Program Director - Engineering and Construction

Parsons; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons Corporation is seeking an experienced Program Director to lead the execution of large-scale engineering and construction projects in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The role requires directing multidisciplinary teams, ensuring programs meet requirements, budgets, schedules, and quality standards on-site.

The successful candidate will coordinate with project managers, engineers, discipline leads, and support departments to establish delivery plans, address challenges, and maintain

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 20 years of related professional experience.
• Experience supervising large teams and programs.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership for the execution of large-scale engineering and construction projects or programs.
• Direct business, technical, financial, and administrative functions of assigned programs.
• Negotiate scope changes with clients and relevant subcontractors.
• Mobilize resources and monitor program performance.
• Coordinate with project managers, engineers, and discipline leads to ensure effective delivery.
• Ensure delivery meets budgets, schedules, and quality standards.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Team coordination

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Job description

Program Director – Engineering and Construction

Program Snapshot – Role: Program Director – Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Industry: Civil Engineering – Function: Program Management – Experience: Minimum 20 years of related experience, including supervisory and managerial responsibilities – Job Type: Full Time – Work Arrangement: On-site

Parsons Corporation is seeking an experienced Program Director to lead the execution of large-scale engineering and construction projects or programs in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The position involves directing multidisciplinary teams, overseeing complex technical and commercial activities, and ensuring that assigned programs are managed in accordance with established requirements, budgets, schedules, and quality standards. The Program Director will serve as a principal company representative in interactions with clients, subcontractors, and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities include negotiating scope changes, establishing project execution requirements, mobilizing resources, managing project teams, and monitoring overall program performance. The role requires strong leadership across engineering, technical, financial, and administrative functions. The successful candidate will coordinate with project managers, engineers, discipline leads, and support departments to establish effective delivery plans and address challenges affecting project execution.

Candidates must hold a Bachelor 's degree in Engineering or a related field and have at least 20 years of relevant professional experience, including supervisory or managerial responsibilities. Extensive experience leading large groups of engineers, designers, and technical support personnel is essential.

Program Leadership and Executive Management

• Provide overall leadership for the execution of assigned large-scale engineering and construction projects or programs.
• Plan, direct, supervise, and control the business, technical, financial, and administrative functions of assigned projects.
• Establish clear program requirements and communicate expectations to project teams.
• Direct multidisciplinary personnel responsible for engineering, design, technical coordination, and project support.
• Monitor overall program performance against established objectives.
• Identify significant execution challenges and coordinate appropriate management responses.
• Maintain effective coordination between project leadership, technical teams, and corporate support functions.
• Support consistent delivery of project requirements throughout the program lifecycle.

Client Representation and Stakeholder Management

• Act as the company representative in dealings with clients and selected subcontractors during program execution.
• Maintain effective professional relationships with client representatives and key stakeholders.
• Negotiate changes to the scope of work with clients and relevant subcontractors.
• Follow up on project instructions, commitments, and agreed actions.
• Participate in negotiations with regulatory agencies when required.
• Attend public meetings in support of client requirements.
• Coordinate responses to significant client and stakeholder concerns.
• Communicate program objectives, progress, and relevant management decisions.

Project Execution Planning

• Oversee the establishment of Project Execution Plans and associated management documentation.
• Direct the preparation of required Health and Safety Plans.
• Oversee the development of Quality Assurance and Quality Control Plans.
• Establish program requirements covering relevant project execution areas.
• Monitor draft and final deliverables for compliance with established program criteria.
• Ensure that project teams understand the requirements governing assigned activities.
• Coordinate the development of execution strategies with project managers and discipline leads.
• Maintain oversight of project planning and implementation activities.

Program Scope and Contract Coordination

• Review and coordinate changes affecting the approved scope of work.
• Lead relevant scope negotiations with clients and key subcontractors.
• Monitor commitments arising from contractual discussions and project instructions.
• Coordinate with project teams to assess the implications of proposed scope changes.
• Maintain communication with relevant stakeholders regarding approved changes.
• Support effective management of project scope and associated execution requirements.

Budgeting, Scheduling and Financial Oversight

• Work with project managers, engineers, and discipline leads to develop project budgets and schedules.
• Oversee planning activities for the various elements of assigned projects.
• Monitor progress against established milestones and delivery requirements.
• Review conditions that may affect project costs or schedules.
• Coordinate management responses to significant budget or schedule concerns.
• Monitor the financial and operational performance of assigned project activities.
• Provide relevant program performance information to company management.
• Support effective coordination between technical execution and financial management functions.

Multidisciplinary Team Leadership

• Lead large groups of engineers, designers, and technical support personnel.
• Assign project execution responsibilities to appropriate team members.
• Assess the qualifications, experience, and strengths of key personnel when delegating responsibilities.
• Provide direction to managers, engineers, and technical discipline leads.
• Coordinate team activities to support effective project execution.
• Monitor the performance of assigned personnel.
• Provide input to employee performance reviews and professional development plans.
• Promote clear accountability and effective communication across multidisciplinary teams.

