Project Director Construction in Saudi Arabia

globe personal services GmbH; Makkah Region; On-site; SAR 918,000 - 1,122,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contract: 1 year renewable + 5 years

SAR 1,020,000+ gross base salary

Bonus up to 3 months

Medical insurance

Company car

Annual return flights

30 days annual leave

Travel to Switzerland

Executive exposure

Job summary

Not disclosed is seeking an experienced Project Director for a flagship construction project in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. You will lead end-to-end delivery from mobilisation to handover, reporting to the Board with significant decision-making authority.

The role requires extensive senior leadership in main contracting, a global mindset, and permanent on-site work in Makkah five days a week. Arabic language is a plus and travel to Switzerland is expected.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management or similar.
• Extensive senior-level construction and major project delivery experience.
• 15+ years total senior construction experience with 7–10 years in DACH region.
• Proven track record delivering large-scale projects.
• Strong main contractor experience with end-to-end delivery.
• Leadership of multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong commercial understanding including cost control, procurement, contracts.
• Excellent strategic, decision-making, negotiation and stakeholder management.
• English fluency; Arabic language a plus.
• Willingness to be based in Makkah, five days/week.

Responsibilities

• Take overall executive responsibility for the delivery of major projects in Makkah.
• Lead mobilisation, planning, engineering, procurement through construction and handover.
• Ensure delivery against cost, schedule, quality, HSE and contracts.
• Develop a multidisciplinary organisation with ~10 direct reports.
• Establish accountability, performance standards and execution culture.
• Oversee budgets, cash flow, procurement, contracts and risks.
• Coordinate PM, Engineering, MEP, Planning, HSE and support functions.
• Drive project controls and reporting.
• Manage relationships with authorities, consultants, subcontractors and suppliers.
• Report to Board and Chairman; regular Swiss travel.

Skills

Main contracting experience

Project delivery leadership

English proficiency

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Cost control

Negotiation

Strategic decision-making

Education

Engineering/Architecture/Construction Management degree

Job description

Our client is a well-established Saudi real estate development and main contracting company with a strong track record in large-scale high-rise, hospitality, mixed-use and commercial developments. The company is embarking on a major new development in Makkah and is seeking an experienced, internationally minded Project Directorfor Saudi Arabia to take executive responsibility for the successful delivery of this flagship project.

Project Director Construction in Saudi Arabia

The position offers a unique opportunity to assume a highly visible leadership role within a growing organization and to work directly with the company's senior ownership and leadership.

The Opportunity

As Project Director, you will have overall responsibility for construction and project delivery, from mobilization and procurement through execution, commissioning and final handover.

The role combines operational construction leadership with strategic and organizational responsibility. You will establish clear priorities, drive execution excellence, strengthen project controls and build a high-performing multidisciplinary organization.

The position reports directly to the Board and Chairman and carries significant decision-making responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Take overall executive responsibility for the successful delivery of major construction projects in Makkah.
• Lead the project from mobilisation, planning, engineering and procurement through construction, commissioning and final handover.
• Ensure delivery against approved cost, schedule, quality, HSE and contractual requirements.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary organisation with approximately 10 direct reports and broader project responsibility.
• Establish clear accountability, performance standards and a strong execution-oriented culture.
• Oversee project budgets, cash flow, procurement, contracts, commercial performance and key project risks.
• Lead and coordinate Project Management, Engineering, MEP, Planning, HSE and corporate support functions.
• Drive professionalisation of project structures, processes, reporting systems, project controls and decision-making.
• Manage relationships with authorities, consultants, subcontractors, suppliers and other key stakeholders.
• Represent the organisation at senior executive level and provide regular reporting to the Board and Chairman.
• Undertake regular business travel to Switzerland as required.

Your Profile

We are looking for an experienced construction executive with a strong main contracting and project delivery background.

Required

• Degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management or a comparable technical discipline.
• Extensive senior-level experience in construction and major project delivery.
• Minimum 7–10 years of professional construction experience in the DACH region (Germany, Austria or Switzerland); with a minimum of 15+ years total senior construction experience
• Proven track record in delivering complex, large-scale construction projects.
• Strong main contractor experience with end-to-end responsibility for project delivery.
• Demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong commercial understanding, including cost control, procurement, contracts and project performance.
• Excellent strategic, decision-making, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills.
• Perfect command of English is mandatory.
• Arabic language skills are a significant advantage.
• International or GCC construction experience is highly desirable.
• Willingness to be permanently based on site in Makkah, five days per week.

Important Requirement – Makkah

Due to the special legal regulations governing the Holy City of Makkah, access to the place of employment is restricted exclusively to Muslims. Therefore, being of the Muslim faith is a mandatory requirement for this position.

The offer:

Attractive Executive Package

• Contract: 1 year re-new able with a minimum of 5 years
• Annual base salary: from SAR 1.020.000 gross, depending on experience and qualifications
• Performance bonus equivalent to up to 3 months' salary
• Comprehensive medical insurance for the position holder and family
• Company car
• Annual return flights for the position holder and family
• 30 days paid annual leave
• Regular business travel to Switzerland
• Executive-level exposure with direct access to the Board and Chairman

This is a strategically important leadership position for an experienced construction executive seeking a long-term international assignment with substantial responsibility and decision-making authority.