Service Lead - Maritime Planning

About the role

WSP is looking for a Service Lead for its Maritime Planning business in the Middle East, a leadership position covering project delivery from feasibility and master planning through concept design, procurement support and tender stages. The role is key to the growth of WSP's Maritime business and ensures technical excellence, client satisfaction and alignment with WSP's strategic goals. It is based in either the UAE or KSA, and follows the transition of the current Service Lead to another role within WSP.

Key responsibilities

• Drive business unit initiatives as a member of the Maritime Senior Management Team and contribute to strategic growth.
• Lead and manage a team of 5-10 maritime planning professionals, including workload allocation, capacity planning, recruitment of junior team members and workforce planning.
• Lead maritime planning projects from pursuit through delivery, including scope development, risk management, contract negotiations, resourcing and commercial oversight.
• Build strong client relationships, forecast project workload, monitor performance against budgets and identify resource needs.
• Act as a subject matter expert on coastal developments, marinas and port facilities, and lead research and innovation initiatives.
• Integrate maritime infrastructure requirements into project designs, review and approve technical reports and presentations, and present project outcomes to executive-level client stakeholders.
• Engage with industry suppliers and stakeholders, and drive business development in the Maritime Planning sector.

Required profile

• Qualified maritime engineer with 10+ years of experience delivering maritime planning projects across the GCC.
• Master's degree or higher in a relevant field (preferred).
• Professional registration or certification in Civil Engineering or a related discipline is advantageous.
• Established network of clients and industry contacts across the Middle East (preferred).

Required skills

• Extensive technical expertise in maritime planning, especially for industrial ports, dry ports and marinas.
• Strong leadership, people management and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent communication skills and a proactive, commercially aware approach.