Head of Operations

The Head of Operations – Construction leads the full operational delivery of all construction projects, ensuring excellence in Time, Cost, Quality, HSE, and Client Satisfaction, while safeguarding productivity, margins, and project governance.

The role anchors the construction division by driving execution discipline, project planning, resource utilization, risk control, commercial alignment, and operational predictability across all sites.

This position is critical to achieving Designsmith's long-term construction growth, revenue ambitions, and reputation as a dependable, compliant, and high-performing contractor.

A. Construction Operations Leadership

• Lead all construction operations from mobilisation through handover.
• Ensure systematic execution across civil, structural, MEP integration, finishing works, and authority inspections.
• Drive strong operational discipline—site setup, method statements, WIR/MIR approvals, QA/QC controls, and daily reporting rhythms.
• Maintain compliance with all UAE authority requirements (municipality, DCD, Trakhees, ADM, etc.).

B. Planning, Programme & Resource Management

• Lead project planning, baseline scheduling, resource histograms, and progress tracking.
• Forecast manpower, material, plant & equipment requirements with high accuracy.
• Ensure operational readiness for pipeline projects through proactive planning and sequencing.
• Manage subcontractor selection, mobilisation, coordination, and performance.

C. Cost, Commercial & Contractual Control

• Collaborate with Commercial & Contracts to manage costs, procurement, variations, claims, and subcontractor agreements.
• Monitor budget adherence, productivity, material usage, and wastage to protect margins.
• Monitor project cash flow, billing cycles, WIP, and invoicing timelines.
• Ensure operational decisions adhere to DOA and financial governance.

D. Quality, HSE & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure all projects meet Designsmith's quality benchmarks and client requirements.
• Lead QA/QC inspections, testing/commissioning plans, snag control, and final handover quality.
• Drive strict adherence to HSE standards, method statements, risk assessments, and regulatory approvals.
• Maintain zero compromise on safety and compliance.

E. Client, Consultant & Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with clients, consultants, authorities, and partners.
• Lead progress meetings, technical reviews, and escalation resolution.
• Ensure transparent, timely, and solution-driven communication with all stakeholders.

F. Reporting, Project Controls & Governance

• Establish and monitor project KPIs and dashboards for progress, risk, quality, and financials.
• Conduct weekly and monthly operational reviews with structured reporting to CEO/COO.
• Maintain full documentation discipline—daily logs, RFI logs, NCRs, inspection reports, site photos, schedules, and handover files.
• Lead root-cause analysis for delays, cost deviations, or quality issues.

G. Leadership, Team Development & Culture

• Lead, mentor, and performance-manage PMs, Construction Managers, Engineers, Supervisors, and site teams.
• Build a strong culture of accountability, discipline, problem-solving, and execution excellence.
• Ensure competency development, performance evaluation, and succession planning.

Key Deliverables (KPIs)

• Delivery of annual revenue, gross margin, and EBITDA targets
• On-time project delivery across all sites
• Quality performance & defect reduction
• HSE compliance metrics, safety audit closure rates
• Cash flow discipline, invoicing accuracy, WIP performance
• Variation and claims management effectiveness
• manpower productivity and utilization levels
• Documentation quality & regulatory compliance
• Client satisfaction scores and repeat business
• Forecast vs actual resource usage accuracy
• Team competence, stability, and retention

Desired Candidate Profile

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or Construction Management (Master's preferred).
• 15+ years of experience in construction operations with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven expertise in delivering large-scale projects in UAE with strong regulatory knowledge.
• Experience working with consultants, authorities, and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong track record in delivering projects on time, within budget, and to high quality standards.
• Sound knowledge of FIDIC contracts
• Strong knowledge is commercial and cash flow management

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