Project Director

Confidential Construction; Dubai; On-site; AED 700,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Construction is seeking an experienced Project Director to lead end-to-end delivery of one or more large-scale construction projects in the UAE. You will drive strategy, governance, and the execution model to meet programme, budget, quality, safety, and commercial targets.

The role requires 12+ years in construction/project management with 8+ years in senior management, fluent English (Arabic preferred).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent.
• PMP certification preferred.
• Minimum 12 years of relevant construction/project management experience with UAE delivery.
• At least 8 years in progressively increasing managerial responsibilities.
• Fluent written and spoken English; Arabic language skills preferred.

Responsibilities

• Directs end-to-end delivery of large-scale or complex construction projects from mobilization to handover.
• Establishes project execution strategy, governance, and delivery model.
• Translates budgets and priorities into clear objectives and milestones.
• Provides executive direction to teams and escalates critical issues promptly.
• Manages financial performance, cash flow, and commercial risk across projects.
• Reviews contractual matters, variations, and claims to protect commercial interests.
• Oversees budgets, progress, procurement, and subcontractor performance for control of schedule and cost.

Skills

Fluent English

Arabic preferred

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

PMP certification (preferred)

Job description

The role holder is accountable for the end-to-end delivery and overall performance of one or more large-scale, complex or strategically significant construction projects, from mobilization through testing, commissioning, handover, final account and defects-liability obligations. The role holder ensures achievement of approved contractual, commercial, programme, cost, cash-flow, quality and safety objectives; leads project teams; establishes execution and governance arrangements; manages senior client, consultant and authority relationships; and protects the Company's contractual and commercial interests.

The role holder shall carry out his duties in accordance with the stipulated business policies and procedures.

Key Responsibilities

• Directs the delivery of one or multiple strategically significant construction projects from mobilization through completion and handover to achieve approved programme, budget, quality, safety, contractual and commercial objectives.
• Establishes the overall project execution strategy, governance framework, delivery model, mobilization plan and key accountabilities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Translates contractual requirements, approved budgets and organizational priorities into clear project objectives, delivery milestones, work fronts and accountable actions.
• Provides executive direction to project teams and ensures timely escalation, decision-making and resolution of critical delivery, technical, commercial and operational issues.
• Is accountable for overall project financial and commercial performance, including profitability, cash flow, cost-to-complete, revenue, commercial risks, contractual claims and cost-optimization initiatives.
• Reviews major contractual matters, commercial negotiations, client variations, deductions, liquidated damages and back-charges to protect the Company's contractual and commercial interests.
• Oversees project budgets, cost forecasts, earned-value performance, payment applications/certifications, cash collection and financial reporting to identify and address deviations.
• Ensures variations, extensions of time, claims, disruption/prolongation matters and contractual notices are identified, substantiated, documented and submitted within contractual timeframes.
• Reviews subcontractor commercial exposure, liabilities, claims, performance and major procurement commitments to maintain cost, cash-flow and delivery control.

Technical & Operational Leadership

• Leads engineering coordination, construction methodologies, buildability reviews and value-engineering initiatives to improve project performance and resolve complex technical challenges.
• Oversees engineering, authority approvals, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning, snagging, handover, as-built documentation and close-out activities to ensure integrated project delivery.
• Approves major construction methodologies, temporary works, mobilization plans, logistics strategies, work-front planning and sequencing arrangements to maximize safe productivity.
• Ensures IFC/design information, shop drawings, RFIs, technical submittals, material approvals, long-lead items and specialist resources are available in line with construction priorities and the approved programme.
• Directs recovery planning, delay mitigation and resource mobilization where progress falls behind approved milestones, and ensures constraints are resolved before they impact the critical path.
• Establishes and monitors the baseline/master programme, updated and recovery programmes, key milestones and critical-path activities, ensuring engineering, procurement, authority approvals and subcontractor programmes are fully integrated.
• Directs the deployment of manpower, equipment, materials and subcontractor resources according to project priorities, work-front availability, productivity targets and workload requirements.
• Reviews progress, productivity, resource utilisation, procurement status and operational constraints and initiates corrective measures to recover delays and improve performance.

Quality, Health, Safety & Environmental Management

• Ensures project activities comply with approved quality plans, health and safety requirements, environmental standards, authority requirements and applicable regulations.
• Champions a proactive safety culture and holds project leadership and subcontractors accountable for eliminating hazards, preventing incidents and closing corrective actions.
• Reviews significant quality failures, safety incidents and non-conformances and ensures root causes are addressed through timely and sustainable corrective actions.
• Ensures construction works, materials and workmanship meet contractual specifications, approved drawings, method statements, inspection requirements and applicable industry standards.

Stakeholder Management

• Develops executive-level relationships with clients, consultants, authorities and strategic partners to facilitate decisions, approvals, payments and successful project outcomes while protecting the Company's contractual position.
• Represents the Company during executive steering meetings, progress and commercial meetings, dispute resolution and critical contractual discussions, avoiding commitments outside delegated authority.

Risk & Performance Management

• Directs project governance, operational and contractual risk management, performance reporting and corrective actions, with particular focus on programme, cost, cash flow, procurement, subcontractor and handover risks.
• Champions operational excellence, productivity, quality, safety, commercial awareness and continuous improvement across the project, and ensures lessons learned are captured and applied.

Qualifications, Experience and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent is required
• Relevant certification in PMP (Project Management Professional) or equivalent is preferred
• Minimum of 12 years of relevant experience in construction/contracting project management and operations, with proven delivery of major or complex projects in the UAE
• At least 8 years in progressively increasing managerial responsibilities
• Fluent written and spoken English essential, Arabic preferred