About the role
A leading international luxury real estate developer is looking for a Development Director, based in Oman, to lead a major waterfront master-planned community. The project includes dredged water canals and luxury residential districts. You’ll be the client-side lead from masterplan through dredging, infrastructure works, residential delivery and handover.
Key responsibilities
- Lead the masterplanning of a large waterfront community, covering the canal network layout, water frontage, plots, infrastructure, amenities and open space.
- Appoint and manage masterplanners, architects, coastal and marine engineers, hydrodynamic and water-quality modellers, and landscape consultants.
- Make sure the canal design achieves water circulation and quality, navigability, stable edges and quay walls, and delivers the luxury waterfront experience the brand requires.
- Lead value engineering of marine and infrastructure packages without compromising quality or long-term maintenance.
- Oversee the full scope of dredging, canal excavation, revetments, quay walls, breakwaters, beaches and marina works.
- Set the procurement strategy for contractors and lead tendering, evaluation and negotiation with international and regional dredging contractors.
- Monitor dredging and reclamation volumes, sequencing, soil improvement, settlement and quality testing, and make sure contractors meet programme, cost and specification.
- Secure approvals in Oman, including environmental permits (EIA), coastal and maritime permits, dredging and disposal approvals, and utility NOCs.
- Build strong relationships with Omani ministries, municipalities, port and maritime authorities, environmental regulators and utility providers.
- Ensure environmental monitoring and compliance during dredging, including turbidity, marine ecology and spoil management.
- Lead the design and delivery of luxury residential products: canal-front villas, branded residences, apartments and amenities.
- Lead project managers, PMC consultants and contractors through construction, commissioning and handover to buyers and facilities management.
- Take overall responsibility for the budget, programme, risk and health and safety across all phases.
- Manage contracts (FIDIC or similar), variations, claims and dispute resolution, especially on marine packages.
- Act as the main client representative for joint venture partners, government stakeholders and investors, and report to senior management and the board.
- Build and lead a multidisciplinary development team in Oman.
Requirements
- At least 10 years’ experience in real estate development, with a proven track record on residential and master-planned communities.
- Essential: hands-on experience with dredging and water canal projects, such as canal-front communities, marinas, land reclamation or waterfront developments, either client-side or with a major marine contractor or consultancy.
- Has delivered large-scale waterfront or master-planned projects from concept to handover.
- Strong understanding of marine and coastal engineering, dredging methods and contracts, reclamation and environmental requirements.
- Strong command of development finance, feasibility modelling, cost management and procurement.
- Experience in the GCC is essential. Experience in Oman is a strong advantage, including knowledge of the local approvals process and stakeholders.
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil or Coastal Engineering, Architecture or Construction Management. A Master’s, MBA, RICS or PMP is an advantage.
- Excellent leadership, negotiation and stakeholder management skills, and comfortable presenting at board and government level.
- Arabic is an advantage.
