Head of Engineering

KEO is a creative enterprise, where innovation is a way of life. We are uniquely resourced with end-to-end services to take clients from inspiration – through conceptualization – to realization of planning, design or project delivery in the built and natural environments. For over 60 years we’ve led with vision, contributing to many of the world’s most ambitious projects, iconic places, remarkable experiences and prosperous communities.

As a highly integrated and agile AEP/PMCM firm, KEO is recognized by ENR as one of the Top 225 International Design Firms and one of the Top 20 International PM/CM Firms. We are also ranked by World Architecture as the 51^st largest global architecture firm and the #1 Firm in the Middle East Region in their 2024 WA100 Survey.

We invite you to join us. Why?

When you join KEO, you’ll discover more than just a job – you’ll find a supportive environment that fosters your professional development through internal global mobility and career development and does so within a culture that supports company-wide health and well-being through on-demand counselling services and regular workplace clinics.

You will be invited to celebrate community events such as sports days, fun-runs, in-house sports teams and beach clean ups. In addition to your competitive package and benefits you will have access to a suite of policies that include hybrid working arrangements, individual athletic sponsorship, study assistance sponsorship, employee referral rewards.

Our newest opportunity is for a talented Head of Engineering to join our award-winning team based in Dubai, UAE.

This role will be a highly technical one. The Head of Engineering will lead our engineering function from our Dubai office. Reporting to the Managing Director, this critical role holds operational responsibility for our multi-disciplinary, geographically dispersed technical team. The Head of Engineering will drive technical direction, uphold rigorous design excellence standards across all deliverables, and ensure the successful engineering execution of large-scale infrastructure projects across the regions we operate in. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience within the design consultancy sector, specifically on major infrastructure programs.

We envisage success in this role to include:

• Leading and managing the engineering design process across multiple large-scale infrastructure projects including roads, highways, utilities, smart cities, and associated programs.
• Providing operational leadership, mentorship, and technical direction to a large, scalable, multi-disciplinary engineering team potentially exceeding 150 members, distributed across various international offices (GCC, Jordan, and Portugal).
• Establishing, implementing, maintaining, and rigorously enforcing high standards of design excellence, quality assurance, and technical integrity across all engineering deliverables.
• Ensuring all engineering designs comply with relevant international codes, local GCC standards, statutory regulations, and specific client requirements.
• Overseeing the technical aspects of project delivery, ensuring designs are innovative, constructible, sustainable, cost-effective, and strictly adhere to project objectives and defined scope.
• Championing and fostering a culture of technical innovation, continuous improvement, efficiency, and the adoption of best practices within the engineering discipline.
• Collaborating effectively and proactively with Project Managers, other department heads, and technical leads across different offices to ensure seamless integration and execution of projects.
• Mentoring, coaching, and actively supporting the professional development of engineering staff, cultivating technical expertise and leadership potential within the team.
• Managing and allocating engineering resources efficiently across various projects based on strategic priorities, project needs, and team capabilities.
• Overseeing and guiding the proficient use of essential engineering software and digital tools such as, Autodesk products, various BIM platforms, Bentley’s portfolio (e.g., SewerGEMS), transportation modeling tools (e.g., VISSIM, VISUM), and project management software like Primavera (the ideal candidate will be aware of the tools but may not have used all of them directly).
• Developing, implementing, and monitoring robust quality control procedures and technical reviews for all engineering designs and documentation.
• Acting as the senior technical expert, troubleshooting complex engineering challenges and providing decisive guidance to resolve design issues.
• Supporting project delivery teams by providing expert technical input and representation during key client meetings or technical workshops as needed.
• Promoting and embodying a collaborative, fast-paced, problem-solving work environment aligned with the company’s culture.
• Staying informed on the latest industry advancements, emerging technologies, sustainable practices, and best practices within infrastructure engineering and design consultancy globally and within the GCC.

To be successful in this dynamic opportunity, we envision that your career journey to date will include a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a relevant engineering discipline is essential; a Master’s degree is advantageous.

• A minimum of 15 years of significant professional experience gained primarily within the Design Consultancy sector.
• Extensive background focused on the design and engineering management of large-scale infrastructure projects such as highways, major roads, comprehensive wet/dry utility networks, sewage systems, or smart city infrastructure elements.
• Proven and demonstrable track record of successfully leading, managing, and motivating multi-disciplinary engineering teams, preferably within an international or multi-office environment.
• Deep and broad technical knowledge across core civil infrastructure design disciplines.
• Verifiable experience in establishing, implementing, and managing stringent design quality management systems (QA/QC) and technical standards.
• High level of proficiency and familiarity with industry-standard engineering design software and tools such as Autodesk Civil 3D, Revit, various BIM tools, Bentley Systems software (e.g., OpenRoads, SewerGEMS, WaterGEMS), Transport modeling software (VISSIM/VISUM), and Primavera P6.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, crucial for managing distributed teams and complex stakeholder interactions.
• Significant experience working on projects within the GCC region and familiarity with regional standards and requirements is strongly preferred.
• Professional Engineering registration or Chartership (e.g., PE, CEng, P. Eng) is highly desirable.
• Must possess the ability and willingness to undertake regular business travel within the GCC region and Europe/Jordan.

KEO’s performance is founded upon integrity, results, innovation, safety and our people. We embrace diversity and recognise its’ contribution to client success wherever we work.

We are excited to hear how you can partner with our award-winning team and treat all expressions of interest confidentially.