Senior Project Manager (Urban Realm)

Candu Energy; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 550,000 - 850,000; Full time

Job summary

Candu Energy is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead large-scale urban realm and public space initiatives in the region. You will oversee concept through construction, coordinating urban designers, engineers, and contractors while ensuring delivery in line with client objectives, budget, schedule, and sustainability goals.

The role requires strategic governance, risk management, and strong stakeholder engagement to achieve high-quality outcomes across streetscapes, plazas, parks, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning, Construction Management, or related discipline.
• Master's Degree in Urban Design, Project Management, Engineering Management, or relevant field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of urban realm projects from concept design through construction, handover, and closeout.
• Develop and implement project execution plans, delivery strategies, and governance frameworks.
• Manage multidisciplinary teams including urban designers, landscape architects, civil engineers, utilities engineers, transportation specialists, and contractors.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and to required quality standards.
• Provide strategic leadership and technical guidance across all project phases.
• Oversee design development and coordination across multiple disciplines.
• Review design submissions and recommend improvements for constructability and lifecycle performance.
• Monitor construction progress, manage schedule and cost control, and reporting.
• Lead project meetings, steering committees, workshops, and progress reviews; prepare executive-level reports.

Skills

Project leadership

Stakeholder management

Design coordination

Construction management

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering/Architecture/Urban Planning

Master's Degree in Urban Design/Project Management

Job description

Overview

The Senior Project Manager - Urban Realm will lead the planning, design coordination, procurement, and delivery of large-scale urban realm and public space projects. The role is responsible for managing multidisciplinary teams, consultants, contractors, and stakeholders to successfully deliver high-quality public realm environments including streetscapes, plazas, parks, waterfronts, pedestrian networks, civic spaces, and mixed-use urban developments in line with client objectives, budget, schedule, sustainability goals, and international best practices. The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring excellence in project governance, risk management, design integration, construction delivery, and stakeholder engagement

Your role

Project Leadership & Delivery

Lead end-to-end delivery of urban realm projects from concept design through construction, handover, and closeout.

Develop and implement project execution plans, delivery strategies, and governance frameworks.

Manage multidisciplinary teams comprising urban designers, landscape architects, civil engineers, utilities engineers, transportation specialists, and contractors.

Ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and to the required quality standards.

Provide strategic leadership and technical guidance throughout all project phases.

Design Management

Oversee design development and coordination across multiple disciplines.

Ensure urban realm designs align with master plans, regulatory requirements, sustainability objectives, and client expectations.

Drive value engineering initiatives and design optimization.

Review design submissions and recommend improvements related to constructability, functionality, and lifecycle performance.

Construction Management

Monitor construction progress and contractor performance.

Lead project controls activities including schedule management, cost control, forecasting, and reporting.

Resolve technical, commercial, and delivery challenges impacting project objectives.

Manage testing, commissioning, handover, and defect rectification processes.

Stakeholder & Client Management

Serve as the primary point of contact for clients and key stakeholders.

Build and maintain strong relationships with government authorities, utility agencies, developers, and operators.

Lead project meetings, steering committees, workshops, and progress reviews.

Prepare executive-level reports and presentations.

Commercial & Risk Management

Manage project budgets, change control, claims, and contractual obligations.

Identify project risks and develop mitigation strategies.

Ensure compliance with PMC procedures, project governance frameworks, and contractual requirements.

Support procurement activities including consultant and contractor evaluations.

Sustainability & Quality

Promote sustainable and resilient urban development principles.

Ensure incorporation of environmental, social, and ESG objectives into project delivery.

Uphold the highest standards of quality management and HSE compliance.

About you

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning, Construction Management, or related discipline.
• Master's Degree in Urban Design, Project Management, Engineering Management, or relevant field preferred.

Experience

• 15+ years of experience in project management within engineering consultancy, PMC, or major developer organizations.
• Proven experience leading large-scale urban realm, public realm, streetscape, landscape, waterfront, or city development projects.
• Strong experience delivering projects within the Middle East, preferably Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, or other GCC markets.
• Experience working on mega projects, mixed-use developments, smart cities, or infrastructure-led developments is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated success managing multidisciplinary consultant and contractor teams.

Technical Competencies

• Strong understanding of: Urban realm and public space design
• Landscape architecture and streetscape development
• Infrastructure integration and utility coordination
• Construction management and contract administration
• Project controls, scheduling, and cost management
• Risk and stakeholder management
• Sustainability and placemaking principles

Knowledge of Standards

• Strong familiarity with: FIDIC contract forms
• International urban design standards
• Public realm design guidelines
• Local authority regulations and approval processes
• Health, Safety and Environmental requirements

Leadership Competencies

• Exceptional leadership and team management capability.
• Strong client-facing and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to manage complex, high-profile projects in fast-paced environments.
• Excellent commercial awareness and decision-making ability.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive project outcomes.