Location: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Sector: Packaging & Manufacturing
Employment: Full-time, Permanent
Start: As soon as the right candidate is available

The Opportunity

JL Group is supporting one of our clients in the packaging and manufacturing sector with the appointment of an experienced Construction Project Manager to lead the client-side delivery of a major greenfield industrial facility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This is not a traditional site management position.

The successful candidate will act as the client’s senior construction representative, taking ownership of the building programme and ensuring that external consultants, designers, contractors and specialist providers deliver against the required standards for programme, cost, quality and operational readiness.

The project involves the development of a purpose-built industrial facility centred around a large continuous manufacturing process line. A critical part of the role will therefore be ensuring that the building, utilities, infrastructure and construction programme are fully coordinated with the process equipment and its installation.

For the right individual, this is an opportunity to play a significant role not only in delivering the first facility, but potentially in supporting future industrial developments as the business expands.

Key Responsibilities

The Construction Project Manager will act as the single point of accountability for the building and construction programme on behalf of the client.

Responsibilities will include:

• Leading the client-side construction strategy from design development through procurement, construction, commissioning and handover.

• Managing the overall project programme, cost, quality, risk and change control.

• Appointing and managing external design consultants, cost consultants, supervision teams and other specialist advisers.

• Supporting the procurement and appointment of the main design-and-build contractor.

• Ensuring clear Employer’s Requirements, project specifications and controlled design documentation are established.

• Managing the interface between the building and the manufacturing/process equipment.

• Coordinating foundations, services, utilities, access requirements and installation sequencing with equipment suppliers.

• Overseeing utility connections and infrastructure requirements.

• Monitoring contractor performance and challenging programme, cost and technical information where required.

• Maintaining effective project risk, change and reporting processes.

• Ensuring statutory approvals, quality assurance, HSE requirements and project documentation are properly managed.

• Leading operational readiness, commissioning, handover and defects management.

• Providing clear and transparent reporting to senior leadership throughout the project.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for an experienced construction professional who is comfortable representing the client side of a complex industrial development rather than simply managing day-to-day site activities.

Essential Experience

• Degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Construction Management, Building Services, Architecture or a related discipline.

• Approximately 10+ years of experience delivering industrial, manufacturing, logistics or similarly complex facilities.

• Demonstrable experience taking at least one greenfield project from development through construction and occupancy.

• Experience delivering buildings incorporating significant manufacturing or process equipment.

• Strong understanding of the interface between construction, utilities and equipment installation.

• Experience with design-and-build procurement.

• Working knowledge of FIDIC contracts, ideally including the Yellow Book.

• Previous client-side project management experience, including consultant appointments and contractor management.

• Experience delivering projects within the GCC; Saudi Arabian experience is highly advantageous.

• Strong ability to interrogate construction programmes, cost plans, technical submissions and contractor reporting.

Highly Desirable

Experience in any of the following would be particularly valuable:

• Saudi Arabian industrial developments.

• MODON industrial cities.

• Saudi Council of Engineers registration or eligibility.

• Civil Defence and statutory approval processes in Saudi Arabia.

• Utility connection management.

• Industrial facilities incorporating continuous production lines.

• Facilities or asset management following project completion.

• Arabic language capability.

The Person

Technical experience matters, but so does how you operate.

We are looking for someone who verifies rather than assumes.

You should be comfortable challenging consultants and contractors, identifying inconsistencies in project information and communicating issues clearly to senior decision-makers.

You will need to operate with a high level of independence, judgement and accountability.

This role will suit someone who is commercially aware, technically credible and comfortable working in an environment where decisions are made quickly and responsibility is clear.

Why This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to take genuine client-side ownership of a significant industrial development rather than becoming one part of a large project-management structure.

You will have direct exposure to senior leadership, significant influence over how the project is delivered and the opportunity to establish the construction framework that can be carried into future facilities.

The longer-term opportunity may extend beyond delivery of the first facility into future construction projects and operational asset management as the organisation expands.

Apply

JL Group is managing the search and selection process on behalf of our client.

If your experience aligns with the role, please submit your CV together with a short introduction outlining your experience delivering greenfield industrial or manufacturing facilities, particularly projects where the building had to be coordinated around major process or production equipment.

