Senior Project Control Manager

PMO Lead

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Project Type: Luxury Residential / High-Rise Development

Company Overview

Compass Project Consulting is an award-winning, dynamic, and respected project development consultancy, providing high-quality, value-for-money, and fully tailored services to clients across all sectors. As highly regarded project leaders and effective communicators, our Team at Compass has delivered numerous projects for some of the region's most ambitious and innovative change-makers.

Our diverse and disciplined Team facilitates world-class project development solutions. Our core values guide our decisions and constitute our culture, empowering us to perform at our highest level on behalf of our clients. Drawing on our extensive delivery experience, industry-wide knowledge, and sophisticated project development tools, we facilitate the most proficient path toward project success, overcoming constraints and obstacles to deliver projects effectively and efficiently for our clients.

We lead project success stories.

Role Summary

Compass Project Consulting is seeking an experienced PMO Lead to support the development and implementation of a Project Management Office (PMO) and Project Controls Framework for a major real estate portfolio in the UAE.

The successful candidate will lead the establishment of governance structures, project controls procedures, reporting frameworks, portfolio management processes, and PMO standards across a diverse portfolio of developments.

This role requires a senior professional with strong PMO, programme management, project controls, and governance experience gained within major real estate, hospitality, mixed-use, infrastructure, or capital project environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the PMO and Project Controls Framework
• Establish portfolio governance structures, reporting standards, and approval workflows
• Develop Project Execution Plans (PEPs), governance frameworks, and project controls procedures
• Implement portfolio-wide reporting, KPI tracking, and dashboard standards
• Develop and manage risk management, change control, quality, and cost control frameworks
• Facilitate stakeholder workshops and governance reviews
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams and subject matter experts
• Establish programme performance metrics and portfolio reporting mechanisms
• Ensure consistency and compliance across all projects within the portfolio
• Provide strategic advice to senior client stakeholders and executive leadership
• Support framework rollout, adoption, training, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Monitor PMO effectiveness and identify opportunities for process enhancement

Candidate Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Quantity Surveying, or a related discipline
• Minimum 15 years experience in PMO, programme management, project controls, or major project delivery
• Minimum 5 years experience leading PMOs, programme management offices, or portfolio governance functions
• Proven experience developing PMO frameworks, governance systems, and project controls procedures
• Strong knowledge of project controls, planning, cost management, risk management, and reporting systems
• Experience within real estate, hospitality, infrastructure, or major capital projects
• Strong stakeholder management and executive reporting capabilities
• UAE experience required
• Professional certifications such as PMP, PgMP, PMO-CP, AACE, MRICS, or equivalent preferred
• Strong leadership and influencing skills
• Strategic thinker with a governance and controls mindset
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Experience working within developer, PMC, consultancy, or client-side environments
• Ability to establish and implement best practice PMO standards
• Strong commercial awareness and business acumen

Application

To express your interest in a career with us, please apply via the link, and shortlisted candidates will be contacted by a Talent Acquisition representative to discuss the available opportunities in more detail.

Website:www.compass-pc.com

Instagram: @compass_pc

Evolving Tomorrow, Today

Compass Project Consulting is an equal-opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.