General Manager - Construction

Job Title: General Manager Contracting

Job Type

Full Time

Job Location

Dubai, UAE

Job Function

General Management

Position Title: General Manager Construction

Company Industry

Property & Real Estate

Role Purpose

The General Manager will lead and shape the construction function from the ground up, with an initial focus on low-rise to mid-rise developments, and a clear roadmap to scale into high-rise and complex projects as the portfolio grows.

This role will be responsible to drive the end-to-end construction strategy and execution for the developer-backed contracting arm, ensuring seamless delivery of projects from feasibility-handover.

This role holds full accountability for planning, execution, cost, quality, safety, and compliance, while building a scalable organization, strong governance, and a high-performance delivery culture.

Key Responsibilities

1.Construction Setup & Organizational Design

Advise on and help define the construction organization structure

Identify key leadership and critical hires (Project Managers, QS, QA/QC, Planning, HSE)

Support recruitment decisions through role definition, capability benchmarking, and interview input.

Define delegation of authority, reporting lines, and accountability frameworks

2. Process, Governance & Systems Setup

Establish core construction processes:

Project controls & reporting

Cost management & approvals

Change management & variations

Quality and HSE frameworks

Set up standard operating procedures (SOPs) for execution and controls

Define management reporting cadence and dashboards for leadership visibility

3. Project Execution & Delivery

Lead end-to-end delivery of low-rise and mid-rise projects in the initial phase and High Rise and complex developments in the later phases.

Ensure adherence to time, cost, quality, and safety standards

Oversee consultant coordination, contractor performance, and site execution

Manage risks, sequencing, and resource optimization

Ensure timely achievement of authority approvals, inspections, and completion certifications.

Proactively resolve execution challenges to avoid delays, cost overruns, and quality issues.

4. Construction Strategy & Long-Term Planning

Lead overall construction strategy aligned with the developer's long-term development pipeline.

Oversee pre-construction activities including feasibility studies, constructability reviews, value engineering, and execution planning.

Define resource allocation, manpower planning, and phasing strategies across multiple towers.

Identify, assess, and mitigate technical, commercial, and delivery risks at early stages.

5. Scaling & Readiness for High-Rise Developments (Future-Focused)

Design systems and teams with future high-rise readiness in mind

Advise leadership on timing, capability gaps, and risk thresholds before moving into high-rise

Support transition planning as the project portfolio grows in complexity

6. Commercial, Contracts & Procurement

Advise on procurement strategy aligned with project scale and risk profile

Lead procurement strategy, subcontractor selection, and supplier prequalification.

Support contract structuring, tender evaluation, and contractor appointments

Drive cost discipline, value engineering, and claims mitigation

7. Quality, HSE & Compliance

Enforce robust QA/QC systems aligned with project specifications and international standards.

Ensure strict compliance with UAE construction codes, authority regulations, and safety standards.

Champion a zero-harm safety culture, ensuring strong HSE leadership across all sites.

Ensure readiness for audits, inspections, and regulatory reviews.

8. Governance, Controls & Methodologies

Implement best-in-class construction methodologies, project governance frameworks, and reporting systems.

Establish and track KPIs covering cost, time, productivity, quality, safety, and risk.

Enforce strong project controls, cost monitoring, and manage change.

Drive consistency and discipline across all sites and teams.

9. Stakeholder & Authority Management

Act as the senior interface with developers, consultants, subcontractors, and authorities.

Maintain effective coordination with design, commercial, and operations stakeholders.

Present project progress, risks, and mitigation plans to senior management and executives.

Protect the developer's brand through professional site representation and delivery excellence.

10. Leadership, Team Development & Culture

Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams across project management, engineering, commercial, procurement, and site operations.

Build a performance-driven, accountable, and collaborative culture.

Develop succession planning and capability building within the contracting organization.

Drive continuous improvement through lessons learned and best practices.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, Construction Management, or related field; Master's degree preferred; Professional certifications (PMP, RICS, ICE, CIOB) are an advantage.
• 15 years of construction leadership experience, with at least 7-10 years of experience in the UAE market.
• Proven leadership role experience in contracting companies
• Proven track record overseeing high-rise buildings and complex mixed-use developments.
• In-depth knowledge of UAE construction regulations, authority processes, and strong relationships with top developers and contractors.
• Demonstrated experience in setting up or scaling construction operations and governance

Salary:

AED 50,000 to 55,000 per month inclusive of fixed allowances.

**Additional benefits to be discussed based on Performance.