European Real Estate & Construction Director

COHERENT; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Annual incentive eligibility

Employer-supported pension

Health, wellbeing programmes

Life and income-protection benefits

Flexible-working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Coherent is seeking a Director, Real Estate & Construction Project Management to lead European manufacturing and office locations, ensuring facilities support business continuity and growth.

You will manage a diverse portfolio across Europe, partner with regional leaders, oversee budgets and contracts, and drive continuous improvements in space utilization and KPI reporting. Fluent English required; ten-plus years in engineering or construction management preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management or a related field.
• At least 10 years’ experience in engineering or construction management, including 5 or more years managing construction projects in a corporate environment.
• Experience leading multiple projects and contractors at the same time, with a strong record of managing scope, cost, schedule and delivery.
• Strong project and construction management capability, including scope development, equipment-layout planning, RFP development, contractor selection and construction oversight.
• Knowledge of safety and environmental requirements, EH&S practices and the handling of hazardous or toxic substances.
• Understanding of cleanroom environments, tool installation and equipment hookups; experience in semiconductor, laser or other advanced manufacturing environments would be an advantage.
• Familiarity with work-order platforms, KPI reporting and building management systems (BMS).
• Excellent organization, leadership, communication and presentation skills, including the ability to explain project status and recommendations to audiences at different levels.
• A collaborative, influential approach, with the judgment to work through differing views, negotiate constructively and draw on the expertise of others.
• The ability to turn plans and goals into action, engage teams, evaluate progress and provide useful feedback and solutions.
• Fluent written and spoken English, with high standards of ethics and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Lead a diverse portfolio of real estate, construction and facilities initiatives across Europe, from early planning and scope definition through delivery and handover.
• Partner with regional business leaders, local facility teams and the global facilities function in a matrixed organization, aligning priorities and turning business needs into practical plans.
• Coordinate architects, engineers, consultants, vendors and contractors; develop specifications and RFPs; support contractor selection; and oversee work to agreed quality, safety, schedule and budget standards.
• Manage project budgets, resources, contracts, schedules and risks, providing clear, consistent capital-project updates and recommendations to senior leaders.
• Support local facility leaders with planning and budgeting for modifications, including estimates for equipment, labour, materials and related costs.
• Maintain regional facilities-footprint metrics in line with corporate standards and report regularly to the global head of facilities.
• Identify opportunities to improve space utilization and reduce facilities, utilities and investment costs while protecting service quality and operational reliability.
• Assess operational and project risks, develop mitigation plans, and support site closures and other complex facility changes when required.
• Help standardize facilities practices, strengthen KPI reporting and improve coordination across sites.
• Handle confidential technical, operational and business information with sound judgment.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Budget oversight

Education

Engineering/Construction degree

Tools

Building Management Systems (BMS)

KPI reporting tools

Job description

Coherent is seeking a Director, Real Estate & Construction Project Management to lead European manufacturing and office locations, ensuring facilities support business continuity and growth.

You will manage a diverse portfolio across Europe, partner with regional leaders, oversee budgets and contracts, and drive continuous improvements in space utilization and KPI reporting. Fluent English required; ten-plus years in engineering or construction management preferred.