Programme Commercial Director

Title

Programme Commercial Director

"Belong, Connect, Grow, with KBR!

The KBR team of teams delivers future-forward science, technology and engineering solutions and mission-critical services that help governments and companies around the world accomplish their most important objectives, while also helping achieve their sustainability goals.

KBR provides holistic and value-added solutions across the entire asset life cycle. These include world-class licensed process technologies, differentiated advisory services, deep technical domain expertise, energy transition solutions, high-end design and engineering capabilities, and smart solutions to optimize planned and operating assets."

Programme Commercial Director

LOCATION

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Project Description

KBR has been appointed under a framework agreement with the largest developer in Abu Dhabi to oversee a diverse portfolio of projects that contribute to Abu Dhabis growth. This includes developing essential infrastructure such as transportation networks and utilities, alongside public spaces and involving also the shaping of thriving communities by managing the development of residential housing projects and ensuring the quality of new educational facilities, together with the development of mosques and maximizing urban space through infill development projects. This Programme Management Consultant (“PMC”) role offers a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on Abu Dhabis built environment.

THE ROLE

The Programme Commercial Director reports directly to the Programme Director and provides overall guardianship of all commercial stakeholders, interfaces, and governance. The role is accountable for defining and overseeing the commercial strategy, governance framework, and assurance across a major multi‑billion‑dollar infrastructure programme in Abu Dhabi.

Acting as the senior commercial representative of the PMC on behalf of KBR, the Commercial Director is accountable for safeguarding the Employers commercial interests at programme level - providing oversight and assurance of the commercial performance of appointed Consultants and Contractors across a complex portfolio of infrastructure contracts.

Additionally, the role provides the strategic commercial framework, governance structure, and senior-level assurance within which the Engineers and Contractors operate, whilst maintaining direct accountability to KBR for overall programme commercial performance.

Main Responsibilities

Strategic Commercial Leadership

• Commercial strategy alignment with the Client’s funding model.
• Lead and direct all commercial functions of the PMC across the programme, covering multiple major infrastructure contracts and consultancy agreements.
• Establish and implement the overall commercial strategy, policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Drive a value-focused culture incorporating value engineering, cost optimisation, and lifecycle cost considerations across the programme.
• Provide strategic commercial advice to the Programme Director and Employers senior leadership team.
  
  

• Providing commercial and contractual interpretation, liaising with legal counsel where appropriate.
• Maintain oversight of the contractual framework across the programme portfolio, providing assurance that all contracts are being administered by the Engineers in accordance with their terms and conditions.
• Manage the PMCs own contractual obligations, maintaining compliance with the terms of the PMC commission agreement throughout the programme.
• Oversee the administration of consultancy agreements within the PMCs scope, including performance monitoring, fee management, and scope change.
• Provide authoritative contractual interpretation and advice to the Programme Director, Employer, and Engineers on complex or escalated contractual matters, including notices, entitlements, and obligations.
• Review and provide commercial input on key contractual correspondence, notices, and determinations issued by the Engineers where these carry significant programme-level implications.
• Review and challenge commercial outputs produced by the Engineers, including valuations, variation assessments, cost reports, and claims determinations, to satisfy the Employer that its interests are being properly protected.
• Maintain a programme-level register of contractual risks, obligations, and key dates across all contracts, providing assurance that critical contractual milestones and deadlines are being actively managed.
• Advise the Employer on contractual positions in respect of underperforming Consultants or Contractors, including options available under the contract and recommended courses of action.
• Maintain oversight of all contractual securities, warranties, bonds, and insurances across the portfolio, providing assurance that these remain in place and are updated in accordance with contractual requirements.
• Provide oversight of contract close-out procedures across the programme, satisfying the Employer that all contractual obligations have been discharged prior to final payment and release of securities.
• Identify and escalate commercial governance issues to the Programme Director where required.
  
  

• Develop and lead the procurement strategy for the Programme on behalf of the Employer, covering both construction contracts and consultancy appointments.
• Direct pre-contract activities including procurement planning, RFP preparation, tender evaluation frameworks, and award recommendations.
• Drive rigorous contractor and consultant evaluation processes to support efficient and high-quality programme delivery.
• Oversee the preparation and alignment of contract documentation, providing commercial input to minimise ambiguity.
• Advise on appropriate contract forms and appropriate amendments to standard forms of contract to reflect the risk allocation, and commercial structures for new appointments.
  
  

• Maintain programme-level cost control on behalf of the Employer, providing assurance that expenditure remains aligned with approved budgets and financial objectives.
• Oversee and challenge cost reporting and forecasting produced by the Engineers, providing consolidated commercial reporting to the Employer.
• Monitor cost performance across the programme, identifying variances and working with the Engineers to drive corrective actions where required.
• Contribute to value and cost engineering initiatives and advise on lifecycle costing considerations at programme level.
• Lead commercial input into risk reporting, contingency management, and financial reviews.
  
  

• Maintain programme-level awareness of all significant claims and potential disputes across the contract portfolio.
• Promote early resolution strategies and dispute avoidance mechanisms across the programme.
• Review and provide assurance on the Engineers assessments and determinations of Contractor claims, satisfying the Employer that its contractual position is being properly protected.
• Advise the Employer on significant claim positions, escalated disputes, and situations requiring Employer-level decisions or legal engagement.
• Engage legal advisors on behalf of the Employer where disputes escalate beyond the Engineers authority to resolve.
  
  

• Drive consistent use of programme-wide commercial and cost management systems.
• Provide assurance over the accuracy, timeliness, and transparency of commercial reporting across the programme.
• Lead the preparation of consolidated commercial reports for the Employer, covering cost performance, procurement status, claims exposure, and risk.
• Lead commercial input into programme reviews, audits, and executive-level reporting.
  
  

• Lead, manage, and develop a high-performing commercial team within the PMC structure.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and KPIs for the commercial function aligned with programme objectives.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the commercial team.
• Mentor and support the professional development of commercial staff at all levels.
  
  

• BSc Quantity Surveying, construction management, engineering, architecture or equivalent
• Minimum 20 years overall experience
• Minimum 10 years of experience in a similar role
• Minimum of 5 years working experience in Middle East
• Sound knowledge of cost control, estimating and commercial aspects of major civil & infrastructure projects including roads, bridges and utilities with significant experience in procurement and contract management of such projects.
• Extensive experience managing multiple concurrent contracts and stakeholders within a programme environment.
• Experience in managing direct reports with overall responsibility for teams in excess of 20 people
• Experienced user of MS Office and understanding of project management software
• Membership of a recognised International Professional Body e.g. MRICS or FRICS (preferred)
• Experience in international contracting mechanisms including FIDIC, NCE
• Fluent in written and spoken English; Arabic language skills advantageous.
  
  

• Leadership
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong Commercial acumen and sound judgement
• Strong stakeholder focus and management
• Commercial ethics and probity with the ability to operate in a senior client-facing leadership role.
• Ability to operate effectively and decisively within a complex, multi-stakeholder programme environment.
• HSE Awareness.