Luxury Hotel Engineering Director – Pre-Opening Leader

Kempinski Hotels SA; Manama; On-site; BHD 30,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Kempinski Hotels SA in Bahrain is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead the pre-opening and ongoing technical handover, testing and commissioning of luxury facilities. You will oversee MEP systems, life-safety readiness, and high-end amenities while coordinating with developers, authorities, and the hotel team.

The role requires 5–8 years as a Director of Engineering in a 5-star hotel, strong contractor and budget management, and fluent English with knowledge of the regional market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Building Services, or related field.
• Minimum 5–8 years as Director of Engineering / Chief Engineer in a 5-star luxury hotel or integrated resort.
• Pre-opening capacity experience (handover to operations).
• Regional experience in Middle East/GCC preferred; Bahrain familiarity advantageous.
• Fluent English required; Arabic is a plus.
• Strong contractor management, budget planning, crisis management and cross-functional leadership capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Represent the operator in site inspections, snagging, testing and commissioning of MEP and life-safety infrastructure.
• Review drawings, O&M manuals, warranty agreements and as-built plans prior to property acceptance.
• Coordinate system performance evaluations with main contractors to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Establish asset registries and implement CMMS/PMMS from scratch.
• Build and structure the engineering department and recruit qualified staff.
• Develop SOPs, emergency workflows and safety protocols aligned with corporate standards.
• Establish preventive maintenance programs for all major equipment and spaces.
• Lead training for engineering staff and cross-department teams.
• Prepare and manage the engineering budget and CapEx plans.
• Monitor energy and water consumption; implement sustainability initiatives.
• Negotiate and monitor third-party service and maintenance contracts.
• Ensure Fire, Life and Safety readiness and oversee regulatory certifications.
• Oversee risk management and sustainability compliance.

Skills

Contractor management

Budget planning

Crisis management

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Eng / Electrical Eng / Building Services or related

Job description

Kempinski Hotels SA in Bahrain is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead the pre-opening and ongoing technical handover, testing and commissioning of luxury facilities. You will oversee MEP systems, life-safety readiness, and high-end amenities while coordinating with developers, authorities, and the hotel team.

The role requires 5–8 years as a Director of Engineering in a 5-star hotel, strong contractor and budget management, and fluent English with knowledge of the regional market.