Technical Director - Dry Utilities

Job Description WSP Middle East is hiring an experienced Technical Director – Utilities to lead and grow a high-performing utilities discipline within a leading engineering consultancy in Riyadh. This role sits within the Transport & Infrastructure business unit, supporting the delivery of large-scale infrastructure and masterplan land development projects across Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar. The successful candidate will provide technical leadership, project oversight, and client engagement across all aspects of dry utilities & MEICA designs, including power, telecommunications, district cooling, Gas, street lighting, and related systems. This is a strategic leadership position requiring a balance of technical excellence, commercial awareness, and stakeholder management. Responsibilities • Lead the design, coordination, and delivery of utilities networks across complex infrastructure and land development projects. • Provide technical oversight and governance, ensuring designs comply with local authority standards (e.g., SEC, Saudi Telecom, MOE, NWC where interfaces apply) and international best practices. • Awareness of Dubai and Abu Dhabi regulations. • Drive innovation and value engineering initiatives to optimize project outcomes and cost efficiency. • Ensure seamless integration of utilities with other disciplines. • Support in achieving the P&L objectives inline with the business target. • Maintain good relationships with clients, and establish communications with new clients to support the business growth. • Act as the primary technical point of contact for clients, authorities, and key stakeholders. • Build and maintain strong client relationships, supporting business development and repeat work opportunities. • Represent the organization in technical meetings, presentations, and authority discussions. • Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary utilities team, fostering technical excellence and collaboration. • Support recruitment, resource planning, and capability development aligned with business growth objectives. • Promote a high-performance, delivery-focused culture within the team. • Oversee project delivery to ensure time, cost, and quality objectives are achieved. • Contribute to proposal preparation, bid strategy, and technical submissions for major projects. • Monitor project financials, including budget, forecasting, and resource utilization to ensure profit and loss objectives are met at both projects and discipline levels. • Ensure effective coordination with internal disciplines (transport planning, highways, structures, environment) and external stakeholders. • Lead resolution of complex technical interface issues across multiple workstreams. • Support authority approvals and permitting processes. Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline (Master’s preferred). • Minimum 18+ years of total experience in engineering consultancy, with a strong focus on dry utilities design and delivery. • Proven experience working with leading international engineering consultancies. • Demonstrated involvement in large-scale infrastructure and land development projects in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia experience preferred). • Strong knowledge of local authority requirements and standards in KSA. • Extensive expertise in power (HV/MV/LV), substations, telecom networks, MEICA, and street lighting systems. • Strong understanding of design coordination across multiple disciplines. • Ability to review and approve complex technical deliverables. • Proven track record in a client-facing leadership role, managing senior stakeholders. • Strong team leadership and mentoring capabilities. • Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills. • Chartered Engineer or equivalent professional accreditation preferred. • Ability to operate at both strategic and hands-on technical levels. • Strong commercial awareness and experience in project delivery and business development. What if we can have work-life balance? What if we can be rewarded in ways that support our individual needs? What if we can be accepted for who we are? Here at WSP – we can! WSP recognizes that work is only one part of our lives and making time for the other things in our life is important – be that our families, our friends or ourselves. So, if working from home, working part-time or having flexible start and finish time will help with this let us know as part of your application. As well as rewarding you with competitive pay, WSP offers standard benefits including first class medical cover, generous days annual leave, and paid professional subscriptions. 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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Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline (Master’s preferred). Minimum 18+ years of total experience in engineering consultancy, with a strong focus on dry utilities design and delivery. Proven experience working with leading international engineering consultancies. Demonstrated involvement in large-scale infrastructure and land development projects in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia experience preferred). Strong knowledge of local authority requirements and standards in KSA. Extensive expertise in power (HV/MV/LV), substations, telecom networks, MEICA, and street lighting systems. Strong understanding of design coordination across multiple disciplines. Ability to review and approve complex technical deliverables. Proven track record in a client-facing leadership role, managing senior stakeholders. Strong team leadership and mentoring capabilities. Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills. Chartered Engineer or equivalent professional accreditation preferred.

Lead the design, coordination, and delivery of utilities networks across complex infrastructure and land development projects. Provide technical oversight and governance, ensuring designs comply with local authority standards (e.g., SEC, Saudi Telecom, MOE, NWC where interfaces apply) and international best practices. Awareness of Dubai and Abu Dhabi regulations. Drive innovation and value engineering initiatives to optimize project outcomes and cost efficiency. Ensure seamless integration of utilities with other disciplines. Support in achieving the P&L objectives inline with the business target. Maintain good relationships with clients, and establish communications with new clients to support the business growth. Act as the primary technical point of contact for clients, authorities, and key stakeholders. Build and maintain strong client relationships, supporting business development and repeat work opportunities. Represent the organization in technical meetings, presentations, and authority discussions. Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary utilities team, fostering technical excellence and collaboration. Support recruitment, resource planning, and capability development aligned with business growth objectives. Promote a high-performance, delivery-focused culture within the team. Oversee project delivery to ensure time, cost, and quality objectives are achieved. Contribute to proposal preparation, bid strategy, and technical submissions for major projects. Monitor project financials, including budget, forecasting, and resource utilization to ensure profit and loss objectives are met at both projects and discipline levels. Ensure effective coordination with internal disciplines (transport planning, highways, structures, environment) and external stakeholders. Lead resolution of complex technical interface issues across multiple workstreams. Support authority approvals and permitting processes.