Project Director-Architecture GHD

Project Director Architecture

We are seeking an accomplished Project Director with an Architecture background to lead the delivery of a major, highly complex, master-planned, multi-discipline development. The role requires deep expertise in large-scale mixed-use communities, encompassing residential, hospitality, commercial, recreational, cultural, and educational facilities, delivered within a coordinated program environment.

The Project Director will provide strategic, technical, commercial, and people leadership across all phases of the project lifecycle with a focus on Architecture, ensuring alignment with client objectives, regional business strategy, and global best practice.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic and Commercial Leadership

• Contribute towards achieving regional financial and growth targets, with full accountability for a major Operational Area, Market Sector, or Project/Program portfolio within a complex regional environment.
• Influence and support the development and execution of the Business Group s strategic business plan, including market positioning, capability development, and pursuit strategy for major opportunities.
• Lead commercial governance across assigned projects, including fee strategy, scope management, change control, risk exposure, and margin performance.
• Act as a key contributor to major bids and pursuits, including oversight of design strategy, resourcing, program, and commercial inputs.
• Provide overall leadership and direction for large, multi-discipline project teams, ensuring the successful delivery of multiple, interrelated building typologies under a unified master program.
• Oversee all project phases from master planning and concept design through detailed design, authority approvals, tender, construction, and handover.
• Ensure time, cost, quality, and safety performance targets are achieved across all assigned projects and programs.
• Establish and maintain robust project governance, reporting, risk management, and decision-making frameworks appropriate to complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Manage interfaces between architecture, engineering, landscape, infrastructure, sustainability, cost management, and specialist consultants to ensure integrated outcomes.

Program and Project Delivery

• Provide overall leadership and direction for large, multi-discipline project teams, ensuring the successful delivery of multiple, interrelated building typologies under a unified master program.
• Oversee all project phases from master planning and concept design through detailed design, authority approvals, tender, construction, and handover.
• Ensure time, cost, quality, and safety performance targets are achieved across all assigned projects and programs.
• Establish and maintain robust project governance, reporting, risk management, and decision-making frameworks appropriate to complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Manage interfaces between architecture, engineering, landscape, infrastructure, sustainability, cost management, and specialist consultants to ensure integrated outcomes.

Technical and Design Leadership

• Serve as Technical Lead on high-profile, complex, or multi-discipline projects, providing architectural oversight and ensuring design intent is maintained across all stages.
• Apply deep technical expertise and global best practices to resolve highly complex, novel, or unprecedented challenges.
• Approve and champion the use of innovative design approaches, digital tools, delivery methodologies, and emerging technologies in response to market trends and client needs.
• Consolidate and leverage innovative solutions developed across projects to deliver broader regional and organizational benefit.

Client, Stakeholder and Authority Engagement

• Act as a trusted senior advisor to national and international clients, joint venture partners, government entities, and regulatory authorities.
• Lead senior-level client engagement, ensuring alignment on vision, scope, risk, program, and commercial matters.
• Represent the organization at key client, authority, and industry forums, strengthening relationships and market reputation.
• Manage functional or operational areas, processes, or programs, including dotted-line leadership of discipline leads and project teams where applicable.
• Provide day-to-day people leadership, including resource planning, performance management, mentoring, succession planning, and capability development.
• Foster a high-performance, collaborative culture that supports innovation, accountability, and professional growth.
• Communicate project and program strategy, objectives, and context clearly to internal teams, external partners, and stakeholders.
• Implement, monitor, and enhance operating policies, processes, and procedures, ensuring compliance with UAE regulations, authority requirements, contractual obligations, and delegated authority frameworks.
• Ensure adherence to quality management systems, health and safety standards, and ethical and professional obligations.

Skill and Experience Requirements

• 20+ years of industry experience, with 8 10+ years in the UAE or GCC strongly preferred.
• Proven experience as a Project Director or equivalent senior leadership role on large-scale, multi-discipline developments with multiple building typologies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex programs or portfolios, rather than single standalone projects.
• Bachelor s or master s degree in architecture or a related field.
• Professional registration in Architecture; Project Management certification is an advantage.
• Strong consultancy background with experience across pre-contract and post-contract stages, including authority approvals and construction delivery.
• Deep understanding of UAE planning, building regulations, and approval processes.
• Excellent commercial acumen, including fee management, risk mitigation, and contractual awareness.
• Proven leadership capability with large, multi-discipline teams across geographically distributed environments.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience leveraging digital delivery platforms (e.g. BIM, data-driven design, digital twins) and integrated project delivery methodologies.