About us:

Dokainish & Company is a global organization that has been providing world class professional consultancy services since 2011. We have recently launched our MENA operations, headquartered in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. This expansion supports our strategy to serve government and private sector clients in capital projects across construction, infrastructure, energy, and commercial developments.

Overview:

Dokainish & Company is seeking an experienced Development Director to lead the delivery of a high-end luxury residential project in downtown Dubai.

From owning the business plan, asset brief, and end-to-end delivery, from concept refinement through handover. We need someone experienced with technical excellence, financial discipline, and market-leading product positioning.

This is a full-time position, and the selected candidate must be based in Dubai, or in the UAE, willing to independently relocate to Dubai.

Key Responsibilities:

Develop and deliver comprehensive business plan and asset briefs for ultra-luxury residential development.
Establish financial KPIs and cost estimation frameworks; track development budgets against targets
Lead design coordination ensuring specifications justify premium pricing and competitive differentiation.
Manage consultant teams (architects, engineers, specialists) and contractor interfaces
Define unit mix, specification standards, and amenity programs aligned to target customer profiles
Drive value engineering without compromising luxury positioning or design intent
Coordinate with sales/marketing on product positioning, pricing strategy, and launch sequencing
Ensure delivery timelines support go-to-market strategy and absorption targets
Navigate authority approvals, permitting, and compliance requirements
Monitor market trends and competitive landscape; recommend product adjustments

Requirements

Background & Requirements:

12+ years in luxury residential development with 5+ years in leadership roles
Proven delivery of ultra-luxury residential projects (AED 10M+ per unit pricing)
Strong technical acumen across architecture, engineering, construction, and finishing standards
Demonstrated ability to develop business cases, financial models, and cost estimation frameworks
Deep understanding of luxury residential market dynamics, customer expectations, and competitive positioning
Experience managing multidisciplinary consultant teams and contractor relationships
Track record balancing design ambition with budget discipline and schedule commitments
Degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, or related field; MBA preferred
US, Canada, UK, or Australian education preferred
Dubai/GCC market experience essential

What Success looks like:

Business plan and asset brief delivered on time with clear financial and technical parameters
Project delivered on budget with robust cost control and value engineering discipline
Product achieves target pricing with strong market absorption
Design quality and specification standards set new luxury benchmarks
Seamless handover to operations with zero defects and exceptional customer satisfaction

Development Director - High-End Luxury Residential Downtown Project - Dubai