Program Director

Role overview

What you'll be doing

• Lead strategic planning, governance, and performance management for a major government project portfolio.
• Serve as the senior client-facing leader for executive stakeholders, partners, and delivery teams.
• Oversee portfolio performance across safety, quality, scope, schedule, cost, risk, commercial outcomes, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Provide leadership, reporting, escalation, and decision support to company leadership and client representatives.
• Direct multidisciplinary project teams and ensure appropriate resources, capability, and delivery focus.
• Drive commercial discipline through forecasting, margin performance, contract management, change control, and risk mitigation.
• Identify opportunities to expand the company's role, improve delivery performance, and strengthen long-term client partnerships.
• Model visible leadership, accountability, collaboration, and commitment to safety and quality.

Required skills and experience

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, project management, business, or a related discipline.
• 20+ years of progressive leadership experience in infrastructure, construction, engineering, project management, or program management.
• Proven experience leading large, complex projects, programs, or portfolios for government or public-sector clients.
• Strong commercial, financial, contractual, risk management, and operational leadership capability.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams across complex stakeholder environments.
• Executive-level communication skills and ability to influence senior clients, partners, and internal leadership.
• Strong understanding of project controls, governance, safety, quality, design management, and construction delivery.

Desired skills

• Advanced degree, professional certification, or recognized program/project management qualification.
• Experience in the Middle East and/or with UAE government entities.
• Market insight supporting client growth, portfolio expansion, and strategic positioning.
• Experience improving program governance, recovering project performance, or leading complex stakeholder alignment.

Benefits

• Competitive pay and retirement plans.
• Paid time off and paid flexible holidays.
• Training, educational, and mentorship programs.
• Wellness program and employee assistance program.
• Medical, dental, and vision plans.