Operations Manager - Substation Projects

Confidential; Dubai; On-site; AED 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential in Dubai seeks an experienced Operations Manager / Projects Director to lead the delivery of its substation construction portfolio across greenfield, brownfield, and AIS/GIS installations. The role oversees operational delivery, commercial performance, and team leadership across all active projects.

The position requires 15+ years in construction/EPC with 8–10 years in substation project management, along with strong ownership of P&L, budgeting, and stakeholder management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/ Civil Engineering or related field.
• 15+ years in construction/EPC with 8–10 years in substation PM.
• Demonstrated P&L ownership—budgets, cost control, and financial reporting.
• Proven track record leading multiple concurrent substation projects.
• Strong knowledge of substation equipment, testing, and applicable codes/standards.
• Experience managing client, utility, regulatory relationships.
• Leads multi-disciplinary teams across engineering, construction, commercial.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end delivery of all substation projects — from contract award through construction, testing/commissioning, and handover.
• Set and enforce project execution standards, schedules, and quality benchmarks across the project portfolio.
• Act as the escalation point for project risks, delays, and technical/commercial disputes.
• Drive standardization of project controls, reporting, and execution methodology across sites.
• Provide hands-on oversight of substation-specific execution: civil works, structural steel, equipment installation, cabling, testing, and commissioning.
• Ensure compliance with grid codes, utility specifications, and safety/regulatory standards.
• Manage interfaces with clients, utilities, EPC partners, and equipment OEMs.
• Oversee scheduling and resourcing across concurrent substation projects to avoid conflicts and delays.
• Full ownership of the operations P&L — revenue, cost, margin, and cash flow across the project portfolio.
• Review and approve project budgets, cost forecasts, and variance analyses.
• Partner with commercial/finance teams on contract terms, change orders, claims, and margin protection.
• Identify cost overruns early and implement corrective action plans; report portfolio performance to executives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Project Managers, Site Managers, and engineering staff.
• Build a high-performing operations team; manage hiring, performance, and succession planning.
• Foster a strong safety culture across all sites (HSE ownership).
• Serve as senior client-facing representative for major accounts and utility relationships.
• Manage relationships with subcontractors, suppliers, and regulatory bodies.
• Support business development with technical/commercial input on new bids and tenders.

Skills

Substation management

P&L ownership

Stakeholder management

Project governance

Safety leadership

Team leadership

Contract management

EPC experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/ Civil Engineering

PMP or equivalent

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Operations Manager / Projects Director to lead the delivery of our substation construction portfolio, spanning greenfield builds, brownfield upgrades, and AIS/GIS installations across [transmission/distribution] voltage levels. This is a senior leadership role responsible for operational delivery, commercial performance, and team leadership across all active substation projects.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Own end-to-end delivery of all substation projects — from contract award through construction, testing/commissioning, and handover
• Set and enforce project execution standards, schedules, and quality benchmarks across the project portfolio
• Act as the escalation point for project risks, delays, and technical/commercial disputes
• Drive standardization of project controls, reporting, and execution methodology across sites.

Substation Project Management

• Provide hands‑on oversight of substation-specific execution: civil works, structural steel, equipment installation (transformers, GIS/AIS switchgear, protection & control panels), cabling, testing, and commissioning
• Ensure compliance with relevant grid codes, utility specifications, and safety/regulatory standards (e.g., IEC/IEEE, local utility/TSO requirements)
• Manage interfaces with clients, utilities, EPC partners, and equipment OEMs
• Oversee scheduling and resourcing across concurrent substation projects to avoid conflicts and delays

P&L and Commercial Management

• Full ownership of the operations P&L — revenue, cost, margin, and cash flow across the project portfolio
• Review and approve project budgets, cost forecasts, and variance analyses
• Partner with commercial/finance teams on contract terms, change orders, claims, and margin protection
• Identify cost overruns early and implement corrective action plansReport portfolio financial performance to executive leadership on a regular cadence
• Lead, mentor, and develop Project Managers, Site Managers, and engineering staff
• Build a high-performing operations team; manage hiring, performance, and succession planning
• Foster a strong safety culture across all sites (HSE ownership).

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as senior client-facing representative for major accounts and utility relationships
• Manage relationships with subcontractors, suppliers, and regulatory bodies
• Support business development with technical/commercial input on new bids and tenders

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or related field (Master's/MBA a plus)
• 15+ years in construction/EPC, with a minimum of 8-10 years specifically in substation project management.
• Demonstrated ownership of P&L — budgeting, cost control, margin management, and financial reporting at a project or portfolio level
• Proven track record managing multiple concurrent substation projects from award to energization
• Strong working knowledge of substation equipment, testing/commissioning procedures, and applicable codes/standards
• Experience managing client, utility, and regulatory relationships
• Strong leadership experience managing multi-disciplinary teams (engineering, construction, commercial).

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP or equivalent project management certification
• Experience with EPC or turnkey substation contracts
• Familiarity with contract types (FIDIC, NEC, lump-sum, cost-plus) and claims management