Job description

Overview

KEO is a creative enterprise, where innovation is a way of life. We are uniquely resourced with end-to-end services to take clients from inspiration – through conceptualization – to realization of planning, design or project delivery in the built and natural environments. For over 60 years we’ve led with vision, contributing to many of the world’s most ambitious projects, iconic places, remarkable experiences and prosperous communities.

As a highly integrated and agile AEP/PMCM firm, KEO is recognized by ENR as one of the Top 225 International Design Firms and one of the Top 20 International PM/CM Firms. We are also ranked by World Architecture as the 51st largest global architecture firm and the #1 Firm in the Middle East Region in their 2024 WA100 Survey.

We invite you to join us. Why?

When you join KEO, you’ll discover more than just a job – you’ll find a supportive environment that fosters your professional development through internal global mobility and career development and does so within a culture that supports company-wide health and well-being through on-demand counselling services and regular workplace clinics. You will be invited to celebrate community events such as sports days, fun-runs, in-house sports teams and beach clean ups. In addition to your competitive package and benefits you will have access to a suite of policies that include hybrid working arrangements, individual athletic sponsorship, study assistance sponsorship, employee referral rewards.

Our newest opportunity is for a talented Associate Director, Project Management to join our PM/CM Division based in Dubai OR Abu Dhabi, UAE.

We are seeking an experienced and commercially astute Associate Director, Project Management to join our Project Management team in either Dubai or Abu Dhabi. This strategic role sits within our Core Office and will be responsible for managing key client relationships, overseeing project delivery during the pre-construction and early construction phases, and supporting the successful mobilization of Construction Supervision assignments before Resident Engineer deployment.

The successful candidate will act as a trusted advisor to clients, ensuring projects are appropriately planned, resourced, governed, and positioned for successful delivery while maintaining the highest standards of quality, commercial performance, and client satisfaction.

We envisage success in this role to include;

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key clients, stakeholders, developers, government authorities, and project partners.
• Serve as the primary client interface during project initiation, planning, procurement, and mobilization phases.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen existing client relationships and support business growth initiatives.
• Lead project governance meetings and provide strategic guidance to clients throughout project development.

• Oversee Construction Supervision from award through mobilization and early delivery stages.
• Ensure effective project planning, execution strategies, resource allocation, and risk management processes are established.
• Monitor project performance against scope, schedule, budget, quality, and contractual obligations.
• Support the transition of projects from the Core Office to site-based delivery teams, including Resident Engineers and project leadership personnel.
• Provide senior-level oversight and intervention on critical project issues where required.

• Manage project financial performance, including budgets, forecasts, invoicing, profitability, and resource utilization.
• Review and negotiate contracts, consultancy agreements, variations, and commercial matters.
• Ensure compliance with KEO's governance, quality management systems, and project delivery standards.
• Support bid preparation, technical proposals, project planning, and client presentations.

• Mentor and support Project Managers and project teams across multiple assignments.
• Promote collaboration across multidisciplinary teams and business units.
• Drive a culture of accountability, excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Support talent development and succession planning initiatives within the Project Management function.

• Establish project controls, reporting frameworks, and governance structures.
• Identify and proactively manage project risks and mitigation strategies.
• Ensure compliance with contractual, regulatory, and statutory requirements.
• Champion quality assurance and best practice project management methodologies.

To be successful in this dynamic opportunity, we envision that your career journey to date will include minimum 15 years work experience partnered with Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture or related discipline. 

KEO’s performance is founded upon integrity, results, innovation, safety and our people. We embrace diversity and recognise its’ contribution to client success wherever we work.

We are excited to hear how you can partner with our award-winning team and treat all expressions of interest confidentially.