, cultural, retail, infrastructure and mixed-use developments.

Reporting directly to the Chief Portfolio Officer, the role will define the enterprise-wide technical compliance and QA/QC framework, establish consistent standards and assurance gateways, and provide independent oversight of design, construction, testing, commissioning and handover. The Director will ensure that projects meet approved design intent, contractual requirements, applicable codes, international industry standards, intellectual property requirements and Miral’s expectations for safety, quality, durability, operability and guest experience.

As Miral delivers increasingly complex, technically advanced and highly themed destinations, the role will protect the organization’s investments by identifying quality risks early, challenging unacceptable technical outcomes and ensuring defects, non-conformances and recurring issues are resolved before they affect opening commitments or live operations. The Director will create an institutional quality capability that captures lessons across the portfolio, raises delivery standards and supports Miral’s ambition to develop world-class destinations and experiences.

Enterprise Technical Assurance and Quality Governance

• Establish and lead Miral’s enterprise-wide Technical Compliance and QA/QC framework, standards and assurance processes across the project lifecycle.
• Define quality governance, accountability and risk-based assurance requirements across Miral, consultants, contractors, operators and delivery partners.
• Provide independent oversight, reporting and recommendations to the Chief Portfolio Officer on technical compliance, project readiness and material quality risks.

Design Compliance and Technical Quality Assurance

• Lead independent technical assurance reviews at key design gateways, ensuring designs are compliant, coordinated, constructible and aligned with operational requirements.
• Oversee compliance with applicable codes, standards, contractual obligations, IP requirements and Miral's technical expectations across all design disciplines.
• Challenge design deviations, technical risks and quality concerns that could impact safety, constructability, operational performance, guest experience or asset lifecycle value.
• Ensure technical compliance issues are identified, tracked and resolved before projects progress through critical design and procurement stages.

Construction Quality Control and Supplier Assurance

• Establish quality requirements, inspection protocols and assurance frameworks across construction activities, critical systems and specialist guest-facing elements.
• Oversee risk-based audits, inspections and technical reviews of contractors, suppliers and specialist vendors, ensuring compliance with approved standards, specifications and quality requirements.
• Escalate and intervene where workmanship, materials, supplier performance or construction quality create unacceptable project, operational or reputational risk.

Non-Conformance, Risk and Corrective Action

• Establish and oversee Miral's framework for managing non-conformances, technical deviations, quality risks and corrective actions across the portfolio.
• Ensure significant quality issues are investigated through structured root-cause analysis, with clear ownership, timely resolution and effective preventive measures.
• Monitor quality trends and recurring issues across projects, contractors and suppliers, escalating material risks that may impact cost, schedule, operational readiness or guest experience.
• Maintain independent authority to challenge, reject or suspend non-compliant work and hold consultants, contractors and vendors accountable for effective issue closure and long-term resolution.

Testing, Commissioning, Handover and Operational Readiness

• Establish and oversee technical assurance requirements for testing, commissioning, handover and operational readiness, ensuring assets meet performance, quality and compliance standards prior to opening.
• Provide independent oversight of system integration, asset readiness, critical defect resolution and quality close-out activities, escalating material risks and unresolved issues where required.
• Ensure assets transition successfully into operations through complete handover documentation, operational readiness reviews, clear defect management plans and effective collaboration with Project Delivery, Asset Management and Operations teams.
• Monitor significant defects during warranty and defects liability periods, ensuring lessons learned are captured and applied across future developments.

Theme Park, Attraction and Guest-Facing Quality

• Establish and oversee quality requirements for rides, attractions, show systems, themed environments and other specialist guest-facing assets, ensuring alignment with Miral standards, IP requirements and industry best practices.
• Lead technical assurance reviews to verify the integration, operability, maintainability and long-term performance of attraction systems, themed elements and supporting infrastructure.
• Ensure guest-facing quality is assessed from both an engineering and experiential perspective, safeguarding creative intent, operational reliability and the overall guest experience.
• Maintain alignment with relevant industry standards, codes and attraction-specific requirements, incorporating best practices into Miral's technical standards and project delivery framework.

Standards, Lessons Learned and Continuous Improvement

• Establish and maintain Miral's technical standards, quality frameworks and assurance protocols, ensuring consistent application across all projects and disciplines.
• Capture and embed lessons learned, operational feedback and quality trends into future briefs, specifications, design standards and delivery requirements to improve long-term project outcomes
• Leverage quality data, performance reporting and industry benchmarking to identify improvement opportunities, strengthen technical governance and continuously enhance design and delivery quality across the portfolio.

Leadership & Quality Culture

• Lead and develop Miral's Technical Compliance and QA/QC function, establishing clear accountability across engineering, construction, fit-out, theming and guest-facing quality disciplines.
• Foster a culture where quality, technical compliance and operational readiness are treated as critical owner priorities that protect asset value, guest experience and long-term performance.
• Provide independent technical leadership and challenge across Development, Design, Project Delivery and Operations, ensuring quality standards are consistently applied throughout the project lifecycle.
• Establish quality competency standards, drive continuous improvement through lessons learned and best practices, and represent Miral in senior technical discussions with operators, consultants, contractors, IP holders and industry stakeholders.

Academic & Experience Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management or a related technical discipline from a recognized institution. Master’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quality Management, Project Management or a related field is preferred.
• Professional registration with a recognized engineering, architectural or construction body and/or certification in quality management, technical assurance or auditing is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in technical compliance, quality assurance, engineering, design management or construction delivery, including significant leadership experience on major capital projects.
• Demonstrated experience establishing and leading enterprise-level technical assurance, compliance and quality governance frameworks across the full project lifecycle, from design through construction, commissioning and handover.
• Significant experience delivering complex, technically intensive and guest-facing developments, such as theme parks, attractions, entertainment destinations, cultural assets, mixed-use developments or other large-scale destination projects.
• Strong multidisciplinary understanding of design, construction, technical compliance, commissioning and operational readiness across major development programs.
• Experience working with rides, attractions, show systems, themed environments, intellectual property partners or other specialist entertainment systems is highly desirable.
• Strong knowledge of international quality, technical and amusement industry standards, including ISO 9001 and relevant ASTM, EN and regulatory frameworks.
• Proven ability to provide independent technical challenge, influence senior stakeholders and drive quality outcomes across consultants, contractors, operators, manufacturers and project teams.
• Strong commercial, risk management and problem-solving capability, with the ability to identify issues early, mitigate delivery risks and protect long-term asset value.
• Experience within the UAE or GCC and familiarity with regional regulations, authority requirements and construction practices is preferred.
• Exceptional communication, leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage effectively at executive, project and partner levels.
• Fluency in English is required. Arabic language capability would be advantageous.