Project Director - High-Rise Buildings

Parsons; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 450,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons in Riyadh seeks a Project Director for High‑Rise Buildings to lead major tower programs, ensuring safety, schedule, and budget adherence. The role requires directing multidisciplinary teams across architecture, structural, MEP, and façade systems, with strong governance and commercial oversight.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in Saudi Arabia or the GCC, advanced degree advantages, and a proven track record delivering landmark high‑rise or signature projects for

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil/Structural/Architecture, Construction Management or related discipline.
• Typically 20 years of experience delivering large-scale building projects with high-rise exposure.
• Experience leading major tower, mixed-use, commercial and residential programs of regional importance.
• Strong commercial, financial management and risk review capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Act as senior Parsons representative with client, contractors, consultants, operators, authorities, and stakeholders.
• Provide leadership across construction management, project oversight, testing and commissioning, completion planning, and handover.
• Review and approve project execution plans, health and safety plans, QA/QC plans, delivery strategies, and governance frameworks.
• Oversee multidisciplinary teams across architecture, structural engineering, civil works, MEP, vertical transportation, façade systems, life safety, interiors, and specialist systems.
• Ensure projects are delivered per contractual obligations, budgets, schedules, technical specs, and Parsons quality standards.
• Manage budgeting, forecasting, change management, cost control, and commercial risk management.
• Identify and proactively manage technical, delivery, regulatory, and interface risks and lead negotiations on scope changes and variations.
• Monitor performance against milestones, cost targets, schedule commitments, safety standards, and sustainability metrics.
• Coordinate with project controls for schedules, progress reporting, and critical path visibility.
• Provide senior oversight of construction sequencing, logistics, and temporary works; manage authority interfaces and adjacent infrastructure coordination.
• Foster coordination between design teams, supervision teams, contractors, subcontractors, client reps, and operations.
• Drive practical solutions for complex issues affecting high-rise delivery, façade, MEP integration, and handover readiness.
• Ensure governance, reporting discipline, risk management, and escalation processes are consistently applied.
• Participate in senior-level meetings with ministries, regulators, investors, and regional leadership as required.
• Support business development through client engagement, strategy input, and proposal development.

Skills

High-rise delivery

Tower projects

Program management

Construction management

Stakeholder management

Client representation

Negotiation

Governance frameworks

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil/Structural/Architecture or Construction Management

Master's degree in Engineering/Construction Management (advantage)

Tools

BIM

Digital engineering

Project controls software

Job description

Project Director – High‑Rise Buildings

Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Role: Project Director – High‑Rise Buildings

