Project Director

Salary: Highly Competitive – typically USD 115,795 – USD 217,116 per year (depending on seniority & experience)

Languages: Chinese & English (Fluent);
Arabic preferred

Sector: Biotechnology
· Industrial Construction
· Large‑Scale Infrastructure

Employment Type: Full-time, On-site

A major public-sector organisation within the biotechnology and advanced research sector is undergoing a significant global expansion. Headquartered in Asia, the employer is recognised for:

• World-leading R&D capabilities
• Strategic investment in global biotech and industrial infrastructure
• Large-scale project delivery across international markets
• A strong commitment to innovation, sustainability, and technology localisation

The company is rapidly developing its footprint across the Middle East
, with major industrial, logistics, and biotech facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This expansion requires seasoned leadership capable of driving complex project delivery in fast-growing, high-impact environments.

This is a rare opportunity for a senior construction professional to shape the regional execution of cutting-edge biotech and industrial infrastructure projects.

The Project Director will serve as the senior-most leader overseeing project management, construction execution, technology localisation, and multidisciplinary coordination across major Middle East projects. This is a high-visibility leadership position responsible for the successful delivery of strategic industrial and logistics developments.

• Lead all construction and project management activities across Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
• Represent the client-side (Party
  
  A) in major offshore and local contractor engagements.
• Oversee project lifecycle management from design through execution and commissioning.

• Manage complex projects delivered through multiple prime contracts or parallel contracting models
  .
• Provide senior-level interface management between contractors, consultants, and internal stakeholders.

• Maintain expert understanding of regional construction laws, policies, and approval regulations.
• Ensure compliance across all project phases while proactively identifying and mitigating territory-specific risks.

• Interpret and adapt technical standards such as Saudi Building Code (SBC) and the UAE Fire & Life Safety Code
  .
• Lead harmonisation between domestic engineering outputs and local engineering requirements.

• Translate domestic R&D and technical innovations into feasible Middle East applications.
• Optimise and localise engineering solutions to ensure cost efficiency, constructability, and regulatory compliance.

• Serve as the communication bridge between domestic technical teams and Middle East project teams.
• Build cohesive relationships across design, supervision, supply chain, and subcontractor networks.

• Conduct local market analysis for materials and equipment.
• Work with procurement teams to define supply chain strategies, supplier selection, and contract technical terms.

• Deliver technical briefings to construction teams and validate site-level execution.
• Ensure all work meets quality, safety, budget, and schedule expectations.

• Identify and resolve design, technical, or progress-related challenges.
• Collect feedback and data to support ongoing optimisation of processes and technical solutions.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture
  , or related field.

• 8–12+ years of senior project or construction management experience in the Middle East.
• Proven leadership in industrial plants, logistics real estate, or infrastructure mega projects
  .
• Client-side (Party
  
  A) experience is highly advantageous.
• Strong exposure to multi-prime contracting, parallel contracting, and interface-heavy environments.