Project Director - Construction Management
Posted date [2026-08-30]
(ID: 50412)
 |
AECOM is a global leader in infrastructure development, engineering, and project management solutions, dedicated to building a better, smarter, and more sustainable world. With unmatched expertise in construction, civil engineering, architecture, environmental consulting, and urban development, AECOM helps clients tackle complex challenges across water, energy, transportation, oil and gas, renewable energy, and smart city projects. As one of the world’s leading engineering and construction companies in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the wider Gulf region, AECOM partners with both government and private organizations to deliver innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective infrastructure solutions through every stage of the project lifecycle from advisory and design to engineering, procurement, and construction management. Headquartered in the United States and operating across the Middle East, AECOM is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of USD 16.1 billion in fiscal year 2024. Its projects shape skylines, transportation systems, and energy networks across major Gulf cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, and Muscat. For those seeking engineering jobs in Dubai, construction management roles in the UAE, civil engineering careers in Saudi Arabia, or infrastructure project opportunities across the Middle East, AECOM offers a world-class environment for growth and innovation. Discover the latest AECOM Gulf and Middle East job openings at careersingulf.com, the region’s leading job portal for engineering, architecture, construction, and project management careers.... |
Job Description and Requirements
Project Director - Construction ManagementJob Snapshot
Role: Project Director - Construction Management
Location: Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Construction
Function: Project-Program Management
Experience: Minimum 20 years
Job Type: Full-time
Position Overview
Project Director - Construction Management in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates is a Construction opportunity with AECOM for a senior leader capable of directing complex project management and construction management programs from initial planning through final completion. The role combines strategic oversight, commercial control, stakeholder leadership, risk management, contract administration, team development, and executive-level reporting across large-scale projects with significant budgets and multidisciplinary delivery requirements.
Job Details
Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Abu Dhabi Emirate
Industry: Construction
Function: Project-Program Management
Salary: 45000-65000
Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time
Role Context
The Project Director will hold
overall leadership responsibility for major project and construction management assignments, ensuring that scope, schedule, budget, quality, safety, and stakeholder expectations remain aligned throughout delivery.
This position requires more than day-to-day project supervision. The director will establish delivery strategy, guide senior project teams, anticipate commercial and operational risks, maintain client confidence, and provide decisive leadership when complex issues affect programme performance. The role also contributes to broader organizational objectives by improving governance, delivery discipline, and project management practices.
Key Responsibilities
* Direct project management and construction management activities across the full project lifecycle.
* Establish project delivery strategies that align scope, programme, budget, quality, and stakeholder requirements.
* Translate client objectives into practical execution plans and measurable project outcomes.
* Develop and approve integrated schedules, resource strategies, management plans, and financial controls.
* Monitor project performance against agreed milestones and intervene when schedule, cost, or quality trends require corrective action.
* Lead large multidisciplinary teams comprising project managers, engineers, construction professionals, commercial specialists, and support functions.
* Define clear accountabilities across project leadership teams and maintain strong decision-making structures.
* Mentor senior and developing project professionals while strengthening accountability and delivery capability.
* Review project risks continuously and ensure effective mitigation plans are implemented before issues escalate.
* Direct resolution of major technical, commercial, contractual, and operational challenges.
* Maintain project continuity when changes, delays, claims, or external constraints affect planned delivery.
* Manage senior relationships with clients, consultants, contractors, regulatory authorities, and other key stakeholders.
* Provide clear executive updates on programme status, financial performance, risk exposure, and critical decisions.
* Represent project leadership during high-level meetings, reviews, negotiations, and governance forums.
* Oversee contract administration and ensure obligations, notices, changes, and contractual actions are managed appropriately.
* Guide procurement activities and vendor engagement to support cost, programme, and quality objectives.
* Review major commercial decisions and ensure procurement strategies remain aligned with delivery requirements.
* Monitor project budgets, forecasts, commitments, cash flow, and cost performance.
* Analyze financial information and identify emerging trends that could affect project profitability or client outcomes.
* Challenge cost variances and establish recovery measures where required.
* Ensure construction activities comply with applicable UAE and Middle East regulations.
* Maintain rigorous expectations for health, safety, quality, and regulatory compliance across project teams.
* Review performance data and convert project metrics into actionable management decisions.
* Prepare senior-level reports, recommendations, and governance documentation.
* Coordinate with internal departments to ensure technical, commercial, operational, and strategic objectives remain aligned.
* Promote consistent application of recognized project management methodologies and governance frameworks.
