Project Director

Project Director – PMC

Project: Phosphate 3 / North-South Railway Expansion (Saudi Arabia)

Location: Saudi Arabia (Site & Project Offices)

Employment Type: Long-term Project Assignment (Expat preferred)

Role Purpose

The Project Director will have overall responsibility for the successful planning, execution, coordination, and delivery of the Phosphate Railway Expansion Program, involving doubling of the existing North–South freight railway line. The role requires strategic leadership across multiple contract packages, ensuring delivery in line, objectives, contractual obligations, safety, quality, cost, and schedule requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1. Program Leadership & Governance

• Act as the single point of accountability for the PMC across all project packages (civil, track, signaling, telecom, RS, utilities).
• Establish and lead the program governance framework, including reporting structures, decision-making processes, and escalation protocols.
• Interface at executive level with leadership, Ministry stakeholders, project financiers, and JV partners.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to multi-disciplinary teams.

2. Delivery Oversight

• Oversee end-to-end delivery of the program from concept validation through design, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning
• Ensure integration and coordination across multiple contracts and packages to achieve seamless execution.
• Monitor progress against baseline schedule, budget, and performance KPIs, ensuring timely corrective actions.
  
• Provide leadership in resolving major program risks, technical challenges, and interface issues.

3. Contract & Commercial Management

• Oversee administration of FIDIC-based contracts, including variation management, claims, change control, and dispute avoidance.
• Provide strategic guidance to the Contracts and Commercial teams to protect commercial and contractual interests.
• Support high-value negotiations with contractors, suppliers, and consultants.
• Ensure compliance with procurement, commercial, and governance frameworks.

4. Stakeholder & Interface Management

• Maintain strong working relationships with Program Consultant, contractors, utility authorities, regulators, and local government agencies.
• Lead stakeholder engagement strategies to address land access, utilities, permits, and third-party interfaces.
• Represent in executive reviews, steering committee meetings, and statutory forums.

5. Risk, Quality, HSE & Compliance

• Champion a proactive risk management culture across the program.
• Ensure the implementation and enforcement of robust HSE, Quality, and Systems Assurance frameworks.
• Confirm compliance with standards, Saudi regulations, international railway norms, and best practices.
• Promote a strong safety leadership culture aligned with zero-harm objectives.

6. Systems & Integration

• Oversee systems engineering, signaling, telecom, rolling stock interface, and operational readiness aspects.
• Ensure end-to-end systems integration and readiness for commissioning and handover to operations.
• Guide teams on RAMS, systems assurance, and operational acceptance processes.

7. Reporting & Performance Management

• Ensure timely, accurate, and decision-focused program reporting to SAR and key stakeholders.
• Review and approve executive dashboards, risk registers, cost reports, and milestone summaries.
• Drive continuous improvement and lessons learned across the program lifecycle.

Qualifications & Experience

Educational Qualification

• Bachelors degree in engineering (Civil preferred; Electrical / Mechanical acceptable)
• Postgraduate qualification in Project Management, Construction Law, or MBA is desirable

Experience

• Minimum 20 years of professional experience in large infrastructure projects
• At least 10–12 years in senior program or project leadership roles
• Proven experience delivering large-scale railway / metro / freight rail projects
• Strong background in PMC / Engineers Representative roles
• Demonstrable experience handling multi-package, multi-billion-value program

Regional Experience

• Experience in Saudi Arabia or GCC is highly preferred
• Strong understanding of FIDIC contracts, Gulf construction practices, and regulatory environments
• Expat experience in large government-led infrastructure program is desirable