Senior Architect

With more than 14000 people around the globe, GHD is one of the world’s leading professional services companies operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Serving clients across five continents and the Pacific region, GHD people share a passion for exceeding the expectations of our clients and contributing to their success.

Senior Architect – UAE Office

We are seeking a Senior Architect with expertise in mixed-use, residential, hospitality, recreational, ecotourism, and educational design and delivery. The role involves making a significant contribution to our design and delivery capability and participating actively across all stages of project development.

The Senior Architect will be responsible for leading the design of complex construction projects, working closely with clients, project managers, project directors, and other design professionals to ensure a successful project delivery. The Senior Design Architect will oversee the development of design concepts, detailed design drawings, specifications, and all other relevant project documentation, ensuring compliance with relevant codes, regulations, and standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and develop the project vision, contributing to conceptual sketches, design reports, design development, and delivery through IFC.
• Lead the design process from conceptual phase through to the construction documentation and ensuring the design idea is consistent and accurately executed.
• Prepare, and develop drawings, models, images, and other documents relating to the design. Meet with clients to discuss the design requirements for new construction, alterations, and variations.
• Collaborate closely, where appropriate, with members of the external design team and other associated organizations or companies.
• Coordinate the design with all disciplines, subconsultants, and stakeholders.
• Proactively checks and coordinates project documents (including but not limited to multi-disciplinary drawings, design reports, technical specifications, etc.) and ensure they meet Client requirements and Industry Standards.
• Take ownership for preparation of discipline drawings for submission to the Statutory Authorities. Well developed knowledge of local & international codes, regulations and submission requirements.
• Sets the overall strategy for producing the documents and identifies the sheets planned for each stage of the work. This includes defining how data will be organized into files and which elements will be incorporated in a Building Information Model (BIM).
• Implementing SID “Safety in Design” principals throughout the design process and ensuring ISO 9001 Quality Assurance Structure throughout projects.
• Mentors and advises the less experienced staff, participates in professional development reviews and “Lessons Learned” sessions.
• Registered Architect in the UAE, or ability to be registered.

Skill and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture.
• Professional registration or membership is preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in architectural design on medium- to large-scale projects.
• Extensive experience from concept through IFC across a range of project types (residential, commercial, hospitality, etc.). Previous site experience is beneficial.
• Strong design capability and organisational skills.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience leading teams and projects.
• Proficiency in Revit, Photoshop, SketchUp (or similar 3D software), Twinmotion or Lumion, InDesign, Illustrator, Excel, and other MS Office applications.
• Knowledge of UAE building codes, regulations, and submission requirements.
• Ability to work in an organised, proactive manner and prioritise multiple tasks independently and within a team environment.
• Experience with Middle East design and construction practices, including regional stage durations and delivery scopes.
• Experience delivering fast-track and design-to-budget projects.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with clients, team members, and other stakeholders.

Take on some of the world's toughest challenges- with everyone at GHD backing you every step of the way.
At GHD, we celebrate the power of a multicultural workforce and champion individual achievement. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to providing fair and inclusive employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees—regardless of background, identity, or experience. We believe that diversity drives innovation, and we welcome the unique perspectives that each team member brings to our organization.