Head of Project Department (Construction)

acsc; Riyad Al Khabra; On-site; Confidential; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction firm based in Saudi Arabia is seeking a Head of Project Department to lead the full project portfolio from planning to execution. The role requires expertise in project governance, stakeholder communication, and HSE compliance. The ideal candidate will manage multiple concurrent projects and ensure delivery on time and within budget. Excellent leadership skills and a strong understanding of commercial performance in project management are essential for this position.

Qualifications

• Experience leading multiple concurrent projects with a focus on time, cost, and quality.
• Proficient in creating project plans and managing teams to ensure project success.
• Strong understanding of HSE standards and quality assurance processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full project portfolio to meet schedule, cost, quality, and safety targets.
• Develop comprehensive project plans aligned with company objectives.
• Monitor project progress and implement adjustments as needed.

Skills

Project Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Risk Management

HSE Compliance

Job description

The Head of Project Department leads ACSC’s full project portfolio end-to-end—from planning and mobilization through execution, handover, and close-out. This role sets project governance, drives on-time/on-budget delivery, ensures quality and HSE compliance, and builds a high-performing project delivery organization across multiple sites.

Tasks

• Develop and oversee comprehensive project plans, ensuring alignment with company objectives and adherence to industry standards.
• Lead and manage a team of project managers, providing guidance and support to ensure successful project execution and delivery.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including architects, engineers, and contractors, to ensure seamless coordination and communication throughout all project phases.
• Monitor project progress, budgets, and schedules, implementing necessary adjustments to mitigate risks and address any potential issues promptly.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, ensuring their needs and expectations are met while fostering long-term partnerships.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Delivery

• Lead the full project portfolio (concurrent sites) to achieve schedule, cost, quality, and safety targets.
• Establish project execution standards (processes, templates, reporting cadence, change control, document control).
• Ensure consistent project planning: WBS, baseline schedules, critical path tracking, and recovery plans.

Commercial & Contracts

• Oversee project commercial performance with QS/Contracts (budgets, cost-to-complete, variations, claims, EOT support).
• Lead change management and ensure approvals/variations are documented and controlled.
• Coordinate with procurement and suppliers to protect lead times and manage material/subcontractor risks.

Quality, HSE & Compliance

• Ensure projects comply with approved drawings/specs, Saudi regulations, and internal QA/QC plans.
• Enforce HSE standards across sites; drive proactive risk controls and incident prevention.

Stakeholder Management

• Own client communication and executive-level reporting (progress, risks, decisions needed).
• Align with design/engineering, procurement, finance, and site teams to remove blockers fast.

People & Capability Building

• Build and lead Project Managers, Planning Engineers, Site Engineers, QA/QC, HSE, and PMO functions.
• Coach the team on delivery discipline, reporting, and decision-making; manage performance and succession.