Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Construction & Development

Company

Role Overview

Company Setup and Team Leadership

• Design the operating model, organizational structure, reporting lines, departments, policies, procedures, approval matrices, HSE policies, quality policies, and document controls.
• Complete company licensing, trade name, visa, office setup, insurance, and statutory registration activities in Dubai and the UAE.
• Recruit key construction and development roles, define KPIs, and lead onboarding, training, development, and performance management.
• Provide day-to-day leadership to department heads and project teams.

Project Delivery and Engineering

• Own project delivery from concept and design through construction, commissioning, and handover.
• Approve project execution plans, master schedules, resource plans, method statements, and quality plans.
• Ensure designs are coordinated, constructible, and aligned with approved budgets and programmes.
• Monitor progress against baselines and implement recovery plans and corrective actions.

Procurement and Commercial Management

• Establish vendor prequalification, tendering, negotiation, contracting, and purchase order processes.
• Define direct-purchase and subcontracting strategies and oversee civil, MEP, façade, interiors, landscaping, and infrastructure packages.
• Manage budgets, cash flow forecasts, cost reports, variations, claims, payment applications, supplier payments, and project profitability.
• Lead contract strategy, tender evaluation, negotiations, awards, disputes, and settlements, including FIDIC or other standard forms.

HSE, Quality, and Compliance

• Establish HSE and QA/QC frameworks across project sites and offices.
• Ensure compliance with UAE health, safety, environmental, building, and authority requirements.
• Drive a zero-harm culture through audits, inspections, toolbox talks, and compliance monitoring.

Stakeholder Management and Governance

• Act as the internal owner representative for construction and development matters.
• Manage relationships with government authorities, consultants, contractors, suppliers, partners, banks, insurers, and other stakeholders.
• Report portfolio cost, time, quality, safety, cash flow, financial exposure, risks, and mitigation plans to the board or owners.
• Implement operational reviews, project review meetings, risk registers, dashboards, and KPI tracking.

Qualifications and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, construction management, or a related field is required.
• A master’s degree or MBA is preferred.
• PMP, PRINCE2, CIOB, RICS, or similar professional certification is advantageous.
• The role requires 15–20 years of construction and development experience, including 7–10 years in senior leadership.
• UAE market experience and exposure to mixed-use, residential, commercial, or infrastructure projects are required.
• Experience establishing or significantly restructuring a construction or development operation from scratch is highly preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong strategic thinking, business acumen, leadership, and people management skills are required.
• The role requires commercial, financial, contract management, negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Deep knowledge of the UAE construction market, regulations, and authority processes is required.
• The role requires high integrity and the ability to work under pressure in a fast-growing environment.

Working Conditions

• The role is primarily office-based with frequent site visits across project locations in Dubai and the UAE.
• Flexible hours and occasional travel within the UAE or region may be required.