This is a full‑time senior project leadership position responsible for delivering major tower, super high‑rise, mixed‑use, commercial, and residential building programs. The role requires strong leadership across construction management, project controls, stakeholder engagement, commercial performance, governance, testing and commissioning, and handover to ensure major building projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in line with contractual and quality expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a senior Parsons representative with the client, contractors, consultants, operators, authorities, and key stakeholders on major high‑rise building programs.
• Provide leadership and direction across construction management, project oversight, testing and commissioning, completion planning, and handover phases.
• Review and approve project execution plans, program execution plans, health and safety plans, QA and QC plans, delivery strategies, and governance frameworks.
• Oversee multidisciplinary teams covering architecture, structural engineering, civil works, MEP, vertical transportation, façade systems, life safety, interiors, and specialist building systems.
• Ensure high‑rise projects are delivered in accordance with contractual obligations, approved budgets, project schedules, technical specifications, and Parsons quality standards.
• Manage financial performance across high‑rise programs, including budgeting, forecasting, change management, cost control, claims avoidance, and commercial risk management.
• Identify, assess, and proactively manage technical, delivery, commercial, regulatory, stakeholder, and interface risks.
• Lead negotiations related to scope changes, variations, program adjustments, delivery priorities, and commercial matters.
• Monitor and report performance against key milestones, cost targets, schedule commitments, safety standards, quality requirements, and sustainability metrics.
• Coordinate with project controls teams to maintain realistic schedules, accurate progress reporting, and early visibility of critical path risks.
• Provide senior oversight of construction sequencing, logistics, access planning, temporary works, authority interfaces, and adjacent infrastructure coordination.
• Support effective coordination between design teams, supervision teams, contractors, specialist subcontractors, client representatives, and operational stakeholders.
• Drive practical solutions for complex project issues affecting high‑rise structures, façade delivery, MEP integration, vertical transportation, life safety systems, and handover readiness.
• Ensure project governance, reporting discipline, decision tracking, risk management, and escalation processes are consistently applied.
• Participate in senior‑level meetings with ministries, regulators, investors, public stakeholders, community representatives, and regional leadership as required.
• Support business development initiatives, including client engagement, strategy input, proposal development, and future high‑rise or mixed‑use building opportunities.
• Work with internal support functions and regional leadership to mobilize the right technical, commercial, project controls, safety, and delivery resources.
• Promote a culture of safety, accountability, technical excellence, collaboration, commercial discipline, and high‑quality project execution.
• Ensure lessons learned from major building delivery are captured and shared to improve future construction and program management performance.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or a related discipline.
• Typically 20 years of experience delivering large‑scale building projects with strong exposure to high‑rise and super high‑rise developments.
• Proven record leading major tower, mixed‑use, commercial, residential, or landmark building programs of national or regional importance.
• Strong background in project management and program management within Saudi Arabia or the wider GCC.
• Experience managing complex multidisciplinary design, construction, supervision, commercial, and stakeholder teams.
• Strong commercial and financial management capability, including budgets, forecasts, change control, claims management, contract administration, and commercial risk review.
• Comprehensive understanding of Saudi Arabian building codes, standards, specifications, approvals, and regulatory requirements relevant to high‑rise construction.
• Ability to manage multiple project interfaces involving adjacent assets, infrastructure, authorities, utilities, operators, and public stakeholders.
• Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills at senior client, government, contractor, and investor levels.
• Ability to represent Parsons professionally and confidently in high‑level project, commercial, technical, and governance discussions.
• Master’s degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or a related discipline is an advantage.
• Professional registration such as PE, CEng, RIBA, or equivalent is highly desirable.
• Project management certification such as PMP, PgMP, or equivalent would be an advantage.
• Experience delivering landmark high‑rise or signature building programs for major government entities, sovereign projects, or leading private developers in Saudi Arabia is preferred.
• Previous experience with construction contractors in the delivery of high‑rise projects will be strongly valued.

Skills Set

• High‑rise project delivery
• Super high‑rise buildings
• Project direction
• Program management
• Construction management
• Mixed‑use developments
• Tower projects
• Commercial building programs
• Residential building programs
• Client representation
• Stakeholder management
• Contractor management
• Consultant coordination
• Authority coordination
• Construction oversight
• Testing and commissioning
• Project handover
• Project execution plans
• Program execution plans
• Health and safety plans
• QA and QC plans
• Governance frameworks
• Architecture coordination
• Structural engineering coordination
• MEP coordination
• Vertical transportation
• Façade systems
• Life safety systems
• Specialist building systems
• Budgeting
• Forecasting
• Cost control
• Change management
• Claims avoidance
• Contract administration
• Commercial risk management
• Schedule management
• Milestone reporting
• Risk management
• Sustainability metrics
• Saudi building codes
• BIM
• Digital engineering
• Modular construction
• Advanced façade systems
• Advanced structural systems
• LEED
• Mostadam

Why Join Us

This role offers senior visibility, complex delivery responsibility, and the chance to influence landmark high‑rise and mixed‑use developments in one of the region’s strongest construction markets. It provides a platform for long‑term stability, regional impact, and leadership growth within a global infrastructure and construction management environment.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation is a global engineering, construction, and program management company supporting major infrastructure, transportation, urban development, buildings, environmental, and technology‑led projects. In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Parsons contributes to large‑scale development programs through project leadership, technical management, safety governance, quality assurance, commercial discipline, and client‑focused delivery across complex construction environments.