ID Project Manager

Ignite Search and Selection; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 406,000 - 487,000; Full time

Job summary

Ignite Search and Selection is seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead complex design projects as Lead Consultant, with responsibility for multidisciplinary coordination from brief through construction.

The role demands strong design management, technical leadership and confident client leadership, with delivery leadership to chair meetings with senior clients, contractors and consultants and drive programmes while maintaining quality, schedule and budget across interiors, architecture,

Qualifications

• Experience leading large design projects as Lead Consultant or equivalent.
• Strong design management and coordination across interior design, architecture and MEP.
• Ability chair meetings with senior clients and consultants.
• Commercial awareness and ability to manage programme and budget.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day delivery of major Lead Consultant commissions.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams and interface with stakeholders.
• Oversee design reviews, QA/QC and design development.
• Maintain client relationships and lead senior client meetings.
• Identify risks, manage scope and ensure on-time delivery.
• Support commercial aspects and variations when required.

Job description

Project Manager – Lead Consultancy / Design Management

Reports to: Director

Level: Project Manager – with opportunity to grow into the position and wider leadership responsibilities

Paying up to AED 40,000 per month

We are looking to appoint an experienced and commercially aware Project Manager to strengthen our delivery leadership team.

The successful candidate will take responsibility for the management and delivery of large-scale, complex design projects where we are appointed as Lead Consultant. These projects typically involve Interior Design being delivered by our in-house team, with a wider multidisciplinary consultant team sitting beneath our Lead Consultant appointment, potentially including Architecture, AOR, MEP, Structural Engineering, Lighting Design, Façade, Landscape, Signage & Wayfinding and other specialist disciplines.

This is not intended to be a traditional creative Design Director position. We are looking for someone with a strong design management, technical coordination and project leadership background who understands how to take a multidisciplinary design project from brief through design, approvals, tender and construction.

The ideal candidate is likely to be currently working within an established Lead Consultancy or multidisciplinary design consultancy.

The Person We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone experienced, technically credible and confident enough to take control of a project when required.

They should be a strong and authoritative project leader without being unnecessarily corporate or abrasive. They need to be comfortable chairing meetings with senior clients, contractors and consultants; challenging information when required; making decisions; holding consultants accountable; and escalating issues appropriately.

They should have the presence and experience to pull rank when necessary, particularly where programme, quality, coordination or contractual responsibilities are at risk, while remaining personable, pragmatic and well-liked by clients and project teams.

The right personality is important. We are looking for someone who is:

• Experienced, mature and credible
• Direct and no-nonsense in their approach
• Personable, approachable and collaborative
• Calm and controlled under pressure
• Confident dealing with senior stakeholders
• Comfortable challenging clients, consultants and contractors constructively
• Decisive and prepared to take ownership
• Organized and able to see both the detail and the bigger picture
• Solutions-focused rather than process-driven for the sake of process
• They should naturally become someone that both clients and internal teams trust to get a project delivered.

Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include:

Project Leadership & Delivery

• Take day-to-day leadership of major Lead Consultant commissions.
• Establish and maintain the overall project delivery strategy, responsibilities, programme and communication structure.
• Maintain oversight of multiple projects running in parallel, identifying risks and priorities before they become critical.
• Drive projects against agreed deliverables, milestones and client expectations.
• Take ownership of issues requiring senior intervention and ensure they are driven through to resolution.

Lead Consultant & Multidisciplinary Coordination

• Manage and coordinate the wider consultant team appointed beneath us.
• Ensure Interior Design, Architecture, AOR, MEP, Structural, Lighting and other specialist disciplines are properly coordinated.
• Establish clear responsibilities and deliverables across the consultant team.
• Identify scope gaps, coordination issues and interface risks.
• Challenge consultants where information, quality or performance is not meeting project requirements.
• Ensure technical information is coordinated before being issued to the client, contractor or wider project team.

Technical & Design Management

• Bring sufficient technical knowledge and experience to interrogate design information rather than simply administer the process.
• Understand multidisciplinary design interfaces and identify potential technical issues.
• Oversee design reviews, technical workshops and coordination meetings.
• Ensure appropriate QA/QC and interdisciplinary reviews are undertaken.
• Maintain an understanding of design intent while balancing buildability, authority requirements, programme, budget and commercial considerations.

Client Leadership

• Act as a senior day-to-day point of contact for key clients.
• Chair client, consultant, contractor and technical coordination meetings.
• Communicate clearly and confidently with senior client stakeholders.
• Manage difficult conversations professionally when required.
• Build strong, long-term client relationships and become viewed as a trusted project leader.

Team Leadership

• Work closely with the Director and Design Director to ensure the creative ambition of projects is translated into coordinated and deliverable solutions.
• Provide leadership and direction to Senior Design Managers, Design Managers and project teams.
• Establish clear priorities and accountability.
• Support the development of less experienced team members.
• Create a project environment that is collaborative but maintains clear ownership and responsibility.

Commercial & Contractual Awareness

• Understand consultant appointments, scopes, deliverables and responsibilities.
• Recognise scope creep and potential additional services.
• Support the Director in managing project commercials, variations and changes in scope.
• Understand the implications of programme delays, consultant performance and late information.
• Maintain awareness of the company's contractual position as Lead Consultant.

Technical Experience

Candidates should demonstrate a strong working understanding of:

• Multidisciplinary design coordination
• Architecture and Interior Architecture
• MEP coordination
• Structural interfaces
• Authority/AOR requirements
• Design programmes and deliverable schedules
• Design responsibility matrices
• Technical submittals and design reviews
• RFIs and technical queries
• Tender and contractor interfaces
• Shop drawing and material submittal processes
• Construction-stage design support
• Consultant appointments and scopes of service
• Change management and scope control