Job Description
We are seeking an experienced Aviation Programme Director, to contribute to the growing Aviation Team here
in the Middle East. The Aviation Programme Director role plays a pivotal senior leadership role, steering a diverse portfolio of complex aviation projects across the Middle East. The position blends strategic oversight with hands-on delivery, ensuring that major airport and aviation infrastructure programmes meet the highest standards of technical excellence, safety, and stakeholder alignment. Beyond programme execution, the director drives business development - cultivating client relationships, identifying emerging opportunities, and shaping winning proposals that expand WSP's aviation footprint in the region. It's a role that demands vision, commercial acumen, and the ability to orchestrate multidisciplinary teams toward transformative outcomes in one of the world's most dynamic aviation markets.
The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping the future of airport design, delivering world-class facilities that enhance operational efficiency, passenger experience, and environmental sustainability.
Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Project Delivery:
- Lead the project delivery of various scopes of work with an initial focus for the delivery of the Concept of Operations for DWC phase 2.
- Translate operational and user requirements into spatially coherent layouts that reflect passenger, staff, service, and equipment flows, ensuring clarity, efficiency and functional alignment.
- Support airport masterplanning activities by assisting in the preparation of concept building footprints, interface zones, circulation concepts and area relationships across landside, airside and support facility environments. I
- Identify gaps, inconsistencies, missing elements and operational misalignments, providing clear corrective recommendations and contributing to the refinement of Scope of Work and associated deliverables.
- Support WSP's QA/QC processes by ensuring all design outputs meet project requirements, client expectations and WSP quality benchmarks.
- Lead and contribute to the design and engineering of airport infrastructure, including runways, taxiways, aprons, terminals, and airside/landside facilities, ensuring compliance with ICAO, FAA, IATA, ACI, and regional regulations.
- Oversee the full project lifecycle from concept development and feasibility studies to detailed design, construction support, and commissioning of aviation projects. Drive the adoption of BIM, GIS, and advanced digital design tools to enhance project efficiency and accuracy.
- Develop strategies to future-proof airport infrastructure, incorporating emerging technologies, climate resilience, and net-zero sustainability goals.
Client & Stakeholder Engagement:
- Establish and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including airport authorities, airlines, government agencies, regulatory bodies, and industry partners.
- Collaborate with architects, planners, contractors, and subcontractors to align design solutions with operational and safety requirements.
- Act as a trusted advisor to clients, understanding their needs and expectations while ensuring project objectives are met.
- Represent the company in industry forums, working groups, and regulatory discussions to influence aviation infrastructure policies and standards.
- Participate in workshops and coordination meetings with airport authorities, operators, airlines, government entities and project partners, offering clear explanations of functional design intent, spatial logic and layout development.
- Capture operational feedback, user needs and stakeholder comments, translating them into updated layouts, diagrams, functional narratives and structured documentation.
- Prepare technical notes, functional design reports, diagrams, briefings, presentation materials and submission packages that support project communication and decision-making.
- Collaborate with other Business Units to develop and deliver a OneWSP service offering to aviation clients.
Business Development & Strategic Growth:
- Develop and implement strategies to secure and deliver major aviation projects, aligning with business objectives and market opportunities.
- Identify new business opportunities, contribute to proposals, and lead bid strategies to secure high-profile airport infrastructure projects.
- Work closely with the local and global aviation leadership to share best practices, resources, and technical expertise to enhance overall company capabilities.
- Support the development of aviation proposals, RFP responses and bid submissions by preparing methodologies, design approaches, scope definitions, delivery strategies, effort estimates and sample layouts.
- Work closely with project managers to define design- related milestones, delivery plans and task allocations, ensuring alignment between design activities and PM structures.
- Provide design-oriented support throughout the project lifecycle to ensure that planning, coordination, delivery and client communication are seamlessly integrated
Qualifications
- Bachelor's or master's degree in civil engineering, Structural Engineering, Architecture, Aviation Planning, or a related field.
- Chartered Engineer (CEng, PE, or equivalent) certification preferred.
- 15+ years of experience in airport design and delivery, engineering, and project management, including leadership roles in major aviation projects.
- Proven expertise in overseeing and delivering all components of new airfield design and development.
- Extensive experience working on complex mega airport projects and multi-billion-dollar infrastructure developments.
- Understanding of all aspects of design delivery including both AIA and RIBA stages including Operational Readiness (ORAT) and Handover.
Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.
Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.
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