Program Director

Role Overview

Program Director at WSP Middle East, based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This is a senior leadership role responsible for the successful delivery of a large-scale infrastructure construction supervision and PMCM programme.

Role Purpose

Lead a major infrastructure construction supervision and PMCM programme, ensuring works are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and to required quality standards. Act as the senior point of contact for the client, consultants, contractors, authorities, and internal leadership teams in a complex, multidisciplinary project environment.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Leadership

• Lead the overall delivery of a major infrastructure construction supervision and PMCM project in Jeddah.
• Provide strategic direction, leadership, and governance across all project functions.
• Act as the senior representative for the consultant and PMCM team, ensuring the project is delivered in line with client expectations, contract requirements, and agreed programme objectives.
• Establish and maintain a high-performance project delivery culture across the supervision and project management teams.
• Drive integration across design, construction, supervision, commercial, planning, HSE, quality, and stakeholder management functions.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary senior interface with the client and key project stakeholders.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with government entities, authorities, developers, contractors, consultants, and internal leadership teams.
• Lead senior-level progress meetings, executive reporting, issue resolution, and strategic decision-making forums.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment between all parties involved in the programme.
• Support the client in managing project risks, priorities, strategic decisions, and delivery challenges.

Construction Supervision & Delivery Oversight

• Oversee all construction supervision activities across the programme.
• Ensure contractors are performing in accordance with contract obligations, approved drawings, specifications, safety requirements, and quality standards.
• Monitor site progress, identify critical issues, and implement corrective actions where required.
• Provide leadership on construction methodology, sequencing, logistics, temporary works, interfaces, and programme constraints.
• Ensure robust systems are in place for site inspections, approvals, non-conformance management, testing, commissioning, and handover.

Programme Controls & Commercial Management

• Oversee programme controls including schedule, cost, risk, change, reporting, and performance management.
• Ensure accurate progress reporting and forecasting to the client and senior leadership.
• Review and challenge contractor programmes, claims, variations, extension of time submissions, and commercial assessments.
• Work closely with commercial and contracts teams to manage contractual risks and protect the client's interests.
• Ensure appropriate governance is in place for change control, payment certification, claims management, and contract administration.

HSE, Quality & Compliance

• Champion a strong health, safety, and wellbeing culture across the programme.
• Ensure full compliance with project HSE requirements, local regulations, and international best practice.
• Oversee the implementation of quality management systems and ensure works are delivered to required standards.
• Promote proactive risk management, incident prevention, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure all supervision activities are properly documented and auditable.

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and manage a large multidisciplinary project team including resident engineers, project managers, discipline leads, planners, commercial managers, HSE managers, QA/QC managers, and stakeholder specialists.
• Set clear objectives, responsibilities, and accountability across the programme team.
• Manage team performance, resource planning, succession planning, and capability development.
• Foster collaboration, communication, and a solutions-focused culture.
• Support nationalisation and local talent development objectives where applicable.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 20 years of professional experience in infrastructure, construction supervision, PMCM, or programme management.
• Proven experience leading major infrastructure programmes in the Middle East, ideally within Saudi Arabia or the wider GCC.
• Strong background in construction supervision and PMCM delivery for large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Experience managing complex, multidisciplinary construction programmes involving multiple contractors and stakeholders.
• Previous experience in a senior leadership position such as Program Director, Project Director, Construction Director, PMCM Director, or Senior Programme Manager.
• Demonstrated experience working with government clients, developers, authorities, and major contractors.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of contract administration, construction supervision procedures, project controls, risk management, quality, and HSE.
• Strategic and hands-on leadership capability in complex project environments.
• Ability to drive performance across multiple workstreams and manage diverse stakeholder groups.