All applications will be handled confidentially by JL Group.

Location: Dubai, UAE
Division: The Next Chair – Executive Recruitment
Employment: Full-time
Focus: Business Development | Executive Search | Headhunting

The Opportunity

The Next Chair, the executive recruitment division of JL Group, is looking for an ambitious and commercially driven Executive Recruitment & Business Development Consultant to join our growing team in Dubai.

This is a 360° recruitment role.

You will be responsible for developing new client relationships, identifying recruitment opportunities, winning mandates and delivering high-quality executive and professional searches from brief through to placement.

We are not looking for someone who simply waits for vacancies to arrive.

We are looking for someone who knows how to open doors, build relationships, understand businesses, identify talent and close assignments.

Our focus is on professional, managerial and leadership appointments across the UAE and wider GCC.

What You Will Own

Business Development

A significant part of this role is building your own client portfolio.

You will:

• Identify and approach potential clients across the UAE and GCC.

• Develop relationships with founders, CEOs, HR leaders and senior decision-makers.

• Generate new recruitment opportunities through proactive outreach, networking, referrals and market intelligence.

• Conduct client meetings and understand organisational and hiring requirements.

• Present The Next Chair’s recruitment and executive search capabilities.

• Prepare proposals and negotiate recruitment terms.

• Convert opportunities into signed recruitment mandates.

• Build long-term client relationships that generate repeat business rather than one-off placements.

Executive Search & Headhunting

Once a mandate is secured, you will own the search.

You will:

• Translate client requirements into a clear candidate search strategy.

• Conduct market mapping and targeted headhunting.

• Proactively identify and approach passive candidates.

• Screen and assess candidates against both technical requirements and organisational fit.

• Conduct structured candidate interviews.

• Develop strong candidate shortlists rather than relying purely on job-board applications.

• Present candidates professionally to clients with clear assessment and recommendations.

• Manage interview processes, feedback and communication.

• Support offer negotiations and successfully close placements.

• Maintain relationships with high-quality candidates for future opportunities.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone with a strong combination of commercial confidence and recruitment capability.

Ideally, you will have:

• Previous experience in recruitment, executive search, headhunting or recruitment business development.

• Strong business development and client acquisition skills.

• Confidence approaching senior decision-makers and developing relationships from a cold start.

• Experience sourcing and engaging passive candidates.

• Strong interviewing and candidate assessment skills.

• Good understanding of the UAE recruitment market; wider GCC exposure is an advantage.

• Strong written and verbal English communication.

• Confidence using LinkedIn, recruitment platforms, CRM systems and modern sourcing tools.

• The ability to manage several searches and client relationships simultaneously.

• A commercial mindset and clear understanding that recruitment is both a people business and a revenue-generating business.

The Person

You will probably enjoy this role if you are naturally curious about businesses and people.

You are comfortable picking up the phone, starting conversations and approaching people you have never met.

You do not need a list of leads handed to you before you can start working.

You know that a strong recruiter does more than send CVs. You understand the client, challenge the brief when necessary, know the market and find people the client would not necessarily find themselves.

You are persistent without being aggressive, confident without overselling and comfortable being measured against results.

Most importantly, you take ownership.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means building a genuine recruitment desk:

Prospect → Relationship → Mandate → Search → Shortlist → Interview → Offer → Placement → Repeat Business

Over time, you will develop your own portfolio of clients and candidates and become a trusted recruitment partner within your market.

Why Join The Next Chair?

The Next Chair is being built as a modern executive recruitment business combining experienced human judgement, proactive headhunting, market intelligence and technology-enabled recruitment.

You will be joining at an early stage, which means you will have the opportunity to help shape the business rather than simply inherit an established desk and process.

You will work within the wider JL Group environment, with exposure to business consultancy, HR and growing companies across the UAE and GCC.

For someone who can build business and deliver, there is significant room to grow with the division.

Apply

If you have experience in recruitment, executive search or recruitment business development and enjoy both winning clients and finding exceptional candidates, we would like to hear from you.

Submit your CV together with a short introduction explaining:

• The markets or sectors you have recruited within;

• Your experience developing new recruitment clients; and

• The types and seniority of roles you have successfully placed.

All applications will be handled confidentially by The Next Chair, a division of JL Group LLC.