Project Director - Master Planning and Design Management

Parsons; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons is seeking a Project Director to lead master planning and design management in Abu Dhabi. You will direct major infrastructure programmes, oversee planning through execution, and ensure delivery on time, within budget and to high quality standards.

The role requires senior leadership, strong client relations, and a focus on governance and risk management. You will manage multidisciplinary teams, negotiate commercial terms, and drive continuous improvement across the project lifecycle

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Design and Project Management or related technical discipline.
• 20+ years' experience delivering major infrastructure or civil engineering projects in senior leadership.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams, governance, and client engagement at executive level.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of master planning, roads and infrastructure projects.
• Act as primary client contact with authorities, stakeholders, consultants and contractors.
• Provide leadership to multidisciplinary teams, ensure safety, schedule, budget and quality.
• Establish governance, delivery strategies, execution plans and reporting.
• Drive project budgets, forecasts, change management and commercial outcomes.
• Identify risks and opportunities and monitor performance for timely decisions.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, environment, quality and regulatory requirements.
• Lead planning, scheduling, and resource management to hit milestones.
• Oversee procurement strategies and contractor performance.
• Build long-term client relationships and seek additional work opportunities.
• Negotiate scope changes and commercial terms with clients and partners.

Skills

Leadership

Client engagement

Risk management

Governance

Communication

Negotiation

Decision making

Mentoring

Stakeholder management

Scheduling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related

Job description

Job Description

Project Director - Master Planning and Design Management

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Parsons is seeking a highly experienced and results-driven Project Director to join our team. In this role, you will provide strategic leadership for the successful delivery of large-scale infrastructure projects, overseeing the full project lifecycle from planning and design through construction and closeout. You will be responsible for client engagement, commercial performance, risk management, governance, and leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver projects safely, on schedule, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of major master planning, roads and infrastructure projects, ensuring alignment with client objectives, contractual requirements, and Parsons' quality standards.
• Act as the primary point of contact for clients, government authorities, stakeholders, consultants, and contractors throughout project execution.
• Provide leadership and direction to multidisciplinary project teams, fostering collaboration, accountability, and high performance.
• Establish and oversee project governance, delivery strategies, execution plans, and reporting frameworks.
• Drive commercial performance by managing project budgets, forecasts, change management, claims, and overall financial outcomes.
• Identify, assess, and proactively manage project risks, issues, and opportunities to ensure successful delivery.
• Ensure compliance with all health, safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements across the project.
• Lead project planning, scheduling, and resource management to achieve key milestones and programme objectives.
• Oversee procurement strategies, contractor performance, and consultant coordination throughout the project lifecycle.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and stakeholders while identifying opportunities for additional work and long-term partnerships.
• Lead negotiations relating to scope changes, commercial matters, and project variations with clients and key delivery partners.
• Monitor project progress, performance metrics, and key deliverables, providing regular updates to executive leadership and clients.
• Resolve complex technical, commercial, and operational challenges to minimise project impacts and maintain delivery commitments.
• Promote continuous improvement, innovation, and best practice across project delivery.
• Mentor and develop project managers and project teams, supporting talent development and succession planning.
• Chair regular project review meetings to monitor performance, manage risks, and drive timely decision-making.

What Required Skills You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Design and Project Management, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 20 years of progressive experience delivering major infrastructure, transportation, or civil engineering projects, including significant experience in a Project Director or senior leadership capacity.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, multidisciplinary project teams on complex, high-value master planning, roads and infrastructure programmes.
• Strong commercial acumen with proven experience managing project financial performance, contracts, claims, and risk.
• Extensive knowledge of project delivery methodologies, engineering practices, construction management, and industry standards.
• Proven ability to manage executive-level client relationships and successfully engage with government authorities and key stakeholders.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills.
• Experience developing project execution plans, delivery strategies, governance frameworks, and programme reporting.
• Thorough understanding of health, safety, quality, and environmental management systems.
• Professional registration (PE, CEng, PMP, or equivalent) is preferred.
• Proven ability to lead high-performing teams while delivering projects safely, on time, within budget, and to exceptional quality standards.

Parsons equally employs representation at all job levels no matter the race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability or genetic information.