* Apply PMBOK, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management principles where appropriate.
* Use Microsoft Project, Oracle Primavera, or comparable platforms to support programme oversight and control.
* Drive improvements in project management systems, reporting methods, construction processes, and delivery efficiency.
* Encourage practical innovation where new approaches can improve cost, programme, safety, or quality outcomes.
* Maintain strategic awareness of project dependencies, client priorities, regulatory requirements, and market conditions.
* Support organizational leadership with informed recommendations on project performance and future delivery strategy.
Ideal Profile
Candidates should bring at least 20 years of progressive experience in project management and construction management, including a minimum of 10 years at director level or in a comparable senior leadership position.
A proven record of managing large and technically complex projects with budgets above USD 10 million is required. Experience in transportation, infrastructure, construction management, or other major capital project environments will be particularly relevant.
Applicants should demonstrate advanced knowledge of recognized project management methodologies such as PMBOK, PRINCE2, or equivalent frameworks. PMP, PRINCE2, or another professional project management certification is preferred.
Strong commercial capability is essential, including budget management, financial analysis, cost control, procurement, contract administration, and vendor management.
The successful candidate should be comfortable using Microsoft Project, Oracle Primavera, or similar programme management platforms and capable of interpreting complex schedule and financial information at executive level.
Extensive understanding of UAE or wider Middle East construction regulations, safety requirements, compliance obligations, and project delivery practices is important.
This role requires a leader who can build high-performing teams, manage senior stakeholders, make sound decisions under pressure, and maintain strategic direction while handling multiple operational priorities.
Skills Set
* Project management
* Construction management
* Programme leadership
* Strategic project planning
* Project governance
* PMBOK
* PRINCE2
* PMP
* Oracle Primavera
* Microsoft Project
* Master scheduling
* Budget management
* Financial analysis
* Cost control
* Project forecasting
* Contract management
* Procurement management
* Vendor management
* Risk management
* Risk mitigation
* Change management
* Stakeholder management
* Executive reporting
* Client relationship management
* Regulatory coordination
* Construction compliance
* UAE construction regulations
* Health and safety governance
* Quality management
* Performance analysis
* Multidisciplinary team leadership
* Senior team development
* Construction strategy
* Operational planning
* Commercial management
* Project recovery planning
* Decision-making
* Programme controls
* Transportation projects
* Large-scale capital projects
Why Join Us
Senior project leadership is increasingly critical across Abu Dhabi as major transportation, infrastructure, and construction programs demand stronger governance, commercial control, integrated delivery, and executive-level stakeholder management.
This role provides the opportunity to lead complex assignments with substantial budgets while influencing project strategy from early planning through construction and completion. It also offers exposure to multidisciplinary teams, advanced project controls, major client relationships, and large-scale delivery environments where experienced leadership has a direct impact on project outcomes.
AECOM provides a platform for established project directors to deepen regional experience, strengthen executive leadership capability, and contribute to high-value infrastructure and construction programs across the UAE and wider Middle East.
About the Company
AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm delivering planning, engineering, design, environmental, program management, and construction management services. Its multidisciplinary teams support major transportation, buildings, water, environment, energy, and infrastructure projects for public and private sector clients, combining technical expertise with integrated project and construction management throughout the project lifecycle.
This position requires more than day-to-day project supervision. The director will establish delivery strategy, guide senior project teams, anticipate commercial and operational risks, maintain client confidence, and provide decisive leadership when complex issues affect programme performance. The role also contributes to broader organizational objectives by improving governance, delivery discipline, and project management practices.
Key Responsibilities
* Direct project management and construction management activities across the full project lifecycle.
* Establish project delivery strategies that align scope, programme, budget, quality, and stakeholder requirements.
* Translate client objectives into practical execution plans and measurable project outcomes.
* Develop and approve integrated schedules, resource strategies, management plans, and financial controls.
* Monitor project performance against agreed milestones and intervene when schedule, cost, or quality trends require corrective action.
* Lead large multidisciplinary teams comprising project managers, engineers, construction professionals, commercial specialists, and support functions.
* Define clear accountabilities across project leadership teams and maintain strong decision-making structures.
* Mentor senior and developing project professionals while strengthening accountability and delivery capability.
* Review project risks continuously and ensure effective mitigation plans are implemented before issues escalate.
* Direct resolution of major technical, commercial, contractual, and operational challenges.
* Maintain project continuity when changes, delays, claims, or external constraints affect planned delivery.
