Technical Director - Energy

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

Benefits offered by this job

Global career network

Leadership platform

Hybrid/flexible work options

Job summary

GHD is seeking a Senior Technical Director – Energy to lead and grow our Middle East energy practice in Abu Dhabi. You will shape strategy, win work, and guide multidisciplinary teams across electricity networks, renewables, energy storage and grid integration.

Fluency in English and a strong regional network are essential, with 15+ years in consulting or technical advisory and Chartered Engineer status preferred. The role offers a leadership platform in a fast‑growing GCC energy market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Energy or Power Engineering; postgraduate qualification advantageous.
• Typically 15+ years of relevant experience in consulting, advisory or client-side environments.
• Genuine motivation to win and deliver work with strong commercial acumen.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to Middle East Energy growth strategy and business plan.
• Win and deliver work; lead delivery for the team.
• Act as technical authority and Project Director on major energy assignments.
• Identify, shape and capture opportunities; lead bids and pursuits.
• Deliver strong project financial performance; manage revenue and margins.
• Mentor and develop technical talent across the team.
• Represent GHD as a thought leader through industry engagements.

Skills

Leadership

Business development

Client relationship management

Technical leadership

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Power Engineering

Postgraduate qualification

Job description

Job Description

With over 14,000 professionals globally, GHD is a leading multidisciplinary professional services company delivering engineering, design, and advisory solutions across water, energy, resources, environment, property & buildings, and transportation sectors.

About The Energy Team

Energy systems across the Middle East are evolving rapidly. Strong demand growth, major infrastructure investment, increasing renewable energy deployment and the growing need for storage, flexibility and digital solutions are creating new and complex requirements for how energy is planned, delivered and managed.

In response to this transforming landscape, GHD is bringing together regional insight and global technical expertise to help utilities, governments, developers and major energy users address these challenges. Our work spans electricity networks, renewable energy, utility‑scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), energy strategy and advisory, technical due diligence, regulatory support, grid integration, demand‑side flexibility, and the energy needs of critical sectors such as data centres and water infrastructure, supporting clients throughout the lifecycle of their energy assets and systems.

We are investing significantly in the growth of our Middle East Energy team and are looking for a senior, externally recognised professional to help shape and lead that growth.

About The Role

As a Technical Director – Energy, reporting to the Business Group Leader, Energy, Environment & Water, you will be a senior technical and commercial figure in GHD's Middle East Energy business. This is a role for an established professional who is known and well regarded in the regional market.

We are looking for someone motivated to both win and deliver work. You will use your relationships and standing in the market to open doors and secure opportunities and then stay closely involved in the work that follows, leading it yourself and through the team.

You will act as a trusted advisor to utilities, regulators, government entities, developers, investors and major energy users across the GCC, leading and directing assignments of significance across electricity networks and substations, renewable energy, energy storage, grid integration, regulatory and economic advisory, technical due diligence and Owner's Engineer services.

Our Middle East Energy business is growing quickly, on the back of a strong client base, an established regional reputation and significant enterprise investment in the team. Your focus will be on scaling that momentum: growing the regional pipeline and backlog, increasing the volume and value of work we take on, broadening the propositions we take to market, delivering strong project financial performance, and developing the senior capability needed to keep pace with demand.

While the role is based in and focused on the Middle East, GHD is a globally connected business. You will have direct access to our specialists worldwide and, where your expertise is in demand, the opportunity to contribute to projects in other geographies, bringing that international perspective back to the benefit of our regional clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute directly to the Middle East Energy growth strategy and business plan, working with regional leadership on market positioning, service development, resourcing and investment priorities as we scale.
• Win and deliver work in equal measure. Personally win work through your market standing and relationships, and lead its delivery, for yourself and for the wider team.
• Act as a technical authority and Project Director on major energy assignments across the Middle East, taking personal accountability for technical quality, commercial performance and client outcomes.
• Identify, shape and capture opportunities, lead major bids and pursuits, and convert client relationships into a growing and sustainable pipeline and secured backlog for the region, with accountability for agreed sales, win rate and backlog targets.
• Deliver strong project financial performance across the work you lead and direct, including revenue, margin, utilisation, forecasting accuracy and cash, and support the wider team in doing the same.
• Own and grow senior client relationships with utilities, regulators, government entities, developers, investors and industrial energy users across the GCC, including Client Relationship Management (CRM) responsibilities for nominated key accounts.
• Lead Tender Review and other governance activities, providing sound commercial and risk judgement on scope, pricing, delivery approach and contractual position.
• Direct multidisciplinary technical workstreams spanning electricity networks and substations, renewable energy, energy storage, grid connection and integration, energy strategy, regulatory and economic advisory, due diligence and Owner's Engineer services.
• Provide independent technical review, challenge and assurance on complex studies, designs, specifications and advisory deliverables, ensuring alignment with international standards, local regulatory frameworks and good industry practice.
• Attract, mentor and develop technical talent, building capability and succession across the team and supporting colleagues towards accreditation and senior technical roles.
• Represent GHD externally as a thought leader, through conferences, industry forums, publications and client engagements, building on our reputation and visibility in the regional market.
• Draw on GHD's global specialist networks to bring international expertise to Middle East client challenges, and contribute your own expertise to assignments in other geographies where there is a fit.
• Uphold GHD's governance, quality, risk and health and safety requirements across all work you lead or direct.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Energy or Power Engineering, or a related discipline. A relevant postgraduate qualification is advantageous.
• Typically 15+ years of relevant experience, gained in consulting or technical advisory environments, or client side with a utility, regulator, developer, investor or major energy user.
• Demonstrable experience in the Middle East market, with a working understanding of regional utilities, regulatory and procurement frameworks, delivery environments and commercial norms.
• An established network of senior client and industry relationships in the region, and a credible record of using that network to originate and win work.
• Genuine motivation to both win and deliver work, balancing business development and hands‑on delivery leadership across concurrent commitments.
• Recognised technical depth in one or more core areas, such as electricity transmission and distribution networks, substations, BESS, renewable energy, grid integration, network planning and losses, energy strategy, regulatory advisory or technical due diligence, with the breadth to direct work across adjacent disciplines.
• Proven success leading major bids and pursuits, from opportunity identification and capture planning through to proposal leadership and negotiation.
• Strong commercial acumen, including scoping, pricing, risk assessment and the management of project financial performance.
• Experience directing and mentoring multidisciplinary teams, with a genuine interest in developing others and building capability.
• Excellent written, presentation and client‑facing communication skills, with the credibility to influence at senior client and executive level.
• Chartered Engineer status or an equivalent recognised professional accreditation is strongly preferred.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required; Arabic is advantageous. Regional and occasional international travel will be required.

Why Join Us

• Be part of a globally recognised, fast‑growing mission critical team delivering projects that blend technical excellence, sustainability, and commercial success.
• A leadership platform within a fast‑growing, well‑funded Energy business in one of the world's most active energy markets.
• Direct influence over the shape, direction and continued growth of GHD's Middle East Energy business.
• Access to GHD's regional and global specialists across networks, renewables, energy storage, advisory and project delivery.
• Involvement in landmark energy and infrastructure programmes with utilities, governments, developers and investors across the GCC.
• An inclusive, collaborative environment that values technical excellence, client focus and the development of our people.
• Be part of a workplace that combines collaboration, flexibility, and connection. Join us in the office three days per week to contribute, connect and excel in our vibrant environment.