Job Purpose
The Director of Design – Project Management is a member of ZFP management team, holding company-wide responsibility for the leadership, direction, and performance of all Projects Management activities for design projects. Leads, monitors, and manages all Project Managers (PMs) and Design Managers (DMs) throughout the organization, establishing unified standards, resourcing, and governance so that design project delivery is consistent with on high-quality, on schedule and within budget
2. Key Responsibilities
2.1 Departmental Leadership and Management
Lead, organize, and manage the Project Management Department for all design projects, setting departmental goals aligned with ZFP's strategic objectives. Directly supervise, coach, and develop Project Managers and Design Managers, ensuring clear allocation of responsibilities and accountability across assigned projects. Conduct regular performance reviews of PMs and DMs, identify training and competency needs, and support career development within the department. Plan departmental resourcing and staffing levels in coordination with HR, ensuring the right mix of PM/DM capability is available for current and forecast project workload.
2.2 Project Delivery Oversight
Provide oversight and direction to PMs and DMs on the planning, execution, monitoring, and closeout of design projects, from kickoff through final deliverable handover. Ensure all design projects are delivered on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with contractual scope, quality requirements, and client expectations. Review and approve key project management deliverables including project plans, design programs, resource plans, and risk registers prepared by PMs. Monitor project performance through regular reviews of progress reports, KPIs, and dashboards; intervene proactively to resolve delays. Escalate and manage critical project risks and issues to executive management, proposing corrective and preventive actions. Oversee change management processes for design projects, ensuring variations, claims, and contractual changes are properly identified, documented, and controlled.
2.3 Quality, Process, and Compliance
Ensure that Project Management procedures are followed consistently across all design project stages. Work closely with the Quality Assurance Department to support internal audits, ISO 9001:2015 compliance, and continuous improvement of project management processes. Ensure design quality control workflows are followed by project teams.
2.4 Client and Stakeholder Management
Leading PMs and DMs in managing client expectations, resolving escalated issues, and ensuring high levels of client satisfaction. Represent the Project Management Department high-level project management meetings. Coordinate with Business Development on proposal preparation and project management inputs for new opportunities.
2.5 Financial and Commercial Management
Oversee project budgets, fee utilization, and profitability across the design project portfolio managed by PMs. Review project financial reports and forecasts, ensuring timely invoices, cost control, and variance analysis. Support contract administration and commercial negotiations related to scope, fees, and project changes.
2.6 Company-Wide Governance and Standardization
Set and enforce unified project management standards, practices, and reporting formats for design projects. Exercise direct executive authority over the Project Management function company-wide, ensuring no branch operates outside approved PM governance, tools, or reporting lines. Drive organization-wide process improvement initiatives for project management, ensuring lessons learned in one office are institutionalized across the entire company. Ensure equitable resource allocation and workload balancing of PMs and DMs based on company-wide project demand.
3. Qualifications and Experience
Education
Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, or a related discipline (required). Master's degree in Project Management, Construction Management, or Business Administration (preferred).
Experience
Minimum 20 years of progressive experience in project management within architecture/engineering design consultancies, including at least 5–7 years in a senior leadership role overseeing multiple PMs/DMs and project portfolios. Proven track record of successfully delivering large, multi-disciplinary design projects, preferably within the KSA/GCC market. Demonstrated experience managing, monitoring, and developing project management teams.
4. Key Skills and Competencies
Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate, mentor, and hold PMs/DMs accountable. Excellent strategic thinking and decision-making capability, balancing technical, commercial, and client considerations. Strong knowledge of design project lifecycle, quality control processes, and project management methodologies. Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills at senior/executive level. Strong financial knowledge, including budgeting, cost control, and profitability management. Proficiency with project management and collaboration platforms (e.g., Autodesk Construction Cloud, MS Project, Primavera, or similar). Sound understanding of quality management principles and ISO 9001:2015 requirements. Fluency in English required; Arabic proficiency preferred.
5. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
On-time delivery rate of design projects against approved project schedules. Project budget/fee performance (planned vs. actual cost and profitability). Client satisfaction scores (CSAT/NPS) for projects under departmental oversight. Timely closure of project risks, issues, and change requests.