Facade Leader GHD

Role Purpose

Provide technical and practice leadership for fa ade engineering, acting as the technical authority while uplifting delivery quality, team capability, and commercial outcomes across the UAE, GCC, and global projects.

• As Team Leader / Technical Director Fa ades, you will lead the delivery, development, and growth of fa ade engineering services across the UAE and wider GCC, while providing technical leadership and specialist support to GHD offices globally.
• You will act as the technical authority for fa ade engineering, overseeing the full lifecycle of fa ade projects from concept design and technical verification through to construction support and performance validation. The role combines hands-on technical leadership with strategic oversight, ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality fa ade solutions.
• A core aspect of the role is to build, mentor, and lead a high-performing fa ade engineering team across the UAE and Philippines, fostering a culture of design excellence, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. You will champion digital enablement, best practice methodologies, and technical governance, while supporting commercial performance and sustainable business growth.
• You will deliver fa ade engineering services on discipline-specific projects within the UAE and GCC and contribute as part of multi-disciplinary project teams across the broader GHD network. Working closely with the Senior Technical Director Specialist Services, and discipline leaders across Architecture, Structures, MEP, Fire & Life Safety, Acoustics, and Project Management, you will help deliver coordinated solutions across new-build, refurbishment, and specialist fa ade advisory commissions.
• The role balances technical excellence, project governance, client engagement, and people leadership, ensuring that fa ade engineering services are delivered in alignment with GHD s global standards and strategic objectives.

Key Duties

Lead fa ade design and specification development, technical governance, project delivery, people development, client engagement, and commercial performance to ensure consistent, compliant, and high-quality fa ade outcomes.

Technical Leadership & Assurance

• Act as the Technical Authority for fa ade engineering, providing leadership across fa ade design, analysis, specifications, and verification, including glass and aluminum systems, structural performance, thermal and condensation control, acoustics, fire performance, watertightness/airtightness, movement, tolerances, fixings, corrosion protection, durability, and maintainability.
• Define, implement, and champion fa ade design standards, technical templates, and QA/QC procedures, and lead technical reviews, and independent checks.
• Act as the technical authority for the development of robust fa ade performance specifications, defining performance intent, measurable criteria, tolerances, and compliance pathways to support design, procurement, and construction delivery. Ensure specifications are clear, coordinated, and aligned with recognized international standards and client requirements.
• Resolve complex fa ade technical challenges and develop value engineering and optimisation solutions that maintain performance, safety, buildability, and architectural intent.

Project Delivery & Governance

• Act as Design Lead / Technical Director on all fa ade projects, setting the overall delivery strategy, technical governance framework, programme inputs, and project risk registers.
• Provide senior oversight of multi-disciplinary coordination, ensuring fa ade design intent and performance requirements are fully integrated with all relevant disciplines.
• Review, challenge, and approve key technical deliverables, including fa ade design reports, drawings, BIM models, calculations, contractor submittals, shop drawings, material proposals, method statements, and RFI responses.
• Lead fa ade construction phase governance, providing site leadership through inspections and technical reporting, resolving non-conformances and interface risks, and ensuring technical close-out.
• Own project commercial performance within the fa ade portfolio including profit margins, variations and change control.
• Ensure compliance with regional codes/standards (e.g., UAE Fire & Life Safety Code, IBC/ASCE/EN/BS/ISO/CWCT as applicable) and client requirements.

People Leadership & Capability Development

• Recruit, lead, and develop fa ade engineers and technicians in the UAE and Philippines, establishing clear career pathways, competency frameworks, training matrices, and succession plans aligned with current and future business needs.
• Take accountability for resource planning, utilization, and performance, balancing workloads across bids and live projects to maximize efficiency, delivery quality, and team sustainability.
• Develop a high-performance culture grounded in technical excellence, collaboration, accountability, and psychological safety, while developing the team s client-facing capability, commercial acumen, and professional credibility.

Experience & qualifications

• Bachelor s degree in civil/Structural/Mechanical/Architectural Engineering or related (Master s in Fa ade Engineering or related an advantage).
• Team Leader: 12+ years experience in fa ade engineering with a mix of consultancy and contracting experience.
• Technical Director: 18+ years with recognized subject matter authority and major project leadership across concept to handover across contracting and consultancy.
• Proven experience acting as a technical authority or design lead for fa ade systems for major, including development of fa ade performance specifications.
• Demonstrated commercial and project delivery experience, including fee development, scope definition, risk positioning, and change control.
• Strong experience working within multi-disciplinary teams and on design-and-build or contractor-led projects.
• Solid understanding of regional and international fa ade-related codes and standards, including UAE Fire & Life Safety Code.
• Experience leading or mentoring an established technical team and engaging with clients at senior level.

Take on some of the world's toughest challenges- with everyone at GHD backing you every step of the way.