Executive Project Director

Executive Director – Project Delivery

Major Transport & Infrastructure Programme | Saudi Arabia

This role is based full time in Riyadh - please do not apply if you are unable to relocate to KSA.

The Opportunity

Digby Morris is supporting a major Saudi Arabian development organisation with the appointment of an Executive Director – Project Delivery, responsible for the execution of significant transport and civil infrastructure projects within one of the region's largest integrated development programmes.

The programme involves the development of an extensive, multimodal transport network, incorporating urban rail systems, major transport corridors, tunnels, bridges, viaducts, elevated structures, interchanges and associated infrastructure.

Representing a substantial, long-term capital investment, the network comprises multiple interconnected transport systems and major civil engineering packages, requiring sophisticated programme integration, construction sequencing and coordination across numerous contractors, disciplines and delivery interfaces.

The Role

Reporting to senior executive leadership, the successful candidate will assume responsibility for the delivery of one or multiple high-value infrastructure projects, potentially representing multi-billion-dollar capital investment.

Responsibilities include:

• Executive accountability for project delivery, programme, budget, quality, safety and contractual performance.
• Leadership of major civil engineering and infrastructure construction packages from design and procurement through construction, commissioning and handover.
• Management of principal contractors, consultants, delivery partners and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Oversight of construction methodologies, sequencing, logistics, technical interfaces and programme integration.
• Commercial and contractual management, including procurement, variations, claims, risk and cost control.
• Coordination of complex interfaces between concurrent transport infrastructure projects, utilities, enabling works and wider development programmes.
• Executive reporting, governance, programme recovery and resolution of critical delivery challenges.

Candidate Requirements

We are particularly interested in senior construction executives from major international Tier 1 contractors with a demonstrable record of delivering large, technically complex infrastructure projects.

Candidates should offer:

• 25+ years experience in major civil engineering, construction or infrastructure delivery.
• A substantial contracting background, ideally progressing through engineering, construction and project management into senior project or programme leadership.
• Proven responsibility for high-value infrastructure projects, including major rail, metro, tunnelling, bridges, viaducts, underground works or comparable civil engineering programmes.
• Strong commercial, contractual and construction management expertise.
• Experience leading large multidisciplinary teams and managing complex contractor and stakeholder interfaces.
• The ability to take direct accountability for project execution and successful completion.

Experience delivering major infrastructure within integrated urban developments, complex metropolitan environments or large-scale mixed-use programmes would be particularly advantageous.

Previous Middle East experience is preferred but not essential.

This appointment offers the opportunity to lead substantial infrastructure delivery within a long-term transport programme of significant scale, technical complexity and strategic importance.