Project Director – Infrastructure

Gulf Contracting & Landscaping (GCL); Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 600,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Gulf Contracting & Landscaping (GCL) in Abu Dhabi seeks a Project Director to lead end-to-end planning, execution, and delivery of major infrastructure programs. You will manage multi-disciplinary teams, budgets, schedules, and regulatory compliance to ensure projects are on time, within scope and within budget.

You will oversee governance, client and stakeholder relationships, and strategic reporting to senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field is required.
• Master’s degree is preferred in Engineering, Construction Management, or MBA/Business Administration.
• PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent certification is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, execution, monitoring, and closure of large, complex infrastructure projects from concept to handover.
• Develop project charters, schedules, budgets, risk registers, and execution plans.
• Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, safety, quality benchmarks, and regulatory requirements.
• Drive governance frameworks with reporting and performance tracking across active projects.
• Manage relationships with clients, authorities, contractors, and internal leadership.
• Oversee contract negotiations, procurement strategies, and change orders.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Budgeting & cost control

Risk management

Negotiation

Communication skills

Regulatory compliance knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or related field

Master's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or Business Administration

PMP/PRINCE2 or equivalent certification

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

AutoCAD

ERP/PM software

Job description

The Project Director will be responsible for the end-to-end planning, execution, and delivery of large-scale infrastructure projects (roads, bridges, utilities, water/wastewater, power, transportation, or urban development). The role requires strong leadership in managing multi-disciplinary teams, stakeholder relationships, budgets, schedules, and regulatory compliance to ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the planning, execution, monitoring, and closure of large, complex infrastructure projects from concept through commissioning/handover
• Develop and oversee project charters, execution plans, schedules, budgets, and risk registers
• Ensure projects are delivered in compliance with contractual obligations, safety standards, quality benchmarks, and regulatory requirements
• Drive project governance frameworks, ensuring consistent reporting and performance tracking across all active projects

Stakeholder & Client Management:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients, government authorities, contractors, consultants, and internal leadership
• Build and maintain strong relationships with regulatory bodies, municipal authorities, and utility providers
• Manage stakeholder expectations through transparent communication, progress reporting, and issue resolution

Team & Resource Management:

• Lead, mentor, and manage cross-functional teams including engineers, planners, site managers, and support staff
• Allocate resources effectively across multiple concurrent projects to optimise productivity and cost efficiency
• Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement within project teams
• Own project P&L, including budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and variance analysis
• Oversee contract negotiations, procurement strategies, and vendor/subcontractor management
• Review and approve change orders, claims, and contract variations in line with commercial guidelines

Risk, Quality & Compliance:

• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks proactively, including technical, financial, environmental, and safety risks
• Ensure adherence to Health, Safety, Environment & Quality (HSEQ) standards across all project phases
• Ensure compliance with local building codes, environmental regulations, and industry standards (e.g., FIDIC, PMI/PMBOK)

Reporting & Strategic Input:

• Provide regular project status reports, dashboards, and executive summaries to senior leadership and clients
• Contribute to business development efforts, including proposal development, bid reviews, and client presentations
• Support strategic planning by identifying growth opportunities within the infrastructure sector

Required Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field (required)
• Master's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or Business Administration (preferred)
• PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent Project Management certification (highly preferred)

Experience:

• 12–18+ years of progressive experience in infrastructure project management, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership/director-level role
• Proven track record of delivering large-scale infrastructure projects valued
• Demonstrated experience managing EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) contracts and multi-stakeholder environments
• Experience working with government/public sector infrastructure projects is a strong advantage
• Strong knowledge of construction methodologies, engineering principles, and infrastructure regulatory frameworks
• Excellent leadership, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
• Proficiency in project management tools (Primavera P6, MS Project, AutoCAD, ERP/PM software)
• Strong financial acumen with experience in budgeting, cost control, and contract management
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with executives, clients, and site teams
• Sound understanding of HSE standards and risk management practices

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• On-time and on-budget project delivery rate
• Client satisfaction and stakeholder feedback scores
• Safety incident rate (HSE compliance)
• Cost variance and profitability margins
• Quality audit outcomes and rework rates

Working Conditions:

• Frequent travel to project sites required
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Flexibility to manage multiple projects simultaneously across different geographies