Director Projects - MD Office

DAMAC Properties; Dubai; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

DAMAC Properties is seeking a Senior Project Manager to oversee strategic operations across departments. This role includes ensuring alignment with the Managing Director's directives, managing stakeholder relationships, and implementing governance frameworks for operational excellence in the real estate industry.

Qualifications

• Experience in management or consulting with a focus on business transformation.
• Knowledge of capital project management principles.
• PMP or equivalent project management certification is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Oversee operations across departments to align with MD directives.
• Facilitate meetings and document MD directives to ensure implementation.
• Monitor progress and compliance of action items against projects.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration

Tools

PowerBI

Project management tools

Job description

This position sits in the MD Office and will be responsible for ensuring that operations across departments and business units align with MD directives and strategic priorities. The Senior Project Manager acts as a liaison to resolve operational challenges, coordinate cross-functional efforts, and proactively manage stakeholder relationships to keep teams such as IT, Operational departments, Finance, Projects, and Sales & Marketing unified around strategic goals. The Senior Project Manager is also responsible for establishing and implementing a governance framework to support timely and accurate performance reporting and facilitate informed decision-making. In addition, the Senior Project Manager should identify operational improvements as well as manage and/or support the delivery of strategic projects.

1. JOB DETAILS

• Department / Business Unit: MD Office

2. KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Operations Oversight and Facilitation

• Attend key meetings with the MD and various business units and departments, ensuring comprehensive understanding and alignment with the MD's objectives.
• Contribute valuable insights and analysis during these meetings, providing context and supporting data that assist in strategic decision-making.
• Document and formulate MD directives discussed in meetings, ensuring clarity and accuracy before disseminating them to relevant departments.
• Ensure MD directives are communicated, tracked, and implemented effectively across key departments (IT, CRM, Collections, Handover).
• Facilitate follow-up actions post-meeting by communicating the MD's directives effectively and ensuring all stakeholders are aware of their roles and responsibilities in execution.
• Review MIS Reports and liaise with MIS team and key stakeholders to obtain further clarifications as well as validate closure of MD directives.
• Regularly review departmental activities, providing guidance and corrective actions to maintain alignment with MD Office objectives.
• Act as the primary liaison for cross-functional issue resolution, coordinating between departments to address challenges promptly.
• Collaborate with department heads to implement process improvements that support seamless and integrated operations, ensuring that all teams work cohesively toward shared goals.
• Proactively identify potential risks and operational challenges, developing mitigation plans to ensure smooth continuity in achieving MD directives.
• Serve as the escalation point for resolving complex issues between departments, coordinating responses and ensuring quick resolution to maintain operational flow.

B. Governance and Reporting

• Enforce compliance with the defined governance framework across departments, encompassing areas such as MIS reporting, MD directives, budget planning, and other key operational processes.
• Develop and maintain tools, templates, and tracking systems that support governance adherence and streamline reporting across departments.
• Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the governance and reporting structures, recommending enhancements to ensure they continue to meet the evolving needs of the MD Office and maintain alignment with strategic objectives.
• Track and report on the progress of meeting action items, providing the MD with regular updates to confirm alignment with directives and prompt issue resolution where needed.
• Design, implement, and maintain governance frameworks to ensure adherence to MD guidelines and directives as well as compliance with defined policies.
• Prepare and present detailed reports (weekly and monthly) to the MD, summarizing progress against projects, directives, desired outcomes, operational metrics, and potential risks or issues requiring attention.
• Define and monitor KPIs aligned with MD Office objectives, ensuring regular updates are provided to stakeholders and adjustments are made as needed.
• Monitor performance metrics for various departments to evaluate operational effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
• Lead the design and creation of PowerBI dashboards to provide comprehensive, real-time insights on operational performance as well as KPIs/SLAs.

C. Strategic and Business Transformation Initiatives Support

• Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on strategic initiatives, providing guidance based on extensive project management and operational experience to align with the MD’s vision, uphold quality standards, and serve the organization’s best interests.
• Provide expert guidance on developing and managing RFPs, vendor selection, and project scoping for operational initiatives, including evaluations of external resources.
• Review and validate project deliverables, ensuring they meet established criteria for quality, completeness, and alignment with strategic goals before they reach the MD for review.
• Evaluate proposed initiatives to assess their strategic alignment, feasibility, and potential impact, advising the MD on prioritization to maximize organizational value.
• Collaborate with departmental leaders to facilitate strategic initiatives, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and timelines are met.
• Monitor progress of ongoing initiatives, ensuring clear communication of objectives, responsibilities, and deliverables among cross-functional teams.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to strategic initiatives, providing early intervention strategies and advice to preempt potential challenges.
• Engage regularly with key stakeholders to maintain alignment on project objectives, progress, and quality standards, fostering collaboration that supports the MD’s interests.

D. Stakeholder Management and Coordination

• Foster effective communication channels with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring consistent updates and alignment on MD Office priorities.
• Coordinate with heads of departments (Transformation Office, IT, CRM, Collections, Handover, Hospitality, Internal Audit, and others) to facilitate smooth collaboration on projects and operational tasks.
• Conduct regular review meetings to assess progress, address escalations, and ensure compliance with MD directives across business units.
• Provide regular feedback and insights to stakeholders to support decision-making and enhance collaborative efficiency.

E. Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement efforts by recommending and implementing enhancements to existing operational processes and project methodologies.
• Support enhancements initiatives, particularly those related to process automation and performance tracking, to increase operational efficiency.
• Encourage an innovation mindset across operational departments, advocating for and adopting new tools, methodologies, and practices that support enhanced productivity.

3. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Experience and Technical Knowledge

• 7-10 years experience in a management or business consulting firm, with a strong focus on business and/or IT transformation and a proven track record in advising on and executing strategies that drive organizational change, operational efficiency, and technology adoption; or
• 10+ years experience in business operations management, governance, or cross-functional coordination.
• Knowledge of capital project management principles, including budgeting, resource allocation, and lifecycle management, oversight and reporting is desired but not mandatory.
• Strong expertise in governance and reporting, with proficiency in PowerBI and project management tools.
• Demonstrated experience within the real estate sector, with a solid understanding of industry-specific operational processes, stakeholder needs, and the property development lifecycle.
• Experience in facilitating business operations, managing stakeholders, and implementing process improvements.
• Experience with automation and process efficiency tools (e.g. Monday.com, Microsoft Automate, PowerBI, etc.).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Master’s degree(s) in fields of management are advantageous, but not required.
• PMP, PRINCE2 or other project management certification is advantageous but not mandatory; financial analysis certifications are a plus.

4. KEY COMPETENCIES AND SKILLSETS

Behavioural Competencies

• Strong leadership qualities and the ability to manage and motivate teams and individuals to inspire and secure strong performance
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to convince & collaborate with senior management and internal and external stakeholders
• Assertive & performance driven, with the ability to function autonomously
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, particularly in high-stakes, operationally complex environments.
• Adaptability and resilience, with a focus on continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Creative approach to problem solving, track record with highly effective teams
• Attention to detail, having delivered tangible value addition in current role

Other General Skill Sets

• A systematic approach to work maintaining accountability, plans and demonstrations of success
• Influencing and enabling skills to ensure priorities are met
• Team player, values authenticity and integrity
• Advanced skills in PowerBI, project management tools, and process optimization.
• Comprehensive knowledge of business operations, especially in CRM, collections, and contact center environments.