Senior Design Manager
GHD · Abu Dhabi
With over 14,000 professionals globally, GHD is a leading multidisciplinary professional services company delivering engineering, design, and advisory solutions across water, energy, resources, environment, property & buildings, and transportation sectors.
About the Role
We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Design Manager to lead and oversee the delivery of multidisciplinary design for major building projects. This senior role requires strategic leadership, strong technical acumen, and the ability to drive design excellence while coordinating seamlessly across regional and global teams.
Role & Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee the full design delivery for complex, large-scale building projects, ensuring alignment with project objectives while working closely with Project Managers and Project Directors.
- Provide strategic direction to multidisciplinary design teams, ensuring all design elements are fully coordinated, technically robust, and aligned with client requirements.
- Collaborate across regions, disciplines, and business groups to secure the necessary technical support, optimise resource utilisation, and resolve design challenges throughout all project phases.
- Ensure client expectations are clearly understood, communicated, and embedded in the design process to support sound decision-making and successful outcomes.
- Manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing design team, fostering a culture of accountability, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.
- Work with Business Group and project leadership to monitor workload, address resourcing needs, manage team performance, and ensure alignment with project delivery targets.
- Demonstrate strong ownership and accountability, proactively addressing challenges while balancing project, client, and team requirements to achieve high-quality results.
- Oversee the execution of design processes and project delivery within a complex, multi-disciplinary environment, ensuring compliance with company standards, project objectives, and local legislative requirements.
- Develop, implement, and continuously improve design management policies, processes, and procedures, leveraging global best practices and quality frameworks.
- Ensure consistent application of company standards, operating procedures, and technical processes across all assigned projects, coordinating activities across disciplines to meet deadlines and key milestones efficiently.
- Exercise sound judgement within defined operational boundaries, ensuring effective task completion and optimal alignment of resources for client and business success.
- Collaborate with internal teams and technical disciplines to enhance delivery efficiency, support project integration, and uphold the highest standards of design quality across all projects.
Qualifications & Experience
- Proven experience delivering and leading design for complex, large-scale building projects.
- Strong technical background in architecture, engineering, or a related discipline.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate across disciplines, business groups, and geographies.
- Experience in managing, coaching, and developing design teams.
Why Join Us?
- Work on globally significant projects, influencing the next generation of AI and hyperscale data centre design.
- Be part of a globally recognised, fast-growing mission critical team delivering projects that blend technical excellence, sustainability, and commercial success.
- Collaborate in a multi-disciplinary, innovative environment where your input shapes both standardised and bespoke solutions.
- Join a team that values knowledge-sharing, mentorship, and professional excellence.
- Be part of a workplace that combines collaboration, flexibility, and connection. Join us in the office three days per week to contribute, connect and excel in our vibrant environment.
Our Pledge to You
At GHD, we don’t just believe in the power of commitment, we live and breathe it every day.
That’s why we pledge to empower our people to make a positive impact. Combining our deep technical expertise with the capabilities of our clients and partners, we respond to some of the most complex challenges facing our planet today.
See where your commitment could take you.
That’s the #PowerOfCommitment