Principal Design Manager

United Arab Emirates

Permanent

Discipline

14089

Iustina Blidariu

About The Role

• The Principal Design Manager is accountable for the end‑to‑end delivery of complex high‑rise, mixed‑use and luxury developments, integrating design management, innovation, quality, compliance and stakeholder leadership.
• The role provides single‑point accountability across the project lifecycle, ensuring design excellence, risk management and client satisfaction, in line with Mott MacDonald’s governance and best practice.
• Key responsibilities and duties are listed, but not limited to, the below:
• Lead and manage the end to end design process from requirements definition through to delivery, establishing and controlling scope, basis of design, competencies, compliance with client briefs, quality assurance, risk management, and governance.
• Act as Design Manager and/or Project Principal in accordance with Mott MacDonald management systems, policies, and QA/QC procedures.
• Lead, coordinate, and integrate multidisciplinary design teams, overseeing design reviews, technical assurance, and independent checks to ensure robust and high-quality outcomes.
• Ensure full compliance with applicable codes, standards, statutory requirements, and client specifications across all design disciplines.
• Maintain overall ownership of design solutions, managing change control, reporting, and authority approvals throughout the project lifecycle.
• Build and sustain strong client and stakeholder relationships, acting as a trusted advisor and primary point of escalation on design related matters.
• Lead, mentor, and develop teams, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high performance culture that promotes technical excellence and professional growth.
• Proactively identify, manage, and mitigate project, technical, commercial, and reputational risks, while identifying opportunities to enhance value and outcomes.
• Understand of sustainability frameworks (LEED, Estidama) and integration into design development.
• Champion innovation and digital enablement, working closely with discipline leads and digital teams to embed efficient, futureready design solutions.
• Candidate specifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or architecture. MSc is a plus
• Chartered Engineer / Architect or equivalent professional registration preferred.
• Extensive experience across design management within the built environment.
• Proven delivery of high‑rise, mixed‑use and luxury developments.
• Experience working in the Middle East / Gulf region.
• Strong understanding of project controls, contracts (including FIDIC), commercial and design management.
• Experience in design to budget approach, working closely with cost consultants
• Excellent leadership, client‑facing and communication skills.
• Experience working within a consultancy environment.
• Arabic speaking and writing will be of benefit to the role but is not a mandatory requirement

Our Purpose

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Flexible Working

• At Mott MacDonald, we support our staff to create work-life balance which works for them and welcome candidates looking for career flexibility.
• We are open to discussing flexible working at interview stage.
• We can offer:
• 90 calendar days’ paid maternity leave
• Competitive annual leave
• An annual professional institution subscription
• Annual company performance bonus scheme – Subject to company performance