Buildings Director

Mott MacDonaldis a global engineering, management, and development consultancy committed to delivering impactful work that shapes the future.

We are a team of over 20,000 experts working across the world in more than 50 countries.

We are proud to be part of an ever-changing global industry, delivering transformative work that’s defining our future. It’s our people who power that performance. As an employee-owned business, we invest in creating a space for everyone to feel safe and valued and empowered with the right tools and support.

Whether you want to pursue excellence in your specialism or broaden your experience with flexible roles across our business, you’ll be connected to a community of global experts championing you to be your best. Join us and shape your story with Mott MacDonald, where everyone has the opportunity to bebrilliant.

About The Role

Our strategy focuses on growing our scale and impact by deepening our presence in core markets and strengthening client success. In the Middle East, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia. We are accelerating our focus on theBuildingsmarket, spanning residential, commercial, mixeduse, hospitality, venues, aviationandtransport buildings, and major infrastructure submarkets.

The Buildings Director plays a pivotal role in driving sustainable market growth, building highvalue client relationships, and ensuring we deliver excellent, tailored solutions. The role centres on developing new and existing opportunities while enhancing our value proposition,especially around delivery efficiency and responding effectively to client challenges.

As a technical and strategic leader, the Buildings Director must bring strong commercial acumen, extensive experience across planning, design and development of multidisciplinary buildings projects, and the ability to lead both client engagements and highperforming delivery teams.

Key responsibilities and duties are listed, but not limited to, the below:

Strategic Market & Client Leadership

• Build andleveragesenior networks with clients, partners, and competitors to drive growth.
• Support the Unit Buildings Market Leader in shaping and implementing the Market Strategy, including prioritising strategic investments (client relationships, partnerships, bidding, innovation, staff hires).
• Identifynew clients, services, and differentiated offerings to expand our Buildings market presence.
  
  

Winning Work & Pursuits

• Lead and support major pursuits by contributing strategic insight and engaging senior client stakeholders.
• Ensure effective business development oversight, including monitoring pipeline activity, proposal spend, and win/capture rates.
• Direct bid teams to produce compelling, compliant, and competitive proposals grounded in strong market understanding.
  
  

Project Delivery & Commercial Excellence

• Ensure we secure high-quality, commercially successful projects and oversee delivery excellence through strong PM, commercial, and client satisfaction oversight.
• Promote profitability, efficiency, digital enablement, andoptimaluse ofGlobal Delivery Servicesand specialist groups.
• Ensure full compliance with HSE, BMS, STEP, and quality processes.
  
  

People & Capability Development

• Lead and mentor a high-performing Buildings team with clear resource planning, recruitment, and succession strategies.
• Support Discipline Leaders with best practice adoption, training plans, and innovation initiatives that improve efficiency and technical excellence.
• Identifyand recruit strategic hires, ensuring theiroptimaldeployment across opportunities.
  
  

Key Governance & Engagement

• Hold regular meetings with the Unit Market Leader, Account Leaders, and Talent Acquisition Manager.
• Provide quarterly updates on progress against the Unit Market Strategy for the territory
  
  

Candidate specifications

• Demonstrableleadership and management experience within a consulting engineering practice, with a strongtrack recordin delivering Buildings projects across planning,designand construction.
• Significant experienceas Project Director/Senior PM, overseeing commercial,financialand technical performance.
• Strong knowledge of professional and international standards, supported by excellent analytical, digital,verbaland written communication skills.
• Preferably a Chartered Engineer.
• Provenability to build, grow andmaintainstrong client relationships in the Middle East, with a solid record in business development and successful bidding.
• Strong negotiation,influencingand stakeholdermanagement skills at executive level.
• Middle East experiencerequired; role based in the UAE.
• Demonstrated ability to grow,mentorand develop teams, including senior and intermediate staff.
• Skilled at creating effective working environments and fostering collaboration.
• Effective under pressure with the ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Dedicated team player with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate at all levels.
  
  

Our Purpose

At Mott MacDonald, our purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do; relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients’ businesses, our communities and employee opportunities.

Equality,Diversityand Inclusion

Equality,diversityand inclusion (EDI)isat the heart of ourorganisation. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate, rather take positive steps towards creating a diverse and inclusive working environment.

Flexible Working

At Mott MacDonald, we support our staff to creatework-life balance which works for them and welcome candidates looking for career flexibility. We are open to discussing flexible working atinterviewstage.

We Can Offer

• 90 calendardays’paidmaternity leave
• Competitive annual leave
• An annual professional institution subscription
• Annual company performance bonus scheme – Subject to company performance
  
  

Location(s):

Abu Dhabi, AE

Contract Type: Permanent

Work Pattern: Full Time

Market: Buildings

Discipline: Building services

Job Ref: 14123

Recruiter Contact: Iustina Blidariu

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