Head of Pre-Construction

Alliad; Dubai; On-site; AED 800,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Alliad is seeking a Head of Pre-Construction to lead our pre-construction function across a diverse portfolio of design-and-build projects. This senior leadership role focuses on design management, buildability, technical coordination, risk management, and early project strategy.

The ideal candidate will bridge design intent and delivery execution, ensuring projects are commercially viable, technically robust, and efficiently delivered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Construction Management, or related discipline including MCIOB preferred.
• At least 10–15 years of pre-construction, design management, or technical management experience in a main contractor environment.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage external consultants.

Responsibilities

• Lead the pre-construction function from bid stage through handover to project delivery.
• Drive pre-construction strategy aligning client requirements, design, commercial objectives, and construction method.
• Oversee design coordination during tender/pre-award with focus on buildability and risk.
• Provide leadership on contractor-led design development ensuring practical, cost-effective solutions.
• Review drawings and submissions to identify gaps, coordination issues, and risks.
• Lead value engineering and design optimization workshops.
• Collaborate with estimating, procurement, planning and operations to develop integrated solutions.
• Support tendering activities including technical submissions and risk reviews.
• Oversee external consultants, design managers and subcontractors in the pre-construction process.
• Establish strong client, consultant and stakeholder relationships for clear decision-making.
• Ensure governance of design deliverables, approvals and milestones.

Skills

Pre-construction leadership

Design management

Buildability

Technical coordination

Risk management

Early project strategy

Bridge design intent

Commercial viability

Programme impact

Procurement

Sequencing

Site execution

Value engineering

Design optimization

Tendering

Bid management

Stakeholder management

Governance

Transition to delivery

Mentoring

Education

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

MCIOB

Job description

We are looking for a Head of Pre-Construction to lead our pre-construction function across a diverse portfolio of design-and-build projects. This is a senior leadership role focused on construction-led design management, buildability, technical coordination, risk management, and early project strategy.

The ideal candidate will have the ability to bridge design intent and delivery execution, ensuring projects are commercially viable, technically robust, and efficiently delivered. A strong understanding of how design decisions impact programme, procurement, sequencing, risk, and site execution is essential.

If you have a proven track record of leading pre-construction teams and driving successful project outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the pre-construction function from bid stage through to handover to project delivery teams.
• Drive pre-construction strategy for design-and-build projects, ensuring alignment between client requirements, consultant design, commercial objectives, and construction methodology.
• Manage and oversee design coordination during tender and pre-award stages, with a strong focus on buildability, technical compliance, and delivery risk.
• Provide leadership on contractor-led design development, ensuring that design solutions are practical, cost-effective, and aligned with programme and procurement constraints.
• Review drawings, specifications, and technical submissions to identify gaps, inconsistencies, coordination issues, and potential delivery risks.
• Lead value engineering and design optimization workshops to improve efficiency, reduce cost, and strengthen constructability without compromising quality or performance.
• Work closely with estimating, commercial, procurement, planning, and operations teams to develop integrated pre-construction solutions.
• Support tendering and bid management activities, including methodology development, technical submissions, design narratives, risk reviews, and interview preparation.
• Oversee external consultants, design managers, and specialist subcontractors involved in the pre-construction and design development process.
• Establish strong working relationships with clients, consultants, and internal project stakeholders to ensure clear communication and effective decision-making.
• Ensure robust governance of design deliverables, approvals, authority requirements, and pre-construction milestones.
• Lead the transition of projects from pre-construction into live delivery, ensuring continuity of design intent, technical understanding, and risk management.
• Mentor and develop the pre-construction and design management team, building capability across technical, commercial, and leadership disciplines.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Construction Management, or a related discipline, MCIOB.
• 10-15 years experience in pre-construction, design management, or technical management within a main contractor environment.
• Strong track record in design-and-build project delivery, ideally across complex and geographically challenging building projects.
• Demonstrable experience managing design development from a contractor’s perspective, with a clear understanding of construction methodology and buildability.
• Strong technical knowledge across architectural, structural, and MEP coordination.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to balance quality, programme, and cost considerations during design development.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing external consultants and specialist subcontractors.
• Strong understanding of international standards, codes of practice processes, technical approvals, and construction regulations.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.
• Ability to operate strategically while remaining hands‑on in technical and design-related matters.