Operations Director Built Environment

Description

Zutari: Co-creating an engineered impact.

Zutari is a well-established management-owned engineering firm with almost 90 years experience. As human-centred engineering consultants and advisors we are trusted by our clients business partners communities and other stakeholders across Africa.

We co-create engineering solutions that have a positive impact and improve peoples lives. Zutari values inclusion and recognises the importance of a diverse talented workforce believing that people need other people to succeed.

What kind of talent do we pursue

We employ people with the right attitude and a positive mindset who are motivated by doing the right thing getting things done and share a sense of urgency. People who have an impact in our teams and broader community. People who think differently and connect with those around them to co-create new opportunities and leave a meaningful legacy.

About the role:

As Operations Director: Built Environment for Zutari MENA based in Dubai you will play a critical role in driving the operational success delivery excellence and commercial performance of Zutaris Build Environment portfolio across the Middle East and North Africa.

This role is responsible for operationalising sector strategy leading day-to-day business operations enabling consistent high-quality project delivery and strengthening collaboration across technical commercial and support teams. The incumbent will ensure that Zutaris Built Environment operations are positioned for sustainable growth market relevance and exceptional client outcomes across sectors such as commercial mixed-use hospitality healthcare education leisure and entertainment aviation and public infrastructure. The role entails strong Zutari inter-departmental relationships and a We Are One mindset.

This is a senior leadership role requiring strong operational discipline strategic insight sound commercial judgment and the ability to build trusted relationships with clients partners and internal stakeholders. The role will also establish operational goals performance metrics and KPIs to monitor business unit health project performance and delivery effectiveness.

The incumbent will be expected to travel across the MENA region as required to support clients projects and partner engagement

Key responsibilities

Strategy formulation and operational implementation

• Contribute to the development and refinement of the Built Environment strategy for Zutari MENA aligned to the broader regional and group business objectives.
• Translate strategy into operational priorities delivery plans and measurable outcomes across the business unit.
• Monitor implementation of strategic initiatives and intervene where required to improve execution.
• Provide market and project delivery insights to identify growth opportunities strengthen competitiveness and respond to evolving client needs.
• Support market penetration in priority MENA geographies through operational readiness delivery capability and partner alignment.
• Grow Zutaris service offerings in the region to align with client and market expectations as well as overall MENA and Group strategies.
• Drive digitally focused solutions through the team to ensure efficiency market relevance and increased quality in delivery.

Service delivery and risk mitigation

• Support the development of strong client and stakeholder relationships to understand needs and deliver tailored Built Environment solutions.
• Review project technical and commercial delivery approaches including risk elements prior to contract award to minimise downstream delivery risk.
• Ensure projects are set up in line with Zutaris delivery requirements including digital delivery knowledge management resourcing health and safety quality and environmental compliance.
• Appoint and support appropriate Project Executives Design Leads and Opportunity Managers to lead opportunities and projects from inception to close-out.
• Ensure successful delivery of projects across the Built Environment portfolio in line with quality programme commercial and client expectations.
• Monitor project performance proactively to identify delivery commercial contractual technical or reputational risks and ensure timely mitigation.
• Escalate material risks to the appropriate governance and leadership levels.
• Oversee delivery assurance across key disciplines such as mechanical electrical public health fire engineering specialist systems structural geotech facades and sustainability integration.

Resource management

• Optimise the deployment of business unit and wider Zutari resources to align with current and future project demands.
• Ensure effective resourcing decisions across priorities skills capacity and budget constraints.
• Build operational capability by supporting recruitment succession planning and technical development within the Built Environment team.
• Ensure staff are equipped with the training tools and support required to deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced MENA environment.
• Foster multidisciplinary collaboration across all internal disciplines and external project and client teams.

Operational management

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the Built Environment business including project delivery oversight utilisation workforce planning quality management and budget performance.
• Establish track and report on KPIs to drive operational excellence and accountability.
• Provide guidance on opportunity management bid structuring delivery models and partner engagement.
• Implement and uphold technical standards project governance requirements and compliance procedures across the business unit.
• Drive consistency in delivery methodologies design management and project controls.
• Strengthen operational maturity in relation to design coordination authority approvals and complex stakeholder environments typical of the UAE KSA and wider MENA market.

Sales and financial performance

• Support the achievement of sales revenue margin and cash performance targets for the Built Environment business.
• Monitor business and project financial performance analyse variances and implement corrective actions where required.
• Support and review scope changes variation orders claims positions and commercial negotiations in conjunction with project leaders.
• Contribute to pipeline conversion by ensuring robust delivery planning partner strategies and resourcing confidence at bid stage.
• Help strengthen Zutaris market position with developers architects contractors public sector entities asset owners and regional delivery partners.

Optimise operations

• Implement measures that improve value creation operational efficiency and profitability across the Built Environment portfolio.
• Identify process improvement opportunities and streamline operational workflows to enhance productivity and delivery consistency.
• Drive lessons learnt continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across projects and teams.
• Support digitisation and innovation initiatives that improve coordination reporting and project outcomes.

Collaboration and co-ordination

• Ensure effective communication and collaboration across business units sectors and regional support functions.
• Coordinate seamless integration of multidisciplinary solutions and client offerings.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic partners key clients contractors developers and relevant industry bodies in the MENA market.
• Work closely with regional leadership to align operational priorities with client strategy growth plans and delivery capacity.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Engineering or a related field.
• Professionally registered engineer or eligible for professional registration with a recognised body
• PMP or equivalent project/programme management certification will be advantageous.
• MBA or similar postgraduate business qualification will be advantageous.

Other requirements

• At least 10 years proven experience in an operations project delivery or business leadership role of a similar nature.
• Demonstrated at least 10 Years experience in Built Environment consulting within the Middle East.
• Strong understanding of the Built Environment market including multidiscipline engineering services delivery in an LDC scenario.
• Proven experience working with private developers architects contractors government entities and major institutional clients in the UAE KSA and wider MENA region.
• Established professional network in the MENA built environment sector.
• Strong experience in leading LDC and multidiscipline large scale project bids.
• Proven leadership and management experience in a professional services environment with a strong focus on operational efficiency and delivery excellence.
• Strong understanding of client relationship management client service and key account development.
• Strong commercial acumen including project finance contract risk variation management and margin control.
• Proven ability to identify assess and manage operational and delivery risk proactively.
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills with the ability to inspire guide and motivate multidisciplinary teams.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to use data and operational metrics to support strategic decision-making.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; Arabic would be advantageous.
• Ability to adapt to changing client needs market dynamics and delivery environments across MENA.

We believe that a diverse workforce is key to our business success. We seek the best people for our jobs based on their skills qualifications and experience. We embrace the principle of equal opportunity in employment and we work towards eliminating all forms of unlawful discrimination in our employ.

Required Experience:

Director