Strategic Director - Master Planning & Infrastructure

Parsons; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons is seeking an experienced Project Director to lead the planning, design, and engineering delivery of major development projects in Abu Dhabi. You will provide strategic and technical leadership across master planning, infrastructure, buildings, and multidisciplinary engineering to meet client objectives, quality, schedules, and budgets.

You will manage diverse teams across architecture, urban planning, civil, structural, utilities, transportation, MEP, landscape, and specialist

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning, or a related discipline.
• 20+ years of experience in major master planning, infrastructure, building, or large-scale development projects.
• Proven experience as a Project Director, Design Director, Engineering Director, or equivalent senior leadership role.
• Strong experience managing multidisciplinary teams across master planning, architecture, infrastructure, utilities, transportation, and building engineering.
• Comprehensive understanding of the design lifecycle from concept through detailed design, tender, and construction support.
• Strong knowledge of design management, technical governance, project controls, risk, commercial management, and stakeholder coordination.
• Excellent leadership, client management, communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of master planning, infrastructure, building design, and multidisciplinary engineering services.
• Manage multidisciplinary teams across architecture, urban planning, civil, structural, utilities, transportation, MEP, landscape, and specialist disciplines.
• Oversee projects from master planning and concept design through detailed design, tender documentation, and construction support.
• Ensure effective integration of buildings, infrastructure, utilities, mobility, public realm, and site-wide systems.
• Establish project governance, design strategies, technical standards, schedules, budgets, and delivery priorities.
• Lead design reviews, value engineering, constructability assessments, technical coordination, and resolution of key design issues.
• Ensure compliance with applicable codes, standards, authority requirements, sustainability objectives, and client requirements.
• Manage design consultants and specialist subconsultants, ensuring quality, schedule, and technical performance.
• Build strong relationships with clients, developers, authorities, consultants, and key stakeholders.
• Promote BIM, GIS, digital engineering, and data-driven design coordination across the project.
• Identify and manage design risks, interfaces, changes, and dependencies throughout the project lifecycle.
• Lead, mentor, and develop project and design teams, promoting a collaborative and high-performance culture.

Skills

Leadership

Client management

Communication

Decision making

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture/Engineering/Urban Planning

Tools

PMP

PE

CEng

RIBA

Job description

Parsons is seeking an experienced Project Director to lead the planning, design, and engineering delivery of major development projects in Abu Dhabi. You will provide strategic and technical leadership across master planning, infrastructure, buildings, and multidisciplinary engineering to meet client objectives, quality, schedules, and budgets.

You will manage diverse teams across architecture, urban planning, civil, structural, utilities, transportation, MEP, landscape, and specialist