Technical Director - Water

WSP; Saudi Arabia; On-site; SAR 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP in Saudi Arabia seeks a Technical Director – Water to provide strategic technical leadership and deliver complex water projects across the GCC, shaping water resources and infrastructure investments. You will drive governance, risk management and innovation while mentoring regional engineers and expanding client relationships.

The role requires a deep technical track record, strong leadership and business development skills to ensure project excellence and sustained growth in the Middle East.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related field.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Chartered Engineer or equivalent accreditation.
• Typically 15–20+ years of experience in water infrastructure consultancy.
• Extensive experience delivering major water projects in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.
• Proven ability to lead large multidisciplinary project teams and develop business.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across water infrastructure projects from concept to delivery.
• Oversee design reviews, governance processes and risk management activities.
• Drive innovation and adoption of digital engineering and best practices.
• Lead client engagement, workshops and strategic advisory engagements.
• Mentor engineers and build regional capability across the water practice.
• Support bids, proposals and market growth initiatives.

Skills

Technical Leadership

Water Infrastructure

Project Delivery

Stakeholder Engagement

Business Development

Mentoring

Strategy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Chartered Engineer (CEng), PE, PMP or equivalent

Job description

Technical Director – Water

WSP are seeking an exceptional Technical Director – Water to provide technical leadership, strategic direction and project delivery excellence across our Water business in the Middle East. This role will be based in Saudi Arabia and will support projects and clients across the GCC and wider Middle East region.

Technical Leadership & Excellence

• Act as a Technical Authority and subject matter expert across water infrastructure disciplines
• Provide strategic technical leadership for major water wastewater stormwater irrigation hydrology and water resources projects
• Lead technical reviews assurance processes and governance activities across project portfolios
• Ensure designs comply with international best practice and local authority requirements throughout the Middle East
• Champion innovation sustainability digital engineering and resilient water infrastructure solutions
• Drive the adoption of emerging technologies modelling tools and best practice methodologies

Project Delivery Leadership

• Oversee the successful delivery of complex multidisciplinary water projects from inception through detailed design and construction support
• Provide technical oversight across planning feasibility concept preliminary and detailed design stages
• Monitor project performance with respect to scope programme quality risk and profitability
• Support project directors and design managers in resolving complex technical challenges
• Lead technical risk assessments and ensure robust mitigation strategies are implemented
• Promote consistency quality and efficiency across all project deliverables

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with utilities government authorities developers municipalities and strategic clients
• Serve as a senior client-facing representative for WSP across major commissions
• Lead technical workshops client presentations and strategic advisory engagements
• Support authority engagement and approval strategies across jurisdictions
• Identify opportunities to expand client relationships and secure repeat business

Business Development & Market Growth

• Contribute to the growth strategy of the Water business across the Middle East
• Identify emerging market opportunities and support the development of new service offerings
• Lead or support major bids technical proposals and strategic pursuits
• Develop strong networks across regional water authorities developers and infrastructure clients
• Enhance WSP s brand and reputation through industry engagement conferences and thought leadership initiatives

People Leadership & Capability Development

• Mentor coach and develop engineers and technical specialists across the Water practice
• Build and strengthen technical capability across all levels of the business
• Support recruitment and workforce planning initiatives
• Foster a culture of collaboration technical excellence innovation and inclusion
• Identify future technical leaders and support succession planning across the region

Sustainability & Innovation

• Promote sustainable water management principles across all project activities
• Advocate for climate-resilient design circular economy principles water reuse and resource efficiency
• Support the delivery of Water Sensitive Urban Design WSUD and integrated water management solutions
• Contribute to WSP s sustainability commitments and regional environmental objectives
• Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all
• Work on landmark projects around the world and embrace opportunities to make an even bigger impact in the communities you care about
• What if you could do the best work of your life and create a legacy for yourself
• With us you can

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Water Engineering, or a related discipline
• Master's degree preferred
• Chartered Engineer (CEng), PE, PMP or equivalent professional accreditation
• Typically 15-20+ years of experience within water infrastructure consultancy
• Extensive experience delivering major water projects in Saudi Arabia and wider Middle East
• Proven expertise in one or more of the following: Potable Water Networks Wastewater Collection Systems Wastewater Treatment Stormwater Management Irrigation Systems Hydrology & Hydraulic Modelling Flood Risk Management Water Resources Planning Integrated Infrastructure Design
• Strong understanding of GCC authority requirements and design standards
• Demonstrated success managing large multidisciplinary project teams
• Proven business development and client relationship management capabilities
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills