Design Director Full-time Job

Responsibilities:

Design Team Lead for the UAE office providing leadership, driving design excellence, building client relationships, help with the winning work, upskilling and mentoring junior architects, develop strategic approaches, robustness of solutions, risk management, timeliness and involving others as appropriate to achieve these outcomes.

Developing and presenting building concept designs in line with the client's brief and to the client's satisfaction, whether for competitions, proposals or chargeable jobs.

Establishment of design concepts and methodologies that are creatively, technically and commercially successful.

Introduction of work practices that increase efficiency, productivity and job satisfaction for staff.

Provide support and design leadership for other GHD offices from time to time.

Provide leadership, guidance, coaching, and performance feedback to concept designers and other staff members.

Coordination of design elements with other design disciplines.

Work with Project Directors, Project Managers, and others to satisfactorily deliver projects.

Understand client needs and resolve issues of project scope and design requirements.

Establish project delivery strategy and work with the Project Manager in developing the job plan, quality plan, securing resources, establishing work briefs and budgets.

Organize and carry out peer reviews across disciplines for feedback and comment during concept development and prior to submission.

Assist and coach Team Members in carrying out their functions.

Direct technical performance on projects, monitor adherence to the Quality Plan and take corrective action as required.

Invite client feedback as appropriate to verify client needs being met.

Monitor financial performance and productivity on jobs.

Liaise with Business Group Managers in the allocation of resources and staffing of projects.

With the Job Manager, share knowledge via GHD’s knowledge management system.

Ability to become a Registered Engineer/Architect in the UAE

Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in Architecture.

Minimum of 15 years of experience in design architecture, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.

Strong design skills, with a focus on innovative, functional, and aesthetically pleasing design solutions.

Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Experience in managing teams, budgets and programmes.

Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with clients, team members, and other stakeholders.

Focus on client experience and understanding of client needs.

Strong team development skills, a team player.

Highly developed communication skills, both verbal and written, open communication.

Good people relationship and networking skills.

Strong judgment and decisiveness; bias for action.

Leadership skills - cooperative with other staff, good coaching skills.

Ability to influence others, good negotiating skills.

Able to direct several jobs at once and determine priorities.

Understand and adhere to GHD’s values, Codes of Conduct, and Policies.

Key Performance Indicators:

Client satisfaction, repeat and new business, client awareness of design quality and robustness of technical solutions.

Delivery of designs to international standards of design excellence.

Demonstration of added value to projects.

Teamwork, cooperation, open communication, training and knowledge transfer to Team Members.

Absence of professional indemnity issues.

Productive use of chargeable time for self and others.

Implementation of an individual Action Plan developed during the annual performance review.Oversight of compliance with GHD’s OHS&R Management System.

Key Accountabilities:

The Design Director is responsible for the establishment and satisfactory completion of the concept design and design development with an emphasis on understanding client needs, technical solutions and timely performance leading to client satisfaction and to coach and assist the Team Members in fulfilling their role.

Specific Accountabilities:

Manage the client’s expectations for the project by under-promising and over-delivering and also by:

Maintaining appropriate client contact and managing the client’s expectations of the outcomes.

Maintaining records of the client briefing process by developing and implementing a format including client questionnaires, architectural programs and design briefs.

Providing designs that meet with client budgets and cost outcomes.

Discussing with the Job Manager the overall objectives and client brief in order to develop a strategic approach and robust design solutions.

Monitoring job progress and informing client of project team findings that will require a change in job approach, budget, direction or scope.

Inviting feedback and developing client relationships.

Reviewing deliverables prior to issue to verify that client needs have been met as well as ensuring that issues of code compliance and constructibility have been addressed.

Facilitating the resolution of any disputes with the client.

Develop GHD’s business by:

Proactively marketing all GHD Service Lines to achieve direct sales, on sells and cross sells.

Providing good service to the client.

People Management

Provide direction, coaching and feedback to all team members and have them contribute to GHD’s knowledge management system. Maintain harmonious team working arrangements by:

Securing sufficient staff resources to complete the project within the stipulated time frames and maintaining resource plans for the current workload.

Coaching and assisting Team Members through training and staff development tasks.

Resolving any issues that may arise between the Job Manager and other team members.

In conjunction with the Project Manager, developing project staff through delegation, support and authorisation to take on extra responsibility.

Developing Team Members by setting a strong example, providing a clear role model, and providing feedback and recognition.

Identification of candidates to develop “Distinctive Competencies”.

Project Direction

Develop key strategies to meet overall project objectives and identify any unusual conditions or risks that may affect work progress with reference to the GHD Risk Management Policy. Facilitate delivery of the project in accordance with the client brief by:

Checking that project scope is clearly defined to meet the client’s needs.

Carrying out scheduling, timing and cost control tasks.

Securing the utilisation of appropriate resources.

Checking deliverables for consistency with the job brief and job quality plan to achieve client satisfaction.

Reviewing/approving designs in accordance with GHD’s Quality Management System, with particular emphasis on Job Inception and 15 percent reviews.

Providing “on the job” coaching of Team Members and other project staff to assist in staff development.

Financial Management

Contribute to GHD’s profitability by:

Assisting Job Managers achieve desired financial outcomes.

Minimizing bad debts, claims for costs against GHD, and professional indemnity issues.

Supporting the Job Manager in maintaining target chargeable time across the project team.

Maintaining personal chargeable time targets.

Assisting the Job Manager in following up invoices, which are overdue for payment.

We are committed to addressing the worlds biggest challenges in the areas of water, energy and communities.
GHD is a global network of multi-disciplinary professionals providing clients with integrated solutions through engineering, environmental, design and construction expertise. Our future-focused, innovative approaches connect and support communities around the world, resiliency and sustainability for generations to come.
Established in 1928, we remain wholly owned by our people. We are 10,000+ diverse and skilled individuals connected by over 200 offices, across five continents Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America, and the Pacific region.
See our list of office locations and contact numbers in ghd.com/en/about-ghd/office-locations
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GHD reconnaît et comprend que le monde est en constante évolution. Nous sommes engagés à résoudre les plus grands défis mondiaux dans les secteurs de leau, de lénergie et de lurbanisation.
Nous sommes une entreprise de services professionnels dotée dune expertise de pointe en ingénierie, en construction et en architecture. Nos démarches avant-gardistes et innovatrices rapprochent et soutiennent les communautés à léchelle mondiale. En livrant dexcellents résultats sociaux et économiques, nous visons à bâtir des relations durables avec nos partenaires et nos clients.
Fondée en 1928, GHD appartient entièrement à ses employés Nous sommes plus de 10 000 employés diversifiés et qualifiés dans plus de 200 bureaux et sur cinq continents : Amérique du Nord et Amérique du Sud, Asie, Australie et Europe, ainsi que dans la région du Pacifique.
Apprenez-en davantage sur nous à ghd.com