Principal Delivery Management Services

ekthar; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 450,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

ekthar is seeking a Principal to lead delivery management services for major programs in the UAE. You will oversee multi-project engagements, guide cross-functional teams, manage risks, and drive client satisfaction while identifying new business opportunities.

The role requires extensive leadership experience in consulting or PMO settings, with a strong focus on governance, budgeting, and strategic delivery across government-related and private sector clients.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Economics, Public Policy, or related field.
• Master's/MBA preferred for senior delivery leadership roles.
• 10+ years in program or project delivery with leadership responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of major programs and strategic initiatives across multiple client engagements.
• Oversee planning, governance, budgets, risks, stakeholder management, and performance reporting.
• Act as senior client contact, ensuring relationships and satisfaction.

Skills

Program management

Leadership

Client management

Business development

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Budgeting

Proposal development

Communication

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree / MBA

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Principal – Delivery Management Services to lead the delivery of major programs and strategic initiatives for our clients.

The role combines program delivery oversight, team leadership, client management, and business development, with responsibility for ensuring high-quality execution across multiple engagements while contributing to the growth and development of the Delivery Management service offering.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of major programs and strategic initiatives across multiple client engagements.
• Oversee program planning, execution, governance, budgets, risks, stakeholder management, and performance reporting.
• Act as the senior point of contact for key clients, ensuring strong relationships, effective communication, and client satisfaction.
• Lead, manage, and develop multidisciplinary teams of project managers, associates, and analysts.
• Oversee resource allocation, staffing, workload distribution, and delivery capacity across multiple projects.
• Establish and maintain consistent program management standards, methodologies, tools, and quality requirements.
• Ensure the quality and timely delivery of project outputs and client deliverables.
• Identify and manage delivery, financial, contractual, and reputational risks and ensure appropriate mitigation measures.
• Build and maintain relationships with senior stakeholders across government, government-related, and private sector organizations.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities with existing and prospective clients.
• Lead the preparation of proposals, including solution design, delivery approach, staffing, pricing, and commercial considerations.
• Contribute to the development and growth of the Delivery Management service offering.
• Support the development of internal methodologies, tools, knowledge, and organizational capabilities.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and other service areas to develop integrated solutions and cross-practice opportunities.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Economics, Public Policy, or a related field; a Master's degree, MBA, MPA, or equivalent is preferred.
• Minimum 10+ years of progressive experience in program and/or project delivery, including significant leadership responsibilities.
• Experience within a leading consulting firm, PMO, major program delivery organization, or similar environment.
• Proven experience delivering large-scale, complex, multi-stakeholder programs.
• Strong experience managing multidisciplinary teams and multiple projects or engagements simultaneously.
• Demonstrated experience managing senior clients and stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of the UAE market, particularly Abu Dhabi and its public-sector and government-related entities.
• Experience in public-sector transformation, strategic programs, major initiatives, events, or public-private partnerships is highly valued.
• Proven business development experience, including proposal development and securing new engagements.
• Strong program and project management capabilities, including planning, governance, budgeting, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience in pricing, contracting, and financial management.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, client-management, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong ability to prepare and review executive-level presentations, reports, and dashboards.
• Strategic, entrepreneurial, collaborative, and results-oriented leadership approach.