Head of Mission Critical – Senior Technical Director

About This Role

Job Description Strategic Leadership Overview:

Lead WSP’s Middle East Mission Critical Sector as the Senior / Technical Director, with a primary focus on Data Centres while owning the strategy and growth across a broader portfolio of mission-critical sub-sectors. In this highly visible leadership role, you will define the regional vision for Mission Critical, shape sub-sector strategies, and expand WSP’s market presence in the rapidly evolving mission-critical infrastructure landscape.

Your leadership will directly influence growth performance, strengthen strategic client relationships, and elevate WSP’s Mission Critical portfolio — establishing repeatable, high-performance solutions across data centres and adjacent mission-critical environments where uptime, resilience, speed-to-commissioning, and operational continuity are paramount.

You will oversee the delivery of high-quality consulting services, lead strategic initiatives, ensure exceptional client satisfaction, and achieve key Profit & Loss (P&L) performance targets.

Responsibilities Vision & Strategy:

• Define and execute the regional strategy for mission-critical data centres, aligning with WSP’s global vision and Middle East priorities.
• Own the Mission Critical sector architecture and sub-sector strategies (with data centres as the primary focus), including value proposition, priority accounts, partner strategy, capability roadmap, and a repeatable go-to-market plan for each sub-sector. Establish clear scorecards and governance to track pipeline, conversion, margin, delivery performance, and sector maturity.

Cross-Business Collaboration:

• Champion collaboration across Advisory, Engineering, Sustainability, and Digital practices to deliver integrated solutions that maximize value for clients.

Market Expansion:

• Position WSP as the partner of choice for hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise data centre clients, while advancing regional and multi-sector priorities across the Mission Critical portfolio.

Client Engagement:

• Strengthen relationships with key clients and stakeholders, ensuring exceptional satisfaction and trust in WSP’s delivery capabilities.

Operational Excellence:

• Oversee the delivery of high-quality consulting and engineering services, ensuring projects meet mission-critical standards for resilience, efficiency, and sustainability across data centres specifically.

P&L Accountability:

• Drive financial performance by achieving key Profit & Loss (P&L) targets, optimizing resource allocation, and ensuring sustainable growth.

Business Development:

• Lead strategic initiatives to expand WSP’s footprint in the Middle East data centre market, securing new opportunities and partnerships.

Quality, Safety & Operations (QSO):

• Uphold WSP’s commitment to quality, safety, and operational excellence, setting the tone for industry-leading standards in mission-critical delivery.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, inspire, and manage a diverse team of technical and strategic consultants and subject matter experts. Foster a collaborative, innovative, and inclusive culture centered on growth, technical excellence, strategic advisory services and accountability across business lines and global regions.

Emerging Technologies & Future-Ready Solutions:

• Drive innovation and future-ready solutions across mission-critical data centres, leveraging advanced technologies, sustainable practices, and integrated digital strategies to ensure resilience, efficiency, and long‑term market leadership in the Middle East

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Architecture, or a closely related technical discipline ( Mechanical, Electrical, ICT/Telecoms, Fire & Life Safety, or similar)
• Master’s degree in engineering management, Business Administration, Data Centre Engineering, or a relevant technical field (preferred
• 15+ years of experience in mission-critical/data centre projects, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong understanding of: Data centre MEP/HVAC systems, Electrical redundancy / Tier levels, Uptime Institute standards, Cooling and energy optimisation strategies, Commissioning processes & operational readiness, Mission‑critical resilience and risk engineering
• Experience working within Middle East regulatory frameworks (UAE/KSA at minimum).
• Proven track record in business development, client management, and P&L ownership.
• Strong technical understanding of data centre design, construction, and operations.
• Experience leading senior technical experts, sector teams, or multi-disciplinary delivery teams.

Core Leadership Capabilities

• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong commercial acumen and experience with P&L or division-level budget ownership.
• Ability to manage multiple large-scale, complex projects simultaneously under aggressive timelines.
• Deep understanding of data center-specific design considerations, including redundancy factors and industry regulatory frameworks.
• Evidence of building culture, driving accountability, and setting governance structures.