Project Controls Director

Rail Personnel; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering recruitment firm is seeking a Project Controls Director in Dubai for the Abu Dhabi - Dubai HSR Project. This role requires extensive experience in project controls, cost management, and risk assessment, with a specific focus on high-speed rail systems. The ideal candidate will have over 20 years of experience and proven leadership in HSR projects. A Master's degree in construction or engineering is preferred.

Qualifications

• 20+ years in railway systems and construction management.
• Mandatory experience on at least 1 high-speed rail project.
• Minimum 5 years in high-speed rail experience (>250 km/h).

Responsibilities

• Lead project control functions across planning, cost, schedule.
• Oversee integrated project schedules for civil and systems delivery.
• Manage budget control processes including performance analysis.

Skills

Project controls management

Cost control

Risk management

Change management

High-speed rail experience

Education

Master's degree in construction/engineering

Chartered Engineer Status

Job description

Our client

is bidding for work on the Abu Dhabi - Dubai HSR Project and they are looking for suitably qualified and experienced candidates for the role of Project Controls Director.

Job Summary : The Project Director - Controls is responsible for the leadership, implementation, and oversight of all project control functions for complex railway infrastructure projects, with a strong focus on high-speed rail systems (>250 km/h). This includes schedule management, cost control, risk management, change control, reporting, and systems integration support. The candidate must have proven experience in the successful delivery of at least one high-speed rail project in a similar leadership role and possess more than five years of dedicated HSR experience.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Lead the full suite of project control functions across planning, cost, schedule, risk, and change management.
2. Oversee integrated project schedules and ensure alignment between civil, systems, and rolling stock delivery.
3. Manage budget control processes including forecasting, earned value management (EVM), and performance analysis.
4. Establish and monitor KPIs to measure project health, progress, and productivity.
5. Direct the development and implementation of project controls systems, tools, and dashboards.
6. Coordinate with construction, engineering, procurement, and systems integration teams to maintain alignment on scope and interfaces.
7. Support executive reporting, performance reviews, and client presentations with accurate, timely data.
8. Lead risk identification and mitigation planning across all project phases.
9. Implement robust change management protocols and ensure change impacts are properly assessed and communicated.
10. Ensure project control practices are compliant with contractual, regulatory, and governance requirements.

Job Requirements :

A Director shall have a construction / engineering related university degree (preferably a Master's degree or have Chartered Engineer Status), with not less than 20 years' experience in the leadership and management of similar railway systems and construction works projects (preferably HSR), with demonstrable experience in railway system delivery (signaling, 25 kV AC power, track etc.), construction, and system integration. For Director level positions, it is mandatory to have implementation and delivery experience on at least 1 HSR Project in a similar capacity / role, and total HSR experience (defined as above 250 km/h) shall exceed 5 years minimum.