Senior Project Manager - Ports & Maritime

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.; Dubai; Hybrid; AED 650,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. in Dubai seeks a Senior Project Manager to lead a diverse portfolio of ports, maritime, coastal and waterfront development projects.

You will manage full lifecycle delivery, from pursuit and planning to design, construction support and closeout, ensuring safety, quality and client satisfaction. Ideal candidate has deep experience in marine structures, strong leadership, and ability to manage multidisciplinary teams across complex programs in the Middle East, with a

Qualifications

• 10+ years of project management experience with delivery, budgeting and client management.
• Minimum 5 years design experience in marine structures or coastal engineering.
• Strong commercial, technical, operational and leadership capabilities.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary port/maritime projects; design consultancy and construction supervision is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary client point of contact; resolve escalated issues and identify expansion opportunities.
• Develop detailed cost estimates, schedules and resource plans; negotiate contracts with sub-consultants.
• Define scope, objectives, deliverables, schedules; manage staffing and resource loading across projects.
• Provide day-to-day leadership to teams delivering feasibility studies, master planning, design, tendering and construction supervision.
• Monitor milestones, gate approvals, and portfolio performance; implement corrective actions and lessons learned.
• Manage change-control, EOTs, and contract claims; maintain risk register and mitigation actions.
• Implement QA/QC, conduct design reviews, and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Identify stakeholders and drive approvals with authorities for Design NOCs.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Client management

Commercial awareness

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

Civil/Coastal/Marine/Ocean Eng degree

Job description

Senior Project Manager - Ports & Maritime

Bur Dubai, All AE Regions, United Arab Emirates

Capabilities

Project Management

Office Setup

Hybrid

Job ID

#43404

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

As our Ports & Maritime business continues to grow across the Middle East, we are looking for an experienced Sr Project Manager to lead the successful delivery of a diverse portfolio of maritime, port, coastal, and waterfront development projects.

In this role, you will be responsible for managing projects throughout their full lifecycle, from pursuit and planning through design, construction support, and project closeout. You will combine technical expertise, commercial acumen, and leadership capabilities to drive project performance, build strong client relationships, and deliver exceptional outcomes while fostering a culture of safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Here’s what you will do:

• Primary Client point of contact; Resolve escalated client issues swiftly, ensuring minimal impact on delivery and satisfaction; Identify and develop opportunities for portfolio expansion.
• Develop detailed cost estimates, schedules and resource plans; Develop tailored proposals and presentations; Lead negotiation of agreements, work orders and sub-consultant/subcontractor contracts; Collaborate with Legal, Contracts and Finance teams to draft, review and finalize contract terms, ensuring alignment with company interests.
• Define project scope, objectives, deliverables and success criteria; Develop master schedules; Identify staffing needs and coordinate with Discipline Leads and Recruitment; Balance resource loading across multiple projects to optimize utilization.
• Provide day-to-day leadership to project teams delivering Feasibility Studies, Master Planning, Engineering Design, Tendering and Construction Supervision services.
• Establish and monitor key deliverable milestones, gate approvals and acceptance criteria; Monitor, control and report on project portfolio’s schedule and financials performance; Identify under-performing projects and implement corrective actions; Drive continuous improvement by analyzing performance trends and embedding lessons learned.
• Manage scope and change-control processes, ensuring rigorous evaluation of change requests; Negotiate scope changes and secure approvals; Prepare Extension of Time requests; Prepare contract claims.
• Maintain a comprehensive risk register; Develop contingency plans and monitor risk-mitigation activities; Escalate emerging high-impact risks to senior leadership with recommended actions.
• Implement QA/QC processes; Support periodic quality audits and design review sessions to ensure compliance with client and regulatory requirements; Track non-conformances, drive root-cause analysis and implement corrective/preventive measures.
• Identify and map key project stakeholders; Oversee the authorities approvals process; Drive the securing of Design NOCs.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Relevant Degree in Civil, Coastal, Marine or Ocean Engineering from a recognized University.
• Minimum 10 years of project management experience, including responsibility for project delivery, resources, budgets, and client management.
• Minimum 5 years of design experience in marine structures or coastal engineering.
• Strong commercial, technical, operational, and leadership capabilities, with a proven ability to manage multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary port, maritime, waterfront, or coastal development projects.
• Experience delivering both design consultancy and construction supervision services projects would be advantageous.

From our inclusive employee networks to our positive mental health champions – we’re committed to driving a culture of caring where you can be you. Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally - and together, our diverse perspectives and unique backgrounds power our collective strength. We collaborate and share! By supporting one another, we all succeed.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits and opportunities to do good too – from participating in our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place.

No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture and achieve your goals – all at a single global company.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.