* Manage senior relationships with clients, consultants, contractors, regulatory authorities, and other key stakeholders.
* Provide clear executive updates on programme status, financial performance, risk exposure, and critical decisions.
* Represent project leadership during high-level meetings, reviews, negotiations, and governance forums.
* Oversee contract administration and ensure obligations, notices, changes, and contractual actions are managed appropriately.
* Guide procurement activities and vendor engagement to support cost, programme, and quality objectives.
* Review major commercial decisions and ensure procurement strategies remain aligned with delivery requirements.
* Monitor project budgets, forecasts, commitments, cash flow, and cost performance.
* Analyze financial information and identify emerging trends that could affect project profitability or client outcomes.
* Challenge cost variances and establish recovery measures where required.
* Ensure construction activities comply with applicable UAE and Middle East regulations.
* Maintain rigorous expectations for health, safety, quality, and regulatory compliance across project teams.
* Review performance data and convert project metrics into actionable management decisions.
* Prepare senior-level reports, recommendations, and governance documentation.
* Coordinate with internal departments to ensure technical, commercial, operational, and strategic objectives remain aligned.
* Promote consistent application of recognized project management methodologies and governance frameworks.
* Apply PMBOK, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management principles where appropriate.
* Use Microsoft Project, Oracle Primavera, or comparable platforms to support programme oversight and control.
* Drive improvements in project management systems, reporting methods, construction processes, and delivery efficiency.
* Encourage practical innovation where new approaches can improve cost, programme, safety, or quality outcomes.
* Maintain strategic awareness of project dependencies, client priorities, regulatory requirements, and market conditions.
* Support organizational leadership with informed recommendations on project performance and future delivery strategy.
Ideal Profile
Candidates should bring at least 20 years of progressive experience in project management and construction management, including a minimum of 10 years at director level or in a comparable senior leadership position.
A proven record of managing large and technically complex projects with budgets above USD 10 million is required. Experience in transportation, infrastructure, construction management, or other major capital project environments will be particularly relevant.
Applicants should demonstrate advanced knowledge of recognized project management methodologies such as PMBOK, PRINCE2, or equivalent frameworks. PMP, PRINCE2, or another professional project management certification is preferred.
Strong commercial capability is essential, including budget management, financial analysis, cost control, procurement, contract administration, and vendor management.
The successful candidate should be comfortable using Microsoft Project, Oracle Primavera, or similar programme management platforms and capable of interpreting complex schedule and financial information at executive level.
Extensive understanding of UAE or wider Middle East construction regulations, safety requirements, compliance obligations, and project delivery practices is important.
This role requires a leader who can build high-performing teams, manage senior stakeholders, make sound decisions under pressure, and maintain strategic direction while handling multiple operational priorities.
Skills Set
* Project management
* Construction management
* Programme leadership
* Strategic project planning
* Project governance
* PMBOK
* PRINCE2
* PMP
* Oracle Primavera
* Microsoft Project
* Master scheduling
* Budget management
* Financial analysis
* Cost control
* Project forecasting
* Contract management
* Procurement management
* Vendor management
* Risk management
* Risk mitigation
* Change management
* Stakeholder management
* Executive reporting
* Client relationship management
* Regulatory coordination
* Construction compliance
* UAE construction regulations
* Health and safety governance
* Quality management
* Performance analysis
* Multidisciplinary team leadership
* Senior team development
* Construction strategy
* Operational planning
* Commercial management
* Project recovery planning
* Decision-making
* Programme controls
* Transportation projects
* Large-scale capital projects
Why Join Us
Senior project leadership is increasingly critical across Abu Dhabi as major transportation, infrastructure, and construction programs demand stronger governance, commercial control, integrated delivery, and executive-level stakeholder management.
This role provides the opportunity to lead complex assignments with substantial budgets while influencing project strategy from early planning through construction and completion. It also offers exposure to multidisciplinary teams, advanced project controls, major client relationships, and large-scale delivery environments where experienced leadership has a direct impact on project outcomes.
AECOM provides a platform for established project directors to deepen regional experience, strengthen executive leadership capability, and contribute to high-value infrastructure and construction programs across the UAE and wider Middle East.
About the Company
AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm delivering planning, engineering, design, environmental, program management, and construction management services. Its multidisciplinary teams support major transportation, buildings, water, environment, energy, and infrastructure projects for public and private sector clients, combining technical expertise with integrated project and construction management throughout the project lifecycle.
