Senior Engineering Director — Luxury Hotel Pre-Opening

Kempinski Hotels; Bahrain; On-site; BHD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Kempinski Hotels in the Kingdom of Bahrain seeks a Director of Engineering to lead the pre-opening technical handover, commissioning, and long-term facility preservation for a luxury property in Manama. This role oversees MEP, HVAC, life-safety systems and premium amenities, coordinating with developers, consultants, contractors and authorities to deliver standards before opening.

English fluency is mandatory; GCC experience is highly preferred, with 5–8 years in senior hotel engineering roles

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Building Services, or related technical discipline.
• 5–8 years as Director of Engineering/Chief Engineer in a 5-star luxury hotel or integrated resort.
• Pre-opening experience from construction handover to operational launch.
• Regional Middle East/GCC experience preferred; familiarity with Bahrain regulations and vendor ecosystems.
• Strong knowledge of central HVAC, BMS, desalination, emergency generators, HV systems, and FLS protocols.
• Business fluency in English; conversational Arabic a plus.

Responsibilities

• Represent the operator in site inspections, snagging, testing, and commissioning of plant and life-safety infrastructure.
• Review drawings, O&M manuals, warranties, and as-built plans before acceptance.
• Coordinate system performance evaluations with contractors for compliance with local environmental standards.
• Establish asset registries and implement a 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.
• Conduct technical and life-safety training for staff and cross-departmental teams.
• Prepare and manage operating budgets, CapEx plans, and energy consumption models.
• Monitor energy, water, and fuel usage; implement sustainability initiatives.
• Negotiate and monitor third-party service contracts for major systems.

Skills

Contractor management

Budget planning

Crisis management leadership

Cross-functional team management

English fluency

Arabic conversational (plus)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or Building Services

Tools

CMMS/PMMS

BMS systems

Desalination/water treatment

Job description

Kempinski Hotels in the Kingdom of Bahrain seeks a Director of Engineering to lead the pre-opening technical handover, commissioning, and long-term facility preservation for a luxury property in Manama. This role oversees MEP, HVAC, life-safety systems and premium amenities, coordinating with developers, consultants, contractors and authorities to deliver standards before opening.

English fluency is mandatory; GCC experience is highly preferred, with 5–8 years in senior hotel engineering roles