Resource Mobilization and Organizational Coordination

• Mobilize company resources required for project execution.
• Coordinate with corporate support departments, other offices, and subsidiaries to establish capable project teams.
• Identify project staffing and operational resource requirements.
• Collaborate with relevant personnel to address resource availability and allocation.
• Coordinate with office facilities staff regarding project space requirements.
• Support the organization of teams capable of delivering quality technical work.
• Oversee relevant field administration responsibilities when required, including labor relations, local procurement, and payroll operations.

Quality Assurance and Technical Excellence

• Promote technical and commercial excellence throughout assigned projects.
• Oversee the application of established Quality Assurance processes.
• Monitor compliance with relevant project execution and quality requirements.
• Coordinate with engineering and technical leadership regarding complex technical matters.
• Support consistent implementation of approved quality management procedures.
• Review significant issues affecting technical performance and deliverable quality.
• Ensure that draft and final project deliverables are monitored against established requirements.

Program Monitoring and Management Reporting

• Monitor the progress of project activities across the assigned program.
• Track significant milestones and relevant execution commitments.
• Identify conditions that may affect project cost, schedule, or delivery.
• Prepare or oversee the communication of program performance information to management.
• Establish weekly project status meetings.
• Review outstanding issues and formulate appropriate action items.
• Monitor follow-up activities arising from project coordination meetings.
• Maintain effective reporting channels between project teams and senior management.

Project Communication and Team Alignment

• Oversee the preparation of a concise one-to-two-page project description for distribution to project team members.
• Ensure that team members understand the overall project objectives and execution requirements.
• Communicate relevant program decisions and management instructions.
• Coordinate with project managers and technical leads regarding significant project developments.
• Support consistent understanding of project priorities across participating teams.
• Maintain effective communication with clients, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders.

Business Development and Client Relationship Support

• Collaborate with Business Development personnel to identify opportunities for additional work with existing clients.
• Support client engagement activities related to potential project opportunities.
• Contribute technical and management expertise to relevant business development discussions.
• Maintain productive relationships that support ongoing client coordination.
• Participate in activities intended to secure additional work when required.

Regulatory and Industry Coordination

• Participate in discussions and negotiations with regulatory agencies in support of clients.
• Represent relevant project interests during public meetings when required.
• Apply knowledge of applicable industry practices and regulations.
• Coordinate with project personnel regarding regulatory matters affecting execution.
• Support appropriate communication between project teams and relevant external stakeholders.

Additional Management Responsibilities

• Follow up on instructions and commitments associated with assigned projects.
• Address significant technical, operational, and administrative issues within the scope of the position.
• Coordinate additional management activities necessary for effective program execution.
• Perform other responsibilities associated with the position as appropriate.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor 's degree in Engineering or a related field.
• Minimum 20 years of related professional experience, including supervisory or managerial experience.
• Significant managerial experience leading large groups of engineers, designers, and technical support personnel.
• Proven ability to manage multidisciplinary engineering and technical teams.
• Experience directing work involving complex technical situations.
• Strong knowledge of engineering and construction project management practices.
• Thorough understanding of relevant industry practices and regulations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of current engineering technology.
• Understanding of the capabilities and efficiencies of engineering software used to complete technical assignments.
• Experience coordinating technical, commercial, financial, and administrative project functions.
• Ability to direct project teams and manage significant execution responsibilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Professional Registration

Professional Engineer registration with active membership in a professional engineering society may be required, depending on the applicable position requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master 's degree in Engineering or a related field.

Leadership and Professional Competencies

• Large-scale engineering and construction program management.
• Executive project leadership.
• Multidisciplinary engineering team management.
• Client and subcontractor relationship management.
• Project scope negotiation.
• Project Execution Plan development and oversight.
• Health and Safety Plan oversight.
• Quality Assurance and Quality Control management.
• Program requirements management.
• Technical deliverable monitoring.
• Project budgeting and scheduling.
• Program cost and schedule oversight.
• Engineering resource mobilization.
• Technical and administrative team coordination.
• Personnel performance management.
• Project staffing and organizational planning.
• Regulatory agency coordination.
• Public meeting participation.
• Complex technical issue management.
• Engineering technology and software knowledge.
• Commercial and contractual coordination.
• Project milestone monitoring.
• Executive progress reporting.
• Weekly project status reviews.
• Business development collaboration.
• Strategic communication and stakeholder engagement.

Working at Parsons

As a Program Director, you will lead multidisciplinary professionals responsible for delivering complex engineering and construction projects or programs. The position provides an opportunity to combine senior-level engineering knowledge with program leadership, client engagement, financial oversight, and organizational management. You will work with project managers, engineers, designers, technical specialists, and corporate support departments to establish effective execution strategies, coordinate resources, and monitor project performance. Parsons emphasizes technical excellence, professional collaboration, employee wellbeing, and opportunities for professional development. The company values experienced leaders who can manage complex technical environments, develop capable teams, and maintain effective relationships with clients and stakeholders.

About Parsons Corporation

Parsons Corporation provides engineering, technical consulting, design, and project services across infrastructure and development sectors. Its multidisciplinary teams support planning, engineering coordination, construction supervision, program management, and project delivery. The company emphasizes technical expertise, innovation, quality management, and collaborative approaches to complex engineering and construction challenges.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Parsons is committed to equal employment opportunity without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.