Job Description

Company Description
Ramboll in Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa
Ramboll has more than 1,500 experts working across 15 offices in the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa. We are present in UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Australia. Our experts are applying their passion to deliver innovative solutions in markets as diverse as Buildings, Transport, Planning & Urban Design, Water, Environment & Health and Energy. Founded in Denmark, Ramboll is a people company. We invite you to contribute to a sustainable future working in an open, collaborative and empowering culture.
Welcome to our High-Rise Buildings division
As one of the top 10 building designers in the world, Ramboll works on more than 10,000 building projects each year. 5,000 experts across the world specialize in creating more innovative, sustainable and liveable buildings. We place particular emphasis on our liveable buildings concept where we balance the cultural, social and physical values of buildings, to improve the quality of life for building users.
Role Overview
We are seeking a Senior Design Manager to join our Middle East Buildings team. This role is pivotal in leading design delivery for large, complex, multidisciplinary building projects while also providing technical leadership during bidding and work-winning phases. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in design management, team leadership, and bid collaboration, ensuring projects and proposals are technically robust, compliant, and aligned with client expectations.

Key Responsibilities
1. Design Management & Delivery

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary design teams for major building projects in the Middle East.
• Define, monitor, and manage scope, deliverables, timelines, and authority requirements.
• Ensure design quality, integration, and compliance with Ramboll's QA/QC protocols.
• Chair technical coordination meetings with clients, authorities, and internal teams.
• Oversee BIM coordination and proactively resolve clashes.
• Maintain deliverables and compliance registers for audit readiness.
• Drive design excellence and innovation across all project stages.

2. Technical Leadership in Bidding (Technical Lead Role)

• Technical Quality & Scope: Define and validate technical scope, deliverables, and assumptions for bids.
• Pricing & Resource Planning: Develop fee models, man-hour plans, and pricing assumptions.
• RFP Engagement: Review RFPs for risks/opportunities and shape Ramboll's technical response.
• Client Interface: Lead technical discussions during pre-bid and clarification stages.
• Governance & Approvals: Provide technical sign-off on scope and pricing; ensure compliance.
• Collaboration with Bid Manager: Align technical content with bid strategy, compliance, and delivery.
• Content Development: Contribute to technical narratives, win themes, and value propositions.
• Decision Role: Answer "What are we offering and how do we deliver it?" in alignment with Ramboll's capabilities.

3. Leadership & Coordination

• Guide discipline leads and subject matter experts to maintain technical consistency.
• Coordinate with governance functions (BI&C, Legal, Finance) for approvals.

Qualifications
Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in Architecture, Engineering, or related discipline; Master's degree or MBA is a plus.
• 12-15 years' experience delivering large, complex, multidisciplinary building projects in the Middle East.
• Proven track record in design management, team leadership, and work-winning.
• Strong technical knowledge across building systems and multidisciplinary coordination.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Key Competencies

• Technical Excellence: Deep understanding of multidisciplinary building design and delivery processes.
• Leadership & Team Management: Ability to inspire, coordinate, and manage diverse technical teams.
• Strategic Thinking: Skilled in shaping technical strategies for bids and project delivery.
• Client Engagement: Strong capability to manage client relationships and lead technical discussions.
• Commercial Awareness: Understanding of pricing, resource planning, and risk management.
• Collaboration: Ability to work seamlessly with Bid Managers and governance teams.
• Problem Solving: Proactive approach to resolving design and coordination challenges.
• Digital Proficiency: Familiarity with BIM workflows and digital collaboration tools.

Additional Information
Why Join Us?

• Be part of a dynamic, expanding team in the Middle East.
• Excellent career growth and development opportunities.
• A vibrant and inspiring culture built on innovation and flexibility.

You will join our Building Department
As our new Senior Design Manager, Buildings you will be part of our global High-Rise and Complex Buildings department, Ramboll's dedicated team of high-rise experts which have designed over 200 tall building projects globally, including some of the most technically challenging. You would be responsible for working with engineers for design work in the High-Rise department in the Dubai office and supporting the global department which also has offices in India, United Kingdom, Singapore and other locations.
How to apply
Apply online. Attach your CV, cover letter and relevant documents showcasing why you are the right fit for the role, and when you are available to start. We look forward to receiving your application.

Skills Required