Technical Director – Roads & Highways

WSP USA; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 400,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP USA seeks an experienced Technical Director – Roads & Highways to lead the Abu Dhabi design practice, delivering major road and corridor projects to ADM, DMT, UPC standards.

The role combines technical leadership, program delivery, and mentoring of multidisciplinary teams; 20+ years in roads/highways with UAE experience preferred, Chartered engineer desirable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering; Master’s degree preferred.
• 20+ years in Roads & Highways design; UAE, Abu Dhabi experience highly desired.
• Chartered/Professional Engineer status desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, design, and delivery of major roads, highways, junctions, and corridor projects.
• Provide technical review and ensure compliance with Abu Dhabi standards and regulations.
• Mentor multidisciplinary teams and manage design partners and stakeholders.
• Support business development and client presentations with authorities and partners.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Job description

WSP is seeking an experienced and visionary Technical Director – Roads & Highways to lead and grow our Transport & Infrastructure design practice in Abu Dhabi. The ideal candidate will bring extensive Roads & Highways design expertise, deep familiarity with Abu Dhabi standards, authorities, and project requirements, and a strong track record delivering complex infrastructure projects across the emirate.

As a senior technical leader, you will oversee major design programs, provide strategic direction, mentor multidisciplinary teams, and ensure the highest levels of technical excellence, quality, and client satisfaction.

Technical Leadership & Delivery

• Lead the planning, design, and technical delivery of major roads, highways, junctions, interchanges, and corridor development projects.

• Provide expert guidance, review, and approval of design outputs including geometric design, pavement design, drainage, utilities coordination, and traffic engineering deliverables.

• Ensure all designs comply with Abu Dhabi Municipality (ADM) , DMT , ITC , UPC , and other relevant authority standards and regulations.

• Drive innovation, digital engineering practices, and best‑in‑class design methodologies across projects.

Project & Design Management

• Oversee the delivery of multiple concurrent projects, ensuring adherence to scope, schedule, budget, and quality standards.

• Manage design teams, sub-consultants, and stakeholder interfaces to ensure smooth coordination and problem resolution.

• Conduct technical risk assessments and implement mitigation strategies.

• Support business development through technical proposals, design strategies, and client presentations.

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a senior technical advisor to clients, government authorities, and project partners.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key Abu Dhabi stakeholders including DMT, ADNOC, DOT, and other major infrastructure entities.

• Lead technical meetings, workshops, and presentations with clients and authorities.

Leadership & Mentoring

• Provide leadership and mentorship to engineers, discipline leads, and project managers.

• Contribute to capability development, training programs, and technical knowledge sharing across the Roads & Highways team.

• Support recruitment and talent development initiatives within the Transport business.

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering; Master’s degree preferred.

• 20+ years of experience in Roads & Highways design, with at least 10 years in the UAE and significant experience in Abu Dhabi.

• Strong understanding of Abu Dhabi authority standards, design manuals, and approval processes.

• Proven track record delivering major highways, arterial roads, interchanges, and infrastructure corridor projects.

• Experience leading large multidisciplinary teams in a consultancy environment.

• Chartered/Professional Engineer status (CEng, PE, or equivalent) highly desirable.

• Excellent communication, leadership, and client‑facing skills.

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